Raymond Eugene Wright

• Missing Since 01/11/2018
• Missing From Rio Linda, California
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Male
• Race White
• Date of Birth 06/29/1962 (63)
• Age 55 years old
• Height and Weight 6'0, 170 pounds
• Associated Vehicle(s) White four-door 2016 Ford F-250 with a windowless Leer camper shell (accounted for)
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Blond hair, blue eyes. Wright's nickname is Ray. He wears eyeglasses and has a tattoo of a boy and girl on his back.

Details of Disappearance

Wright lived in Rocklin, California at the time of his disappearance and had a shop in Rio Linda, California. He was last heard from over cellular phone at 9:00 a.m. January 11, 2018. He was last seen leaving his job near 26th and I Streets in Rio Linda at 10:30 a.m. The last place his phone pinged was to a cellular tower in the local area. He has never been heard from again.

On January 13, Wright's brother encountered a strange man inside Wright's home and called police. The intruder fled the house before the police arrived, but left behind a cup of fresh soda in the kitchen, and his DNA was taken from the straw.

On January 13, Wright's vehicle, a white four-door 2016 Ford F-250 with a windowless Leer camper shell, was found locked and abandoned at Freedom Park Apartments along Freedom Park Drive near Watt Avenue and Elkhorn Boulevard in North Highlands, California. A photo of the truck is posted with this case summary.

On January 27, Victor Merle Gray, a local felon, was driving under the influence and led the California Highway Patrol on a high-speed chase, ending in crash which caused injuries to innocent people. The van was towed, and when police searched it they found a blood-soaked raincoat, Wright's wallet and other property belonging to Wright, much of it charred. The blood on the raincoat matched Wright's DNA.

After further investigation, police found a letter from Gray to a third man, Robert Manor. In the letter, Gray complained he had not been paid for "delivering dude" and asked Manor to take care of the person "who hand delivered your revenge." The DNA from the straw found in the soda cup in Wright's house matched Gray.

In March 2023, both Manor and Gray were convicted of first-degree murder in Wright's death, as well as kidnapping for ransom causing death. Authorities stated the true motive wasn't ransom but revenge: while driving under the influence, Wright had caused a vehicular accident in which Manor and his wife were seriously injured.

This happened in 2011. Wright was prosecuted for felony driving under the influence, served jail time and completed his probation, but Manor wouldn't put the incident behind him and put a revenge plan into motion seven years later, hiring Gray to abduct Wright from his shop in Rio Linda so he could be murdered. Both Gray and Manor were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Wright left behind three children. He worked as an independent contractor for construction projects in the Sacramento area at the time of his disappearance, and played drums in a local band. His body has never been found.