Family Man and Master Carpenter Ray Wright Vanishes: A Mystery Unfolds
In a small Sacramento suburb, a family is left in shock and confusion as their beloved father and brother, Ray Wright, mysteriously disappears. On Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018, Dean Wright, Ray’s brother, grew concerned when he hadn’t heard from him in two days. Ray, a 55-year-old family man and master carpenter, had always been reliable with his daily texts and calls. His daughters, Haley Kendall and Kennedy Wright, were equally worried. As Haley recalls, “I called, and I called, and I called, straight to voicemail every time… It was really scary.”
Dean Wright decided to take matters into his own hands and began searching for Ray. He checked Ray’s workshop and home but found nothing out of the ordinary except for Ray’s missing truck. Determined to find his brother, Dean returned to Ray’s house later that day. When he entered the home, an unsettling smell of marijuana smoke filled the air. Dean knew immediately that something was wrong since Ray had always disliked drugs. As he explored further, he discovered a cup on the kitchen counter that hadn’t been there before. It was still fresh with soda and ice, indicating recent activity. Before Dean could process what was happening, the garage door burst open, revealing an intruder who quickly fled the scene. Dean wasted no time and called 911 to report his brother missing, providing investigators with their first clue – the mysterious cup left behind by the intruder.
Days turned into weeks, and Ray remained missing. However, on the tenth day of his disappearance, police made a significant discovery – Ray’s abandoned truck in a nearby apartment complex. The vehicle had been stripped of its license plate, and upon closer inspection, brown stains on the carpet liner were confirmed to be Ray’s blood. This finding only intensified the urgency of the investigation. Then, six days after the truck was found, a break in the case occurred. An officer trailing a white van noticed that its registration had expired. When the police attempted to pull the van over, the driver suddenly sped away, leading them on a high-speed pursuit. The chase ended when the driver collided with another vehicle, breaking his leg in the process. The driver was identified as Victor Gray and was arrested for felony evasion and DUI. It was later discovered that the registration tab on Gray’s van belonged to Ray’s missing truck, providing a crucial connection between Gray and Ray’s disappearance.
While Gray was in jail, investigators made another breakthrough when they found a DNA match between a straw from the soda cup found at Ray’s house and Gray. Further evidence was uncovered inside Gray’s crashed van, including a hat with the words “Ray Wright Design,” a bloody rain jacket, Ray’s destroyed cellphone, his driver’s license, and broken glasses. Gray’s cellphone also yielded intriguing information – a photo of a handwritten letter addressed to someone named “Bob.” Prosecutors believe that Gray was demanding payment from Bob for delivering Ray to him. The letter hinted at past grievances and revenge, leaving investigators puzzled about the motives behind Ray’s disappearance.
To shed light on Ray’s past, investigators discovered that he had been involved in a severe drunk driving accident in November 2011, almost six years before his disappearance. The accident resulted in serious injuries to a man named Robert “Bobby” Manor and his wife. Ray was convicted of felony DUI and ordered to pay a substantial sum of money to the victims. While Ray had made occasional payments towards the debt, it was clear that he hadn’t paid much. Witnesses familiar with Manor claimed that he never forgave Ray for the accident and had even made threatening statements after Ray vanished. Investigator Ashley Englefield believes that revenge may have been the motive behind Ray’s disappearance.
The case of Ray Wright’s vanishing has left the community and his family in anguish. As they continue to search for answers, they hold onto hope that one day they will uncover the truth about what happened to their beloved family man and master carpenter.
