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Murder of Raymond Wright

SOLVED2018Rocklin, California, United States3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

Raymond “Ray” Wright was a 55-year-old father and construction contractor from Rocklin, California. He disappeared on January 11, 2018, after going to a workshop he rented in Rio Linda. His truck was recovered later that month, and investigators found blood and other evidence linking the disappearance to a broader inquiry. Wright's remains have not been recovered.

Prosecutors alleged that Robert Manor arranged for Victor Merle Gray to abduct Wright in retaliation for an earlier impaired-driving crash that had injured Manor and his wife. At their 2023 trial, the prosecution presented DNA evidence, Wright's property recovered from Gray's vehicle, a photographed letter, electronic records, and witness testimony.

On March 17, 2023, a jury convicted Manor and Gray of first-degree murder with a kidnapping special circumstance and kidnapping for ransom causing death. Both men were later sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Those judgments support classifying the homicide as solved even though Wright's remains have not been found.

On August 20, 2025, the California Court of Appeal affirmed both judgments. This account does not call the convictions final or imply that every possible avenue of review is exhausted. It also does not make a current claim that police are actively soliciting recovery tips, because no current official recovery notice was included in the audited source set.

Key facts

Victims
Raymond Wright
Date
2018
Location
Rocklin, California, United States
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 2018-01-11

    Raymond Wright disappeared after going to his rented workshop in Rio Linda.

  2. 2018-01-21

    Police recovered Wright's truck and later identified his blood inside it.

  3. 2021-03

    Robert Manor and Victor Merle Gray were charged with kidnapping and murdering Wright.

  4. 2023-03-17

    A jury convicted Manor and Gray of first-degree murder and kidnapping for ransom causing death.

  5. 2023-04-28

    Both men were sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.

  6. 2025-08-20

    The California Court of Appeal affirmed both judgments.

Best coverage

No approved coverage links are attached yet.

People

  • Victor Merle Gray

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of first-degree murder and kidnapping for ransom causing death; the judgment was affirmed in August 2025.

  • Robert Manor

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of first-degree murder and kidnapping for ransom causing death; the judgment was affirmed in August 2025.

  • Raymond Wright

    VICTIM

    Fifty-five-year-old Rocklin father and construction contractor who disappeared in January 2018.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Rocklin, California, United States

38.7907, -121.2358

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Raymond Wright disappeared from the Sacramento area in January 2018; Robert Manor and Victor Merle Gray were convicted of his murder and kidnapping, and the California Court of Appeal affirmed both judgments in August 2025.
Where did the murder happen?
Rocklin, California, United States.
Who was convicted?
Victor Merle Gray (Convicted of first-degree murder and kidnapping for ransom causing death; the judgment was affirmed in August 2025.) and Robert Manor (Convicted of first-degree murder and kidnapping for ransom causing death; the judgment was affirmed in August 2025.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
More cases in California

Sources

  1. PRESSIncriminating letter points to the kidnapping of Sacramento father, say prosecutorsCBS News · 2026-07-13
  2. OFFICIAL / AGENCYDefendants convicted in no-body revenge murderSacramento County District Attorney's Office · 2026-07-13
  3. COURT RECORDPeople v. Manor and Gray, C098456California Court of Appeal opinion mirror via ProBRep · 2026-07-13

Record history

First published
JUL 13, 2026