“Who Took Our Dad? The Abduction of Ray Wright”: 48 Hours Reports October 12 2024

On October 12, 2024, CBS airs a compelling encore episode of 48 HOURS titled “Who Took Our Dad? The Abduction of Ray Wright” at 9:00 PM ET/PT. This episode, reported by Natalie Morales, explores the haunting disappearance of Ray Wright, a 55-year-old father and skilled carpenter, whose sudden vanishing left his family desperate for answers. Wright’s mysterious abduction and the evidence trail that followed would ultimately reveal a web of revenge and violence, leading to a high-profile trial that captivated the public’s attention.

The Disappearance of Ray Wright

Ray Wright went missing on January 11, 2018. His absence was immediately concerning to his family, especially since he maintained regular contact with them. When Ray failed to respond to calls and messages, his brother, Dean Wright, began searching for him. After two days without word, Dean visited Ray’s home in the Sacramento suburbs and found signs of trouble—Ray’s truck was gone, and the house was in disarray.

While inside Ray’s home, Dean encountered a stranger who quickly fled, leaving behind a soda cup on the counter. Dean immediately called the police, turning over the cup as evidence. The fresh condensation on the cup suggested it had been recently used, giving investigators their first concrete lead in the perplexing case.

A Key Break in the Investigation

The investigation into Ray Wright’s disappearance took a significant turn when, ten days later, his truck was discovered abandoned in a nearby apartment complex. The vehicle was stripped of its license plates, and brown stains found on its carpet liner would later be confirmed as Ray’s blood. Despite the discovery, Ray’s whereabouts remained unknown, intensifying the urgency of the search.

Six days after the truck was found, police became involved in a high-speed chase with a man named Victor Gray, who was driving a white van with expired registration. The chase reached speeds of up to 100 miles per hour before ending in a crash. When authorities searched the van, they uncovered evidence directly linking Gray to Ray Wright, including items that belonged to Ray and, most chillingly, traces of Ray’s blood.

Uncovering the Role of Victor Gray

Victor Gray quickly became the focus of the investigation. DNA analysis matched Gray’s DNA to the sample taken from the soda cup left behind in Ray’s home, placing him at the scene. Further searches of Gray’s van revealed more incriminating evidence, including Ray’s driver’s license, a bloody raincoat, and a photograph of a letter addressed to someone named “Bob.”

The letter, found on Gray’s cellphone, appeared to demand payment from Bob for delivering Ray Wright, which prosecutors interpreted as a reference to Ray’s abduction. The discovery of this letter suggested that Gray had been hired to abduct Ray, leading investigators to shift their focus toward uncovering Bob’s identity and his motives for involving himself in the disappearance.

A Motive Rooted in Revenge

As the investigation delved deeper, authorities learned that Ray Wright had been involved in a DUI accident in 2011, which had severely injured a man named Robert “Bob” Manor and his wife. Ray had been convicted of felony DUI and ordered to pay substantial restitution to the victims, though payments had been inconsistent. While Ray had turned his life around after the incident, joining Alcoholics Anonymous and maintaining sobriety, the relationship between Ray and Manor remained tense.

Witnesses told investigators that Manor harbored a deep grudge against Ray, often expressing his desire for revenge. The evidence uncovered in Gray’s van, combined with the testimony of those familiar with Manor’s resentment, led authorities to believe that Manor might have orchestrated Ray’s kidnapping as retribution for the pain he suffered years earlier.

The Trial and Convictions

In March 2021, after more than three years of investigation, both Victor Gray and Robert Manor were charged with the kidnapping and murder of Ray Wright. They faced trial in early 2023, each pleading not guilty to the charges. The prosecution presented a compelling case, weaving together physical evidence, digital records, and testimonies from key witnesses, including Katie Barnard, a former acquaintance of Gray who acted as a lookout during Ray’s abduction.

The trial revealed the depth of the scheme, with prosecutors arguing that Manor had hired Gray to kidnap Ray as part of a calculated revenge plot. The jury heard the incriminating letter found on Gray’s phone and testimonies from jailhouse informants who claimed that Gray admitted to delivering Ray to Manor. After eight days of trial, the jury found both Gray and Manor guilty of first-degree murder and kidnapping, delivering a verdict that offered some measure of closure to Ray’s grieving family.

Sentencing and the Aftermath

On April 28, 2023, Victor Gray and Robert Manor were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The sentencing brought an emotional end to a harrowing chapter for Ray Wright’s daughters, Kennedy and Haley, who had spent years seeking justice for their father. During the sentencing hearing, they spoke of their heartbreak and the profound loss of a man who meant everything to them.

Despite the convictions, one element of the case remains unresolved—Ray Wright’s body has never been found. For the Wright family, this lingering uncertainty makes the pain of their loss even more acute. The Rocklin Police Department continues to treat the case as an open missing person’s case, appealing to the public for any information that might help locate Ray’s remains.

A Legacy of Justice and Unanswered Questions

The story of Ray Wright’s abduction and murder is a tragic reminder of how the past can haunt the present. It exposes the dangerous consequences of unaddressed resentment and the lengths to which some will go in the pursuit of vengeance. While the convictions of Victor Gray and Robert Manor have brought some measure of justice, the Wright family continues to grapple with the absence of their beloved father and the unanswered questions that still linger.

This episode of 48 HOURS delves into the intricacies of a case that challenged investigators and captivated viewers, offering a sobering exploration of human motivations and the quest for resolution in the face of loss. Tune in on October 12, 2024, for an in-depth look at a case that has left a lasting impact on all those involved.