The Desert Sun from Palm Springs, California • A16

16A SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2017 RT DS-TDS0005134-12 72-162-HWY 111 Rancho Mirage, CA 760-779-0303 ALL NEW CUSTOM EASY AS FURNITURE GALLERY of the containment on our end of the thankfully have been and good Swin- dle said. expected activity to pick up overnight into Sunday, with gusty northeast winds up to 50 mph predicted in the forecast. The high winds and low relative humidity led the National Weather Service to issue a red- warning for all of Ventura Coun- ty through Sunday evening. In Santa Barbara County, massive clouds of smoke engulfed parts of Santa Barbara and Montecito on Saturday as winds pushed the inland from the San Ysidro Canyon area. Gusts from so-called sundowner winds reached up to 65 mph starting be- tween 7 and 8 a.m., said Battalion Chief Jim Rampton, of the Carpinteria-Sum- merland Fire District.

31 years, never seen anything like he said while looking over the scene from Ortega Ridge Road near Summerland and Montecito. Areas east of San Ysidro Canyon that burned in recent days, including Rome- ro and Toro canyons, appeared mostly clear as of early Saturday afternoon. William McBride, who lives on Orte- ga Ridge Road, had his bags packed and ready to go Saturday. Deputies from the Santa Barbara arrived in the morning and told residents of a mandatory evac- uation. If they chose to stay, deputies collected contact information.

concerned about the eucalyptus trees and open said McBride, whose home lies within a short distance of both. He stayed on to try to handle embers that could in and start a near his property. McBride called it that had conducted back-burning in recent days. As thousands of con- tinued their to tame the Thomas Fire, the Ventura County Medical Exam- its autopsy on a who lost his life Thursday as he fought the blaze near Fillmore. Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson died from thermal injuries and smoke inha- lation, the agency said Saturday.

Iverson, 32, is survived by his wife Ashley and 2-year-old daughter Evie. His wife is pregnant with the second daughter. A procession for Iverson is planned for 10 a.m. Sunday when his remains will leave the Ventura County Medical in Ventura en route to his home in San Diego. The procession will travel south on Highway 101 through Ventura County to Highway 134 to Interstate 210 east.

The procession will make its way to south- bound Interstate 15 to the San Diego area, according to the Ventura County Drivers were told to expect delays caused by the procession. Those who wish to pay their respects are asked to Blaze Continued from Page 15A The Thomas Fire menaces homes in Santa Barbara County on Saturday. GRETCHEN STAR See BLAZE, Page 17A As Santa Barbara County residents fled the Thomas Fire on Saturday, northbound Highway 101 was closed for a time south of Santa Barbara. GRETCHEN STAR Outlining the background of the in- vestigation, Memphis police Major Dar- ren Goods, of the Multi-Agency Gang Unit, said in late May or early June last year members of the gang unit said they received information about the Loren- zen Wright case. MPD command gave permission to give the case a sec- ond look.

wanted to investigate it as though it had just happened, so what we Goods said. followed the evidence. We actually went to the crime scene and walked in nal In naming the investigation, Goods said that in basketball, a rebound gives you a second chance to win. have Lorenzen Wright who was a homegrown young Goods said. was raised in this city, he went to high school in this city, he played bas- ketball in this city for the University of Memphis and he came back to play professional basketball in this city and, unfortunately, Mr.

Wright lost his life in this city This will give us a second chance to bring some closure to this case and give this grieving family some Goods said they joined forces with the Collierville Police Department and the FBI on the investigation into the murder case. In November, police announced that a gun authorities believe to be the weap- on used in Lorenzen killing had been recovered in a Walnut, Mississippi lake on County Road 302, about 50 miles east of Olive Branch. weapon was Rallings said. Goods said an elite FBI evidence re- covery and dive team came in and found the murder weapon. The TBI it was one of the murder weapons, Goods said.

Authorities did not reveal informa- tion Saturday about the relationship be- tween Sherra Wright and Turner. The Commercial Appeal previously reported Sherra Wright and Turner attended the same Collierville-area church. think that they knew each other so going to leave it at that for right Rallings said. The Shelby County said they are working on the extradition to bring Sherra Wright back to Shelby County as soon as possible, but did not have a timetable for when that would happen. Sherra Wright has a court date scheduled on Monday in Riverside, Cali- fornia, according to jail records.

The arrest came after the Dec. 5 in- dictment of Turner in the former basket- ball death. He is being held without bond and he is due back in court Jan. 29 in Judge Lee court in Memphis. He pleaded not guilty.

Turner and Sherra Wright are charged in an indictment with trying to kill Lorenzen Wright between April 1, 2010 and July 17, 2010 in an attempt that included getting guns, recruiting a co- conspirator and the part of Turner, traveled to Lorenzen home out- side of Atlanta to commit the according to the Shelby County Of- Sherra Wright and Turner are also charged furtherance of the conspira- with traveling the area of Callis and Hacks Cross Road to kill Lorenzen The body of Lorenzen Wright, 34, was found badly decomposed in late July 2010 near Callis Road, and inves- tigators found evidence of shell casings from calibers at the scene. He apparently called 911 shortly after mid- night on July 19, 2010, from a near TPC Southwind golf course. At least gunshot wounds were documented in an autopsy. body found until days after the 911 call. After Germantown dispatchers got the call, they noti- fy because the location could not be pinpointed.

The location was ac- tually in Memphis. Eight days towers were used to help locate his body. The Commercial Appeal reporter Jen- nifer Pignolet contributed to the report. Wright Continued from Page 15A Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich talks during a news conference about the arrest of Sherra Wright-Robinson, the ex-wife of slain former NBA player Lorenzen Wright. BRAD COMMERCIAL APPEAL.