A Closter NJ resident and former NBA draft pick was recently identified as the man reported missing and later found dead in Brooklyn, NY.

Michael Wright, a 35-year-old man from Closter New Jersey, was reported missing by a family friend. At the time, the victim had reportedly been missing for at least four days.

Closter NJ police looked for the victim but were unable to find him. The Closter Police Department then entered the victim into a nationwide missing persons database.

NYC police eventually located Wright in the back of his Lexus SUV, which had been parked on East 16th Street in the Midwood section of Brooklyn, New York. The victim’s body was reportedly hidden under some garbage bags. When NYPD found the victim, he was unresponsive and had sustained a significant wound to the back of his head.

Law enforcement believes that the death is probably a homicide.

As of right now, authorities have not yet identified a suspect in the murder.

Wright was born in Chicago, Illinois and went on to play college hoops at the University of Arizona. In 2001, Wright was drafted by the New York Knicks. However, he never played a game in the NBA; instead, he spent his career playing for European teams.

If a suspect is ultimately connected to the homicide, they would face severe penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:11-3, murder is a first degree crime that carries a potential life sentence in NJ State Prison.

To learn more about this case, go to the NJ.com article entitled “N.J. Man Found Dead ID’ed as Former Knicks Draft Pick, Report Says.”