Bio

Gregory Edward Wright was born on November 1, 1965, in Knox County, Tennessee. He grew up in a family that valued productivity and hard work. His childhood included activities such as farming, school, church, and sports. He was recognized for his athletic abilities and earned many awards in football, baseball, and basketball.

During his high school years, he focused on his education and completed advanced classes, including math and science. After finishing school, he worked as a cross-country truck driver, which allowed him to travel across the country.

At age 19, Wright married, but the marriage faced challenges due to his wife’s inability to have children. The couple eventually divorced after seven years. Following the divorce, Wright struggled with alcohol, which led to problems in his life.

In the mid-1990s, Wright found himself homeless after losing his job as a truck driver. He moved to Dallas, Texas, in search of work and faced many difficulties associated with living on the streets. He worked various odd jobs to get by and faced significant hardships during this time, including surviving a gunshot wound that required extensive surgery.

By early 1997, while living in Dallas, Wright became acquainted with another homeless man named John Wade Adams. During this period, he also met Donna Duncan Vick, a 52-year-old widow who was known for her charitable work and kindness toward the homeless. Vick took Wright into her home, where he stayed for about a week, doing yard work in exchange for food and shelter.

Wright's life took a tragic turn in March 1997. His relationship with Vick was supposed to help him get back on his feet. However, this period quickly turned into a nightmare for all involved.

Murder Story

On March 21, 1997, Gregory Edward Wright and John Wade Adams murdered Donna Duncan Vick in her home located in DeSoto, Texas. Donna Vick, a 52-year-old widow, had previously taken in Wright, a homeless individual, after she saw him on a street corner with a sign that read, "Will work for food." She provided him with food and shelter in exchange for yard work.

On the night before the murder, Vick invited both Wright and Adams to her home after they spent time together at a local Veterans of Foreign Wars lodge. Vick prepared sandwiches for them and then went to bed. Later, Adams and Wright went to her bedroom where the attack occurred. Vick was stabbed multiple times during the assault.

After the murder, Wright and Adams stole several items from Vick’s home, including electronics and her car. They took these items to a drug dealer in exchange for crack cocaine. The following day, Adams turned himself in and led police to Vick’s body and to the car that had been stolen.

Wright was arrested two days after the murder when police found him at a shack he occasionally stayed in. They discovered jeans with Vick's blood along with a bloody knife at the crime scene. DNA evidence established a link between Wright and the murder.

During his trial, both Wright and Adams pointed fingers at each other, blaming one another for the killing. Adams was convicted and sentenced to death as well. Wright was sentenced to death and maintained his innocence throughout.

On October 30, 2008, after several years of legal proceedings and appeals, Gregory Wright was executed by lethal injection in Texas. He continued to proclaim his innocence until the end, claiming that Adams was the true murderer.