Christopher Douglas 'Chris' Wright, a 38-year-old man, was shot and killed in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee, on the evening of September 28, 2023. Wright, a prominent local businessman and alumnus of the Baylor School, was out celebrating his 20-year class reunion when the fatal encounter occurred. He leaves behind a wife and three young children, the youngest of whom was only eight weeks old at the time of his death.
The incident unfolded on Market Street after a brief verbal exchange
between Wright and another man. Surveillance footage from outside the Patton Towers captured the interaction, showing Wright walking away while still appearing to talk to the man. The footage then shows the man walking up to Wright and shooting him at point-blank range. An investigation by the Chattanooga Police Department did not recover a firearm or shell casing at the crime scene.
Police arrested 57-year-old Darryl Roberts and charged him with first-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Roberts had a significant criminal history, with records showing 66 previous charges, many for violent crimes. A former co-worker of Roberts stated that he had known mental health issues and believed the tragedy could have been prevented if he had received appropriate resources.
The trial of Darryl Roberts began in April 2025, after an initial jury was dismissed due to misconduct. During the trial, Roberts admitted to shooting Wright but claimed he was provoked, alleging that Wright had used multiple racial slurs against him. His defense argued for a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter, stating the shooting was a sudden emotional reaction. The prosecution countered that Roberts acted with intent, describing the act as calculated. After approximately eight hours of deliberation, the jury found Roberts guilty of second-degree murder and unlawful possession of a firearm.
In August 2025, a judge sentenced Darryl Roberts to 90 years in prison. At the emotional sentencing hearing, several of Wright's loved ones gave victim impact statements. His mother, Janet Wright, addressed Roberts directly, calling him an 'empty shell of a person...filled with evil.' Wright's best friend of 35 years recounted the morning after the shooting, holding Wright's infant daughter as his wife told their two young sons that their father was not coming home. Roberts also gave a statement, accepting responsibility but claiming he did not intend to commit the act.
