The best thing about silhouettes in crime reports is that they’re usually the right color.
Last week, we reported that a prominent white CEO in Memphis had been murdered by a “black male with dreadlocks.”
It’s now been revealed that three apemen killed the man as part of an attempted robbery.
As usual, though, news coverage has been limited outside of the Memphis area.
Can you imagine the media spectacle if three whites had killed a prominent black CEO instead?
It was a somber day in Memphis, with some of the area’s biggest names came together to pay final respects to Greater Memphis Chamber CEO Phil Trenary.
“Today is about celebrating a life well-lived,” said Kevin Kane, CEO of Memphis Tourism. Donned in black, mourners filed into Christ United Methodist Church. Shuttles carried the overflow crowd to the door. “Phil was a great guy, you know,” Kane said.
Trenary was shot and killed last Thursday night on South Front Street, near G.E. Patterson.
Three people have been charged with his murder. Two of the three suspects have been arraigned and appointed attorneys; they’ll be back in court next week.
McKinney Wright, 22, and Quandarious Richardson, 18, were in court Tuesday.
Wright and Richardson, along with Wright’s 16-year-old cousin Racanisha Wright, are charged with first-degree murder.
Neither Richardson nor Wright could afford an attorney, so the judge made appointments.
“One violent crime is one too many, it doesn’t care who it is,” Kane said.
Trenary’s visitation and memorial services were held Thursday afternoon, both at Christ United Methodist Church, Seabrook Hall.
Kane and Carolyn Hardy, current chair of the chamber’s Chairman’s Circle, spoke with WMC5 moments before the memorial service, which included remarks by Dr. Scott Morris of the Church Health Center, Memphis philanthropist Pitt Hyde, and Temple Israel Senior Rabbi Micah Greenstein.
“We’ve lost what I call Phil’s heartbeat of our community,” Hardy said.
Both said Trenary’s love for Memphis will be missed.
Phil Trenary.