MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - It has been more than two years since Lorenzen Wright was murdered, and more than a year since Holly Bobo disappeared. That’s too long for one Memphian who is using social media, his own money and a twist on traditional thinking to do something about it.
Thurstle Mullen said once upon a time people laughed at the concept of DNA evidence; now it’s the norm. So, his concept of playing criminals to turn themselves in, while strange on the surface, should not simply be dismissed.
“There are a lot of crazy-ass ideas out there that have worked,” Mullen said.
This one is definitely unorthodox. On his Facebook page titled “
Reward Factor,” Thurstle Mullen is offering $10,000 of his own money to the killer of Lorenzen Wright to turn himself in.
“One of the things that have never been done before is we have never offered reward money to the perpetrator of the crime.”
While acknowledging that $10,000 probably won’t get the job done, Mullen offers hope.
“I have a plan,” said Mullen. “With the right amount of financing, I put my plan together- I think it would solve the crime in less than a month.”
Even if nothing comes of it, for an emotional mother it’s the thought that counts.
“It’s a blessing; it’s a blessing,” said Deborah Marion, Lorenzen Wright's mother. “Thank you. To hear somebody other than me worried about my son’s killer, I thought I was fighting this battle by myself.”
There’s more.
Mullen is also offering $10,000 to the person responsible for the disappearance of Holly Bobo to turn himself in.
“Family reaction would be, 'We’re grateful for any help we can get trying to locate Holly and bring her home,'” said Don Franks, a spokesperson for the Bobo family.
Still, offering money to bad guys is a little out there.
“It’s different,” Franks told abc24.com, “I mean this is different. We’ve never seen a reward like this before.”
“We’ve tried everything else, they’re trying to flip it and do it another way,” said Marion.
Mullen added, “Why not pay the person who did it? Why not pay them to come forward; why not?”
When pressed on his motives for offering reward money, Mullen simply said, “I want to make a difference.”
Deborah Marion and Don Frank said they planned to contact Mullen, who does seem to have genuine interest in helping others.
On another Facebook page called “
Crazy Loco,” he has set up games where people can win even more of his money. For instance, teachers can win $400 worth of school supplies.
