Two men and a 16-year-old girl are charged with murdering former Pinnacle Airlines CEO 'during a robbery attempt gone-wrong'

  • Quandarius Richardson, 18, McKinney Wright Jr, 22, and Racanisha Wright, 16, have been charged with first-degree murder and robbery 
  • Trio are accused of shooting dead Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce CEO Philip Trenary last Thursday 
  • Arrests were made after a high-speed police chase in Memphis on Friday  
  • Affidavit says before the killing, suspects discussed possible robbery targets as they rode downtown

Two men and a 16-year-old girl have been arrested and charged with shooting to death Memphis civic leader and former Pinnacle Airlines CEO Phillip Trenary last week.

Memphis police announced on Twitter late Saturday that 22-year-old McKinney Wright Jr, 18-year-old Quandarius Richardson and 16-year-old Racanisha Wright have been booked on charges of first-degree murder in perpetration of a robbery and especially aggravated robbery.

According to an affidavit, the three suspects discussed possible robbery targets as they drove around downtown Memphis in a white pickup truck on Thursday.

Scroll down for video 

McKinney Wright Jr, 22
Quandarius Richardson, 18

Suspects: McKinney Wright Jr (left), 22,  18-year-old Quandarius Richardson (right) and a 16-year-old girl, who has not been pictured, have been charged with killing Memphis civic leader Phillip Trenary

Police made the arrests on Friday and Saturday after chasing this stolen white Ford F-150 truck at speeds of up to 100mph through the streets of Memphis 

Police made the arrests on Friday and Saturday after chasing this stolen white Ford F-150 truck at speeds of up to 100mph through the streets of Memphis 

Witnesses said at 7.28pm, they saw a person exit the passenger side of the Ford, walk up to Trenary from behind and shoot him in the middle of South Front Street.

Richardson was arrested on Friday after leading police on a high-speed chase in a stolen white Ford F-150, which matched the description of the vehicle driven by the suspect wanted for the slaying of the 64-year-old businessman. 

Former CEO of Pinnacle Airlines was fatally shot in downtown Memphis, Tennessee on Thursday night

Former CEO of Pinnacle Airlines was fatally shot in downtown Memphis, Tennessee on Thursday night

Richardson's alleged accomplices were apprehended hours later based on his statement to the police, reported The Commercial Appeal. 

Racanisha Wright, who is a minor, is being housed in a separate facility from the two men. It's unclear if she is related to McKinney. 

Richardson and McKinney Wright are scheduled to be arraigned on Monday morning via video conference. 

The 18-year-old Richardson has no prior criminal record in Shelby County, while the 22-year-old Wright has a single felony drug possession charge listed, stemming from an arrest in February 2017.   

'This is another great example of the good work the men and women of MPD do every single day,' Mayor Jim Strickland tweeted Sunday morning. 'I'm grateful for their diligence and continued efforts to bring everyone involved in this case to justice.'  

Trenary is one of the most well-known people to die by homicide in the city's recent history.

Richardson was arrested on Friday following a high-speed chase with police
The 18-year-old has no prior criminal record in Shelby County

Richardson (left and right) was arrested on Friday following a high-speed chase with police. The 18-year-old has no prior criminal record in Shelby County

The shooting took place in the 500 block of South Front Street in an area of high-end apartments in downtown Memphis.

The father-of-three and grandfather was walking alone across the street from Memphis Farmers Market when he was shot. 

The Commercial Appeal reported that Trenary founded Lone Star Airlines in Oklahoma in 1984.

He came to Memphis in 1997 to run a regional airline that morphed into Pinnacle. 

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam was among those to pay their respects to the family.

He tweeted: 'Our hearts are broken with the news of the loss of Phil Trenary. Phil has been a wonderful friend to Crissy and me and a great advocate for Memphis. Our hearts go out to his family and his associates and the Memphis community.'

Tennessee Rep. Antonio Parkinson said he spoke to Trenary just 24 hours before his death.

The shooting took place in the 500 block of South Front Street in downtown Memphis

The shooting took place in the 500 block of South Front Street in downtown Memphis

The horrific scene in downtown Memphis was pictured following the shooting

The horrific scene in downtown Memphis was pictured following the shooting

Trenary is pictured right next to Kathryn Marquart, is a senior majoring in professional pilot with a minor in aviation management at Oklahoma State University

Trenary is pictured right next to Kathryn Marquart, is a senior majoring in professional pilot with a minor in aviation management at Oklahoma State University

Senator Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., talks with Philip Trenary, (L) president and former CEO of Pinnacle Airlines on August 6, 2009

Senator Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., talks with Philip Trenary, (L) president and former CEO of Pinnacle Airlines on August 6, 2009

 

He also wrote on Twitter: 'Sometimes you have those friends that you have fought with, learned from and gained a mutual respect and love for. 

'We talked yesterday, we planned to hang out and you were coming to the Block Party this weekend. Now you're gone. Praying for the Trenary family.'

Trenary's funeral will take place on Thursday.