By: Richard L. Smith
A Bergen County jury has convicted 69-year-old Mark A. Holdbrooks of Closter in the 2015 murder of former professional basketball player Michael Wright, according to a statement released by Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella.
The verdict was returned Friday, April 24, 2026, following an eight-week trial that was moved to Passaic County Superior Court and presided over by Judge Marybel Mercado-Ramirez.
Authorities said Wright’s body was discovered on November 10, 2015, inside his SUV parked on a street in Brooklyn, days after he had been reported missing by Holdbrooks, who lived with him in Closter.
The investigation—conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Closter Police, and the New York City Police Department—determined that Holdbrooks drugged Wright with Gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) on November 5, 2015, before killing him by striking him in the head with a cinder block.
Prosecutors said Wright’s vehicle was later driven to Brooklyn, where co-defendant King Victor disposed of the victim’s body. Victor previously pleaded guilty in connection with the case.
Holdbrooks was convicted of first-degree murder along with multiple related charges, including weapons offenses, theft by deception, disturbing human remains, drug possession, and hindering his own apprehension.
Under New Jersey law, a first-degree murder conviction carries a sentence of 30 years to life in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 30 years before parole eligibility.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 10, 2026.