Former murder suspect links pro ball player to Ricky Kelly

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - Newly released court recordings contain explosive allegations about a former UK and NBA basketball star.

WAVE 3 reported Monday that a man trying to beat a murder rap pointed the finger at Anderson. Francois Cunningham walked free in April after pleading guilty to manslaughter in a double killing. In exchange, court recordings reveal Cunningham started cooperating with police.

Detective: "What kind of drugs were you buying?"

Cunningham: "Cocaine."

Once Cunningham started talking to detectives last year, he kept talking for more than an hour's worth of tales about drugs and murder.

He said of one man who his group thought had stolen drugs, "We took him out of there. We thought he was dead, but he wasn't dead. We put him in the trunk, but he wasn't dead. So Terrance shot him a few more times in the trunk."

The man he said he worked for was Ricky Kelly, a suspect in a string of cold case murders.

Detective: "So is Rick part of the business?"

Cunningham: "Yeah, but he's the muscle though."

Cunningham said a man named Reggie Rice was Kelly's boss in a drug operation and said Rice was friends with Anderson.

"Derek is really the ... He was the money ... He's the money guy," said Cunningham to police. "Reggie's got money now, but he's (Anderson's) the money guy and like, as far as like, when he was in San Antonio, I know that there was, you know, he had turned him on to, you know, some Mexicans down there."

According to Cunningham, Anderson used his legitimate businesses to hide drug money for Rice.

Detective: "Did Rick tell you he approached Derek Anderson and said, 'Hey, can I get in on this investment?'"

Cunningham: "Yeah, and he was like, 'No.' He said he wouldn't do it for him."

WAVE 3 uncovered court documents saying this is not the first time Anderson's name has come up in a drug investigation. The case in those documents involved two men named Eric Wise and Clinton Archie. They were pulled over in July 2010 with more than $4000 cash and a bottle of codeine. The SUV they were driving belonged to Anderson.

Anderson has never been arrested or charged with any crime in connection to this case. WAVE 3 tried to contact him through email but we were unsuccessful.

Copyright 2011 WAVE News. All rights reserved.