William P. Long Jr., 51, was convicted of aggravated murder and related charges for killing his ex-wife, Michelle Lewis Long, a 50-year-old high school teacher, on November 29, 2023, outside her home in Leetonia, Ohio. The jury deliberated for under 90 minutes before delivering a unanimous guilty verdict on Monday, February 9, 2026, in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court.
Case Background
The murder followed a bitter divorce finalized in April 2023, where Michelle received custody of their teenage son, $100,000 in spousal support, child support, and shared properties. Long made repeated threats, including a video-recorded “I will kill you,” texts blaming her for their older son’s suicide and wishing her cancer, and telling a friend he would “shoot her and let them figure it out.” He dismissed these as drunken rants, but Judge Megan Bickerton rejected that after the verdict, stating, “They aren’t drunken rants when they become true.”
Incident Details
Michelle’s routine day ended at 5:45 p.m. when surveillance video showed her red pickup at her mailbox, followed by a dark pickup—matching one owned by Long—with chrome side steps. A flash indicated the fatal shot from a .44 revolver Long owned (which he claimed to have sold). His phone was left near bushes at his home, and vehicle tracking placed him near the scene; he arrived after police responded to a 9:28 p.m. 911 call.
Verdict and Sentence
Long testified he did not shoot her but was convicted on all counts, including firearms specifications. Judge Bickerton immediately sentenced him to life without parole for aggravated murder and murder (merging counts), plus consecutive time for other charges, noting the evidence clearly pointed to him.
