An Oklahoma husband has been convicted of first-degree murder for shooting and killing a college student he wrongly believed was having an affair with his wife.
Campus Shooting at Rose State College
On April 2023, 32-year-old Brandon Morrissette confronted 20-year-old Robenie “RJ” Long outside the Humanities building at Rose State College in Midwest City. Morrissette’s wife, a student at the college, had just walked out of the building with Long when Morrissette pulled out a gun.
Despite his wife telling police that Long was simply a classmate and friend, Morrissette believed otherwise. He opened fire, shooting Long seven times. Long died at the scene. Morrissette was immediately arrested by campus police.
Verdict and Sentencing Recommendation
After a weeklong trial, jurors deliberated for only a few hours before convicting Morrissette of first-degree murder. They recommended a sentence of life in prison without parole.
He was also convicted of possession of a firearm on school property, for which prosecutors suggested an additional one-year sentence. Morrissette is scheduled to be sentenced on October 14, 2025. His defense attorneys have already indicated plans to appeal.
Remembering RJ Long
Long’s family, friends, and community remember him as a selfless young man and a Marine Corps veteran. After graduating high school in 2021, Long enlisted in the Marines and was described as someone who put others before himself.
At his April 2023 funeral, Pastor David McBride said Long had once saved a woman after her car flipped into a water-filled ditch:
“RJ gave no thought to his life and somehow got her unbuckled out of the seat belt, pulled her out of the water,” McBride recalled.
His obituary described him as someone who “passed away after sacrificing himself to save another.”
Family Reaction
Long’s mother, Kelly Long, expressed gratitude for the verdict:
“I am so thankful for the jury that we had. I was just praying for them as they were leaving to go deliberate. I think they made the right choices. I’m so thankful for our judicial system and thankful for our jurists,” she said.
Other Pending Charges
In addition to his murder conviction, Morrissette faces separate charges related to possession of child sexual abuse material, which remain pending.
