In a quiet home on Vista Drive in Moore, South Carolina, a tragic story of domestic violence unfolded, culminating in the death of 21-year-old Donna Victoria Grace Long. On April 3, 2022, the young woman was shot multiple times and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. The initial 911 call painted a picture of a home invasion, a narrative that quickly unraveled under the scrutiny of the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office.
Responding deputies were met with what Sheriff Chuck
Wright described as an 'elaborate story' from Victoria's mother-in-law, Carolyn Long, who claimed an unknown intruder was responsible for the shooting. However, as investigators delved deeper, the truth surfaced, revealing a grim family conspiracy. It was not a stranger who had taken Victoria's life, but her own husband, 25-year-old Matthew Long. The incident was described by the sheriff as one of the most brutal domestic cases he had witnessed in his career.
The investigation led to the arrest of Matthew Long, who was subsequently charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. His parents, Donald and Carolyn Long, were also taken into custody for their roles in the cover-up. Donald Long, then 71, was charged with accessory after the fact, while 77-year-old Carolyn Long faced a charge of obstruction of justice. Evidence presented during a bond hearing included a 911 recording where Carolyn Long fabricated the home invasion story and testimony that Donald Long was seen leaving the residence with a gun.
Ultimately, justice was served in the case. Matthew Konnecker “Konner” Long, then 28, pleaded guilty to murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. He was sentenced to 42 years in prison for the murder of his wife. His parents also faced the consequences of their actions. Donald Long, 73, pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to murder, and Carolyn Long, 80, pleaded guilty to obstructing justice and accessory after the fact to murder. Both received sentences of ten years in prison, suspended to two years of home detention followed by two years of probation. The investigation revealed that after the shooting, Carolyn Long gave the firearm to her husband to dispose of, and he was tracked by authorities to Saluda, North Carolina, where the weapon was recovered. A recording of the 911 call captured Mathew Long shouting as Donna pleaded for him to stop, with his parents' voices also audible in the background.
