Neal Bradley Long

Serial Killer

Neal Bradley Long: The Shotgun Slayer

Background

Neal Bradley Long was born on September 19, 1927, in Campton, Kentucky. He relocated to Dayton, Ohio, in 1944, where he spent the majority of his life. In the late 1940s, Long married and fathered seven children. However, by the mid-1960s, he began exhibiting signs of mental illness and developed violent tendencies, particularly towards African Americans. In 1966, Long approached local police, confessing to a stabbing incident from 1944, but due to a lack of records, no action was taken. He sought psychiatric help in 1968 and was diagnosed with a psychopathic personality disorder during a three-month stay at the Dayton Mental Health Center. Long had a profound interest in firearms, maintaining a personal collection of pistols and shotguns. At the time of his arrest, he was undergoing a divorce and working at a service station in Kettering.

Crimes

Between 1972 and 1975, Long embarked on a series of racially motivated attacks in Dayton, Ohio, targeting African American individuals. His modus operandi involved drive-by shootings using a double-barrel shotgun from his Ford Fairlane. These attacks earned him the monikers "The Shotgun Slayer" and "The Midnight Slayer." The community was gripped by fear, leading to all-night vigils, citizen patrols, and a $10,000 reward for information leading to his capture. Despite these efforts, Long remained elusive until his arrest in 1975.

Victims

• August 21, 1972: Eddie Freson – Wounded while using a phone booth but survived.
• September 26, 1973: Edward Tillman – Shot and killed at the intersection of Germantown and Greencastle at 1:30 a.m.
• September 26, 1973: James Watts – Wounded during a vehicle chase with Long.
• May 23, 1975: George Ingram – Shot in the right hand during a birthday party at Kumler and Norwood.
• July 15, 1975: Larry Romine (27) – Murdered near his home on Englewood Ave.
• July 15, 1975: Robert Hoard (21) – Shot twice in the back while taking out the trash at 608 Cincinnati St.
• July 1975: Glenda Gay (20) – Wounded in the shoulder during an attempted shooting targeting Leonard Goff.

...Read More

Confirmed Victims: (3)

Edward Tillman Age: (31), Date of Death: 1973-09-26

    ...View 2 additional victims

The arrest of a notorious serial killer

    ...View 8 additional sources