A Pennsylvania man is facing decades behind bars after being convicted of attempted murder in a brutal attack on his ex-wife.
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Darrell Long, 63, was found guilty of attempted murder on Tuesday after shooting his ex-wife five times. Prosecutors argued that a child support dispute motivated the attack.
Long was also convicted of burglary, aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, aggravated assault causing bodily injury with a deadly weapon and misdemeanor harassment.
Pennsylvania Man Shoots Ex-Wife Amid Child Support Dispute
The charges stem from a March 2025 incident in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. Long's ex-wife, Dawn, called 911 to report that her ex-husband had attacked her while she was sleeping.
Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf said Long wanted his ex-wife to know who was attacking her.
"He finds her asleep on her living room couch alone, obviously no weapon, utterly defenseless," Hess Graf said. "And it's not enough to shoot her. He wants her to know it was him."
District Attorney Details Brutal Attack
The district attorney detailed the attack, saying investigators concluded that Long struck his ex-wife with the gun before shooting her.
"He hits her in the left leg, one bullet goes directly through her knee, lodges, and the other one is more towards the femur area of her left thigh," Hess Graf said.
Despite her injuries, Dawn fought back and survived the attack.
"She kind of kicks him backwards, gets to her feet, and she reaches for the gun," Hess Graf continued. "He now has it pointed at her face. And she reaches up with her left hand, and he fires. Thankfully, he hits her hand and doesn't shoot her in the head, but it obliterates her left index finger."
Hess Graf said prosecutors believed a recent child support filing was the catalyst for the attack. Prosecutors pointed to a series of threatening texts Long allegedly sent to his son in the weeks leading up to the shooting, including one in which he said he had a "clear line of sight" into the home.
Long also reportedly showed no remorse in court, calling himself a "hero."
He faces up to 40 years in prison.
