Mystery shrouds Davidson woman's death

DAVIDSON, N.C. — Details are emerging in the death of a Davidson woman.

Sarah Long, 41, was found dead in her home on Old Meeting Way July 23.

Police ruled her death suspicious but have yet to reveal many details in the case.

On Wednesday, Channel 9 obtained a search warrant that police executed on her home Aug. 14.

The warrant details why investigators have ruled her death suspicious.

It states on July 23 that a man, who later claimed to be the married woman's lover, contacted police and expressed concern that he hadn't heard from Long.

Officers responded to her home and said they found her lying on her bed with a single gunshot wound to the head.

A medical examiner noted Long's body was badly decomposed and estimated she had been dead since July 19.

The reporting man told police Long was in an "abusive marriage" and "had cervical cancer and was suicidal," according to search warrants.

But a medical examiner couldn't rule her death a suicide. 

Rather, he questioned a lack of blood on her hand and also noted the resting position of the weapon at the center of her chest near her breast bone was in an "odd location."

The warrant went on to say the man then told police about three weeks prior to her death Long gave him documents sealed in an envelope along with orders to give it to her financial advisor should anything happen to her.

The man claimed he later opened the documents which stated he was the "primary beneficiary of 100 percent of her assets."

The amount totaled nearly $940,000.

The warrant states he asked police if the documents were real.

Investigators confiscated approximately 19 items from Long's home, including various electronics, according to court documents.
Channel 9 is not identifying names mentioned in the warrant because no arrests have been made.

Police said the investigation is ongoing.

WSOC