Family of Davidson woman found shot to death speaks out

DAVIDSON, N.C. — A Davidson woman’s death remains under investigation eight weeks after she was found shot to death in her home.

Sarah Long, 41, was found with a single gunshot wound to the head on July 23. 

Investigators said they discovered her lying on her bed with a gun in her left hand and resting on the center of her chest.

Read our past coverage: Search warrant reveals details in Davidson woman's death

A medical examiner later estimated Long had died on July 19 and said evidence did not suggest suicide.  

Investigators labeled the case a suspicious death, but no arrests have been made.

For the first time, Long's family opened up to Channel 9 about her unsolved case.

"It's extremely hard for us to come to terms with what happened," said her brother John Long. 

John lives in Georgia and spoke with Channel 9 by phone.

"We really miss her. She was a caring person. She was very energetic and always on the go," John Long said.

Search warrants executed on Long's home and storage unit focus on a man who put her in a much different light.

The man claimed to be the married woman's boyfriend and was the person who first alerted police that something was wrong when he said he hadn't heard from Sarah Long.

According to the search warrant, the man told investigators Sarah Long "suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts," "recently separated from her husband," and was "diagnosed with cervical cancer."

The warrant later states police checked with Sarah Long's doctor who told them, "Sarah Long did not have cervical cancer."

Sarah Long's brother told Channel 9 the same.  He also said it was odd investigators found the gun in her left hand.

"She was definitely right-handed," said John.  "There is no doubt."

When asked John said he didn't know who would want to harm his sister but speculated money could be a motive in her death.
Sarah's assets were brought up in the search warrants.

According to the court document, the day after Sarah Long was found dead in her home, her boyfriend showed police documents that labeled him as the primary beneficiary of all of her assets. The amount totaled to nearly $940,000.

The warrant stated the man told investigators Sarah Long gave him the documents sealed in an envelope a few weeks before her death.

Investigators said he told them he made Sarah Long the primary beneficiary of his assets. However, according to the warrant, it was later determined Long was labeled the third beneficiary to his assets. 

Investigators also later determined the man has not been sworn through the probate process that would secure him as sole executor for Long's estate.

Davidson police said Thursday they haven't named any persons of interest in the case. 

Investigators are awaiting the results of forensic testing as they move forward in the case.

"We hope that they find the truth and if someone was responsible for this horrible act we hope they bring them to justice," said John Long.

WSOC