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David Martin is another serial killer named Long. While Bobby Joe Long is better known, David Martin Long’s story is also interesting.
Long was born in 1953. Family members agreed the death of his mother, when he was 10 years old, was a turning point in his life. Long’s alcoholic father would beat him. Long claimed later he was sexually abused by a relative, when he was young.
He descended into drug and alcohol abuse, and spent time in reform school. A psychiatrist described Long as a catatonic schizophrenia, caused by drinking. Long was also diagnosed as a psychopath.
In fact, Long’s “personal cause” killings came to a stop only when he came under police scrutiny. He had been arrested for public intoxication.
Long’s drug use landed him in hospital just days before his scheduled execution. Not even Governor George W. Bush would spare Long’s life.
The David Martin Long Murders Milestones
November 28, 1978
James Marce Carnell is beaten to death by Long, who thought the Union 76 service station attendant was trying to rip him off. To make sure he was dead, Long shoved a broom handle down the victim’s throat to ensure he was dead. Police were notified by a subsequent customer who said a man with blood on his hands was giving away free gasoline.
December 20, 1983
Bob Neal Rogers was Long’s boss. Long was caught misusing the company vehicle and was fired. Long set his boss’s mobile home on fire as the victim sat passed out drunk in his chair.
September 27, 1986
Donna Sue Jester, Dalpha Lorene Jester and Laura Lee Owen are hacked to death in Lancaster, Texas. The killer lived with them and was sick of their complaining. Dalpha was struck 5 times. Donna Sue was hit 14 times. Laura, who had been dating the killer, was struck 21 times with the hatchet.
September 29, 1986
The three Texas Murder victims were found. Police find a journal indicating who the suspect might be.
October 1, 1986
An arrest warrant is issued for Long. Long had been picked up for public intoxication and released the day before the bodies of the Texas women were found.
October 24, 1986
Weeks after the Texas murders, Long is arrested for public intoxication again. A fingerprint match later revealed he was the killer wanted in the murders of Owen and the Texas women.
November 18, 1986
Long is indicted for the 3 Texas murders. The cases related to Carnell and Rogers were not pursued in light of the Texas case.
February 7, 1987
Long is found guilty of 3 murders. He had shouted out in court “I’m as guilty as hell,” and that the ax murders of the three women didn’t bother him much.
February 10, 1987
Long is sentenced to death in the murders of Donna Sue Jester, Dalpha Lorene Jester and Laura Lee Owen.
December 6, 1999
Prison guards found Long unconscious in his death row prison cell from a drug overdose.
December 8, 1999
David Martin Long was still alive after his drug overdose. He was flown from the hospital to the prison and was executed by lethal injection. George W. Bush approved the execution.
Books
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