Inset top: Brandon Morrissette (Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office). Inset bottom: Robenie “RJ” Long (Asa Smith Funeral Service). Background: Rose State College (Rose State College/YouTube).
An Oklahoma man has been convicted of shooting and killing someone he suspected of having a relationship with his wife. This occurred on a college campus, despite his wife’s insistence that the accusations were false.
Brandon Morrissette, 32, was found guilty by a jury of first-degree murder for killing Robenie “RJ” Long in 2023, according to Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna announced in a statement. The incident took place at Rose State College in Midwest City; Morrissette approached Long, 20, as Long was exiting a building with Morrissette’s wife, who was also enrolled at the college.
Morrissette was reportedly convinced that Long was involved in an affair with his wife, according to Oklahoma City CBS affiliate KWTV reported. However, authorities noted that Morrissette’s wife informed the police that Long was merely a fellow student and friend.
During Long’s funeral in April 2023, he was remembered by loved ones as a hero. Long, who had served in the Marines since completing high school in 2021, was honored, according to local Fox affiliate KOKH reported.
“RJ bravely protected another student at Rose State College from an armed threat,” said a pastor familiar with Long during the memorial service. “His actions were driven by incredible bravery, with no thought for his own safety.”
The pastor, David McBride, said that Long had previously saved a woman’s life after their car “careened” off the road and flipped over in a ditch.
“RJ gave no thought to his life and somehow got her unbuckled out of the seat belt, pulled her out of the water,” McBride said.
Long “passed away after sacrificing himself to save another,” his obituary said.
Morrissette faces a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The verdict came after jurors heard “evidence that Morrissette shot Long seven times outside the Humanities building on campus,” the statement said. “Long died at the scene. Morrissette was immediately taken into custody after the shooting.”
The trial began Monday, and jurors delivered their verdict just hours after starting deliberations on Thursday, KWTV noted. Jurors recommended that Morrissette serve a life sentence for the murder, KOKH also reported.
For Long’s mother, the verdict provided a degree of relief.
“I am so thankful for the jury that we had. I was just praying for them as they were leaving to go deliberate,” Kelly Long said, according to the DA’s office. “I think they made the right choices. I’m so thankful for our judicial system and thankful for our jurists.”
Morrissette’s attorneys signaled their intent to appeal, KWTV reported.
Morrissette was also convicted of possession of a firearm on school property, for which the DA recommended a sentence of one year. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 14.
In a separate case, Morrissette reportedly faces charges of possessing child sexual abuse material.
