Fredericktown woman charged with first degree murder
A Fredericktown woman, who was arrested last week in connection with the death of her husband, will be back in court Thursday.
According to a press release from the Madison County Prosecuting Attorney’s office, Cheryl Long, 50, was arrested Oct. 1. She was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the fatal shooting of her husband Alan Q. Long, 56, of Fredericktown.
Long appeared in court Oct. 3 and entered a plea of not guilty in front of Circuit Court Judge Robin Fulton. Her son, Travis Schafer, told the judge the family was filling out paperwork for a public defender. Long is due back in court Thursday, Oct. 10 for a counsel hearing.
Judge Fulton asked if Cheryl Long understood what she was charged with and she replied “yes.”
Murder in the first degree carries a punishment of the death penalty or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Armed criminal action carries a punishment of imprisonment for a period of no less than three years.
A Fredericktown Police Department probable cause statement, written by Detective Jason Fitzwater, details how a 9-1-1 call was received at 4:30 a.m., Sept. 30 reporting a male had shot himself in the head with a gun.
The statement also says, while conducting the investigation, there were some inconsistencies with evidence at the scene and the story provided.
An autopsy was conducted and records show the pathologist believed the wound was not consistent with that of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The pathologist also suggested the crime scene had been altered or staged.
Det. Fitzwater reported in the statement that during the investigation, Cheryl Long made some incriminating statements about her involvement. He went on to state that, based on her statements to investigators, the opinion of the pathologist, and evidence recovered at the scene it appeared Cheryl Long used a 357-caliber revolver to kill her husband.
An investigation by the Fredericktown Police Department and Missouri Highway Patrol Division of Drug and Crime Control led to the Oct. 1 arrest.
The funeral for Alan Q. Long was held Oct. 3 at Follis and Sons Funeral Home in Fredericktown.
