The defense team for a man accused of murdering his ex-wife, former Leetonia teacher Michelle Long, is now seeking to prevent prosecutors from using cell phone location evidence they argue is unreliable. The legal dispute marks a major development in the ongoing murder case set to go before a jury later this month.
Defense Challenges Digital Evidence
In Columbiana County Court, attorneys for 50-year-old William Long Jr. filed a new motion requesting that the judge prohibit prosecutors from introducing cell tower and digital mapping data that allegedly places Long near the crime scene. The data was compiled using “Trax,” a software program that examines cell phone provider records to visually map the location of a device during a given timeframe.
Long’s attorneys assert the program’s results are scientifically unproven and therefore cannot be trusted. They argue that the method used to generate the location plots has not been reviewed through proper scientific standards or validated by independent research — claiming the evidence would amount to speculative interpretation unfairly influencing jurors.
This challenge is separate from an earlier motion seeking to suppress items seized under search warrants, including Long’s iPhone, digital accounts, and stored data.
The defense is asking the court to apply a federal evidentiary standard requiring judges to evaluate scientific reliability before such evidence can be presented during trial. They are also pushing for a separate evidentiary hearing to determine whether the cell phone data meets legal and scientific scrutiny.
Case Background
Long is charged with aggravated murder and murder in the November 2023 death of his ex-wife, 50-year-old Michelle Long, who was discovered by Columbiana County Sheriff’s deputies on Carey Road in Butler Township. Michelle, a respected educator, had worked at Leetonia High School since 2015 where she taught Math, STEM, and Industry courses. Her death shocked the Leetonia area and school community.
Long is currently being held on a $1.5 million bond. Retired Judge Edward O’Farrell, assigned as visiting judge, will oversee the upcoming hearing and rule on whether the cell phone location analysis may be used when the case goes before a jury.
What Comes Next
With jury selection scheduled to begin on November 18, the outcome of this evidentiary dispute could have a significant impact on what information the jury is allowed to consider. Prosecutors have indicated the cell phone data plays a critical role in establishing Long’s alleged movements around the time of the crime.
The court’s decision regarding the admissibility of the Trax mapping evidence will likely be pivotal — not only to prosecutors’ case presentation, but to the defense strategy moving forward.
This case remains ongoing, and additional updates will be provided as new information becomes available.