LONDON, OH – An Ohio man has been charged with murder more than four months after his wife was found dead with multiple stab wounds in what he initially claimed was a suicide, authorities said.
Kyle Long was arrested March 4 during a traffic stop and booked on suspicion of murder in connection with the death of his wife, Rachel Long, 32, according to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.
Rachel Long, a mother of two who owned Pawfect Pups Grooming in downtown London, Ohio, was declared dead at the couple’s home on October 23. Kyle Long had called 911 that day, reporting that his wife had stabbed herself numerous times in their bathroom.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office and the coroner initially ruled her death suspicious before changing the ruling to homicide, leading to Kyle Long’s arrest.
According to court documents, Rachel Long suffered at least 17 stab wounds and had defensive wounds on both hands. The evidence contradicted Kyle Long’s account of a self-inflicted death.
“These investigations are not always as cut and dry as they seem to the community,” Madison County Sheriff John Swaney said when asked about the months-long gap between the death and the arrest. He said investigators worked with multiple agencies to compile evidence in the case.
Rachel Long’s best friend, Brittany Mattox, told investigators she never believed the suicide claim. “It just didn’t make any sense, she has never been suicidal,” Mattox said.
According to Mattox, Rachel Long had been planning to leave her husband and was looking forward to her future as a single mother. “We knew that she was excited to leave,” Mattox said. “She was making new relationships and friendships and looking forward to a new adventure as a solo single mom.”
Mattox described her friend as passionate about her pet grooming business and said Rachel Long had touched many lives in the community through her work caring for animals.
Kyle Long is scheduled for arraignment in Madison County court on Friday. The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies over the four-month period between the death and the arrest.
