A 63-year-old Lebanon County man has been convicted of attempted murder, burglary and multiple assault charges after shooting his ex-wife five times, leaving her with wounds to her leg, thigh and hand and the obliteration of her left index finger. Darrell Long was convicted following what prosecutors described as an attack tied to a child-support dispute, and he now faces up to 40 years in prison.
According to Wide Open Country, Long shot his ex-wife, Dawn, five times in March 2025 in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. Investigators say he struck her with the gun before opening fire, and he also fired a shot toward her face. Dawn fought back during the attack and survived, though she was left with lasting injuries, including the destruction of her left index finger.
A Dispute Over Child Support Turns Violent
Prosecutors reported that a child-support filing motivated the attack, and Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf said the recent filing served as the catalyst. Hess Graf also said Long wanted his ex-wife to know exactly who was attacking her, according to the same report. The account states that Long allegedly sent threatening texts to his son in the weeks leading up to the shooting, and in one of those messages he reportedly said he had a clear line of sight into the home.
The seed reporting also notes that Dawn called 911 in March 2025 to report that her ex-husband attacked her while she was sleeping; this was the incident in which Long shot her and the incident underlying the charges.
Convictions and Sentencing Exposure
A jury convicted Long of attempted murder, burglary, aggravated assault causing bodily injury with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, and misdemeanor harassment, the outlet reported. Under Pennsylvania law, bodily injury is defined as impairment of physical condition or substantial pain, while serious bodily injury covers injuries that create a substantial risk of death or cause serious, permanent disfigurement or the prolonged loss or impairment of a bodily member or organ, according to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The same statute defines a deadly weapon to include firearms, a device designed as a weapon and capable of causing death or serious bodily injury, or another instrumentality used or intended in a manner calculated or likely to produce that result.
Long reportedly showed no remorse in court and called himself a hero, per the same account. He now faces up to 40 years in prison, according to the outlet's report.
Child Support Cases in Pennsylvania
Disputes over child support obligations run through the state's formal enforcement system rather than direct confrontations between former spouses. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services operates the state's child support program, which provides case information and enforcement resources for parents navigating support orders and filings.
