In the investigation into the 2023 homicide of a Leetonia High School teacher, Columbiana County Chief Deputy Caleb Wycoff says law enforcement gathered evidence both physical and digital.

"Call logs, text logs, location history," Wycoff said as he explained what digital evidence was collected.

Wycoff, the lead investigator into Michelle Long's death, testified Friday at the trial of William Long Jr., who has been charged with murder, aggravated murder and discharge of a firearm over a public road in the case. Michelle Long, William Long's ex-wife, was shot dead in her truck the evening of Nov. 29, 2023. 

Wycoff told the court how the digital evidence helped law enforcement track the possible movements of William Long that day. Investigators were able to match raw data from the tracking app Life360 to surveillance video of his vehicle at many points throughout the afternoon, but around 5:45 p.m. — the time of the homicide — the prosecution claims William Long was no longer with his device. 

Life360 data places William Long's cell phone at his girlfriend's home on North Market Street from about 5:21 p.m. to about 6:13 p.m. As pointed out by the defense in Wycoff's cross-examination, the phone "pinged" several times within this window at slightly different locations on the property, indicating it could have been moved around. 

Surveillance video presented by prosecutors shows a dark-colored truck, which Wycoff and the prosecution say is consistent with William Long's vehicle, driving in other areas around that time. Wycoff also testified that William Long's cell phone log showed two missed calls from his girlfriend at 5:54 and 5:58 p.m. 

According to Wycoff's testimony, other evidence recovered from Michelle and William Long's cell phones revealed how William talked to and about Michelle as they went through a contentious divorce. 

Wycoff read a collection of text messages from William Long's phone out loud, including a conversation the defendant had with his niece on July 5, 2023, in which he expresses frustration about his divorce proceedings with the victim. 

"Bill texts, 'She keeps pushing, everyone knows how it's gonna end,'" Wycoff testified. 

Prosecutors also presented as evidence a video recorded by William Long on Sept. 12, 2023, after the divorce was decided. Previous testimony has established that a judge directed the defendant to pay his ex-wife child support, alimony and a cash payment of $100,000 in the divorce, a ruling which William Long appealed. 

In the Sept. 12, 2023, video, the defendant argues with Michelle Long over who legally owns the residence they are standing in, and tells her she'd "better hope something changes in a couple weeks." 

Wycoff said another video, recorded by the victim in February 2022 (before their divorce was filed), captures "verbal abuse" directed at Michelle Long by William Long as they are out at a restaurant with their son. In the video, he can be heard telling her repeatedly that she deserves to have her "ass kicked" for missing their wedding anniversary. 

A second video from the same night, recorded as the family drives home, captures William Long telling his wife that if she does file for divorce and gets custody of their son, "I will kill you." 

In cross-examination, the defense raised the possibility that surveillance video taken at the crime scene at the moments of Michelle Long's homicide captures headlights from another vehicle. When asked if he would agree that it is possible another vehicle was approaching  the scene from a different direction, Wycoff said the choppiness of the video made it difficult to tell. 

The prosecution rested its case at approximately 4 p.m. Friday afternoon. On Monday morning, the defense is expected to begin calling witnesses, which could include the victim's mother.