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The Longo Family Murders
Mary Jane Longo was a 34-year-old mother of three who was married to Christian Longo, a 27-year-old businessman. They seemed like a happy and devout family, active in their Jehovah’s Witness community. However, behind the facade of their perfect life, Christian Longo was hiding a dark secret: he was a con man who had accumulated a huge debt and was wanted by the police for fraud.
In December 2001, Christian Longo killed his wife and three children in Oregon and dumped their bodies in the ocean. He then fled to Mexico, where he assumed the identity of a former New York Times journalist and lived a lavish lifestyle until he was captured by the authorities.
How Did Mary Jane Longo Die?
According to the autopsy reports, Mary Jane Longo died of strangulation and head trauma. She was found naked inside a suitcase that was weighted down with dumbbells and submerged under a dock at a marina. Her two-year-old daughter, Madison, was also found in another suitcase next to her, also strangled.
Christian Longo had killed his wife and daughter at their rented condo in Newport, Oregon, on December 17, 2001. He then drove to the marina and disposed of their bodies. He returned to the condo and killed his four-year-old son, Zachary, and his three-year-old daughter, Sadie, by tying pillowcases filled with rocks to their legs and throwing them into the water. Their bodies were later recovered by the police divers.
Why Did Christian Longo Kill His Family?
The motive behind Christian Longo’s brutal murders remains unclear. Some speculate that he wanted to escape his financial troubles and start a new life without his family. Others suggest that he was suffering from a mental illness or a personality disorder that made him unable to cope with reality.
According to the CrimeWire, Christian Longo had been involved in financial scams for years. He would take out loans in other people’s names, run up debt, create bogus checks, and use fake IDs to keep creditors away. He even created a fake business and would write counterfeit checks from his clients.
Christian Longo had managed to keep the truth hidden from Mary Jane, who had no idea of the reality of her husband’s nefarious activities. She trusted him and followed him wherever he went, even when he moved their family to a warehouse in Toledo, Ohio, in June 2001, after telling her he wanted a new start. They traveled in a U-Haul truck and minivan that were stolen.
In November 2001, Christian Longo was wanted by the police for violating his probation. He decided to flee again, this time to Oregon, where he rented a condo under a false name. He sent a card to his wife’s sister, claiming that they were in South Dakota, to throw off the investigators. However, his sister-in-law was suspicious and filed a missing person’s report.
A month later, Christian Longo killed his family and ran away to Mexico. He used a stolen credit card to book a room at a resort and pretended to be Michael Finkel, a former New York Times writer who had been fired for fabricating a story. He befriended the locals, partied at nightclubs, and dated a German tourist. He was eventually recognized by a fellow American who had seen his picture on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list and alerted the authorities.
What Happened to Christian Longo?
Christian Longo was arrested in Cancun, Mexico, on January 13, 2002. He was extradited to the United States and charged with four counts of aggravated murder and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. He pleaded not guilty and claimed that he had killed his wife in self-defense after she had killed their children. However, the jury did not believe his story and found him guilty on all counts. He was sentenced to death and is currently on death row at the Oregon State Penitentiary.
Christian Longo has since expressed remorse for his crimes and has become an advocate for organ donation. He has also written letters to Michael Finkel, the journalist whose identity he had stolen, and apologized for his actions. Finkel has written a book about his correspondence with Longo, titled True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa, which was later adapted into a movie starring James Franco and Jonah Hill.
Mary Jane Longo’s family and friends have mourned her loss and remembered her as a loving and devoted mother and wife. They have also condemned Christian Longo’s lies and cruelty and have called for justice for his victims. They have said that they will never forgive him for what he did and that they hope he will face the ultimate punishment for his crimes.
