Family of man shot 1 year ago in Perry Co. still seeking justice

TELL CITY, Ind. (WFIE) – When the leaves fall and October arrives, it’s usually a happy time for the Long family, but this year it’s a reminder of what they lost a year ago.

“That day replays over and over in my head,” Hailey Long said. “We all went to a Halloween party at my husband’s friend’s house.”

After it got late that night, Hailey says she decided to go home and tell her husband Andrew Long Jr. or AJ said she would pick him up the next morning.

(Previous story: Name released of victim killed in overnight shooting in Tell City)

“I’m like, ‘Okay, I love you, good night.’ and that was the end of the conversation,” Hailey said.

It was also the last time she would ever hear his voice again.

“I was 32 weeks pregnant, so I was in shock,” Hailey said.

Pregnant and confused, Hailey says, when she arrived at the house the next morning to pick up AJ, she was greeted by a detective.

“He said, ‘There was an incident last night and it resulted in your husband losing his life,’” Hailey said.

ISP forces say a couple had stopped on the side of the road to sleep near the house where Long was staying.

Troopers tell us Long thought they were there to rob him and his friend, so he attacked the man and pulled him out of his vehicle.

“These kinds of things don’t happen in small town Southern Indiana,” said AJ’s sister, Kaylyn Vaupel.

Troopers say the man then got back into his vehicle, but after AJ threatened to kill him, the man pulled out a gun, shot and killed AJ.

“When we lost him, we had faith in the justice system, so I think that helped us get through it,” Vaupel said. “We were like, ‘Okay, we’ll never get him back, but we’ll get justice for what happened,’ because how can you not?”

Troopers say their investigation determined it was self-defense.

“I think I’m even angrier now that I know we still don’t have anything,” Vaupel said.

“We have so many unanswered questions,” Hailey said.

Vaupel and Hailey both say AJ was unarmed and the man trespassed by parking on their property.

They also claim that AJ was on foot and the man could have driven away.

“It’s very scary that someone could get away with something like that,” Vaupel said.

Troopers confirmed AJ was unarmed, but said he threatened the man after attacking him.

AJ’s family says they know they will never get him back, but now they have to live knowing they won’t get justice either.

“We go to AJ’s grave and my kids say, ‘Mom, I wish my dad was alive,’” Hailey said. “I am angry about the fact that my children have to grow up without their father.”