Oklahoma has seen its fair share of headline-making tragedies, but this one reads like a twisted crime drama. A 32-year-old husband, blinded by jealousy and suspicion, ended up committing an unthinkable act on a college campus. Brandon Morrissette was found guilty of murdering 20-year-old Robenie “RJ” Long after confronting him outside the Humanities building at Rose State College in Midwest City. The reason for the act was that Morrissette believed Long was having an affair with his wife even though she repeatedly denied it.
The shocking crime unfolded back in April 2023, when Morrissette spotted his wife walking out of class with Long, who was simply a fellow student and friend. According to Oklahoma investigators, Morrissette’s wife told police she wasn’t romantically involved with Long, but that didn’t stop her husband from escalating his suspicions into violence. Armed and irrational, Morrissette fired seven shots at the young Marine veteran right on campus, killing him instantly.
This wasn’t just another crime statistic, it rattled the community to its core. College campuses are supposed to be places of learning, safety, and future-building, not the backdrop of jealous rage and tragedy. The idea that a baseless suspicion could spiral into something so deadly left students, families, and locals reeling.
Oklahoma Man Kills Marine After Accusing Him Of Having Affair With His Wife
During the trial, which wrapped up last Thursday, jurors didn’t take long to reach a decision. After just hours of deliberation, they convicted Morrissette of first-degree murder. The jury recommended life in prison without parole, and he’s set to be sentenced on October 14. He was also found guilty of having a firearm on school property, earning an additional year behind bars. Prosecutors also noted Morrissette faces entirely separate charges related to child sexual abuse material, making an already dark story even darker.
As for RJ Long, his story is both heartbreaking and inspiring. The Marine Corps veteran graduated high school in 2021 and had already built a reputation as a selfless hero. At his funeral, loved ones and friends remembered him not as a victim, but as someone who lived and died putting others first.
Pastor David McBride shared a powerful memory at the service: Long once saved a woman whose car had flipped into a ditch. Without hesitation, he unbuckled her, pulled her out of the sinking vehicle, and likely saved her life. “RJ gave no thought to his life and somehow got her unbuckled out of the seat belt, pulled her out of the water,” McBride recalled. That bravery didn’t stop there witnesses said Long had stepped in to protect a fellow student during Morrissette’s attack before he was fatally shot.
The Victim’s Mother Speaks Out
For Long’s mother, Kelly, the guilty verdict offered some peace in the middle of unimaginable loss. “I am so thankful for the jury that we had. I was just praying for them as they were leaving to go deliberate,” she said afterward.” She added, “I think they made the right choices. I’m so thankful for our judicial system and thankful for our jurists.”
The case is a haunting reminder of how jealousy and paranoia can escalate into irreversible tragedy. In Oklahoma, where the tight-knit community often rallies around its heroes, the loss of RJ Long stings even more deeply. He wasn’t just another college student he was a Marine, a friend, and a son who lived with courage until the very end. While Morrissette prepares for a lifetime behind bars, Long’s legacy is one of bravery and sacrifice. And that’s the story Oklahoma will remember.
Tanner Buck 
Whitney Saunders