Christian Longo is an American citizen who gained notoriety for the brutal murder of his wife and three children in Oregon. His reckless spending habits and financial difficulties plagued his family, leading to a sudden disappearance that sparked a nationwide investigation. Longo’s cunning attempts to evade capture included impersonating a travel writer in Mexico, where he was eventually apprehended and brought back to the United States. Following a trial, he was found guilty of the heinous crimes and sentenced to death. Currently, Longo resides in the Oregon State Penitentiary as a death-row convict.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Christian Michael Longo
- Age: 49 Years, 49 Year Old Males
- Family:
- Spouse/Ex-: Mary Jane Longo (m. 1993 – 2001)
- Father: Joseph Longo
- Mother: Joy Longo
- Children: Madison Longo, Sadie Longo, Zachery Longo
- Born Country: United States
- Murderers
- American Men
- Height: 1.85 m
Early Life & Marriage
Christian Michael Longo was born on January 23, 1974, in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, U.S. His parents were strict Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Longo was active in the church during his younger days. He even took training in the door-to-door ministry that Jehovah’s Witnesses are known for. It was during this time that he met his future wife, Mary Jane Baker, who was also part of the same congregation. They got married when Longo was 19 and Mary Jane was 25.
Troubled Life, Disappearance, Murders & Sentencing
Christian Longo had a habit of making excessive expenditures, which often led to financial troubles for him and his family. He worked as the manager of a company that distributed The New York Times and read a lot of articles by writer Michael Finkel. After his stint at the company, Longo tried to launch his own construction subcontracting company, but it turned out to be a financial disaster, leaving him and his family with more debts.
To cover his increasing debts, Longo resorted to criminal activities and tried to make money using dishonest means. He started making counterfeit checks, created fake addresses to reroute bill collectors, and made fake driving licenses to steal cars. Despite his unethical activities, he was only given a light sentence of probation and restitution for making counterfeit checks.
Longo was eventually thrown out of the church for a long list of offenses, including cheating on his wife. His wife had found emails that proved his infidelity. A couple of months later, Longo claimed that he wanted to start afresh with his family. They relocated from Michigan to a warehouse in Toledo, Ohio.
However, things took a dark turn when Longo went missing and his wife’s cell phone line was cut off. Zachery, their 4-year-old son, was found dead in a marina in Oregon. After an extensive search, Sadie, their 3-year-old daughter, was found weighed down underwater. Mary Jane and Madison, their 2-year-old daughter, were discovered in suitcases floating close to their apartment. Christian Longo was the only missing person. He was eventually placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List in connection with the murder of his wife and three children.
Longo had fled to Cancun, Mexico, impersonating as Michael Finkel. He was identified by an American tourist and a federal arrest warrant was issued against him. Longo was caught in the small town of Tulum, Quintana Roo, and extradited to the United States. He was taken into custody and later sentenced to death by lethal injection for the murders of his wife and children.
Reflections and Media Adaptations
Years after his conviction, Longo admitted to being a narcissist and suffering from narcissistic personality disorder. He wrote a letter to a TV station in which he shared this information. During his trial, Longo was visited by Michael Finkel, who later wrote a memoir about their relationship titled “True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa.” The memoir was adapted into a film called “True Story,” which explored the relationship between Finkel and Longo. The movie premiered in 2015 and featured James Franco as Longo and Jonah Hill as Finkel.