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CASSOPOLIS — Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz advises that a jury has convicted a 24-year-old South Bend man for his June 2024 strangulation assault on an ex-girlfriend in her rural home outside of Niles. 

In a case that began Tuesday morning and concluded today, the jury deliberated for 45 minutes before returning their “as charged” conviction at 10:45 a.m. against Marcus Lamont Long.

In response to the verdict, Fitz indicated “This defendant’s behavior was extremely dangerous and controlling.  He toyed with her life.  We greatly appreciate the jury doing their part to insist upon lawful, non-violent behavior in domestic relationships.”

Long strangled the woman in the late evening of June 24, 2024. His trial began on July 1, 2025 in front of Cass County Circuit Judge Mark Herman. 

Cass County Assistant Prosecutor Jason Ronning tried the case for the People. 

The Defendant was convicted after the jury heard testimony from three witnesses. The victim, a Niles area woman, testified that she had been in a romantic relationship with Long for about a year prior to ending the relationship the week before the assault. She told the jury that after midnight on June 24, she had put her young baby down to sleep when she heard someone knocking on her window and then her door. Long entered the home and immediately grasped the woman by her throat, driving her into the bedroom. 

The victim demonstrated for the jury how Long then strangled her, forcing her to lose consciousness repeatedly, and demanded that she unblock him from her cell phone and social media accounts. She told the jury that Long said “one of these times you aren’t going to wake up.” 

 The incident was reported to the Cass County Sherrif’s Office, who investigated and photographed visible bruising on the victim’s neck. The jury saw the photograph and also heard from the Deputy investigating the case, along with a family friend who testified that the next

night Long was observed returning to the home around midnight and was looking in the windows of the home.  Long was charged with Assault by Strangulation and Domestic Violence.  

After hearing from the witnesses and observing the photographic evidence, the jury received the case for deliberation the morning of July 2, 2025, and returned a verdict of guilty as charged on all counts approximately 30 minutes later. 

Ronning indicated that “this woman thought that she had finally escaped form an abusive relationship, only to have Long attack her when she was at her most vulnerable.  His waiting until late night, and his brutal attack and strangulation, are evidence of a dangerous man who simply refused to accept rejection.” Ronning also thanked the Cass County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation and the lead investigators’ testimony during the trial.   

Marcus Long is scheduled for sentencing on August 15, 2025 at 8:30 a.m. in front of Judge Herman. He faces up to 10 years in prison.