Suspect in Davidson woman’s killing found guilty in cases involving 2 other women

William Drew Becker, who police say is a suspect but has not been charged in the unsolved shooting death of Sarah Long in her Davidson townhome in 2014, was recently convicted in criminal cases involving two other women, court records show.

Becker, 55, was found guilty on July 11 in Davidson County Criminal District Court of misdemeanor communicating threats. He was given a year’s probation and ordered to pay $250 in court costs.

Prosecutors dismissed a felony charge of assault by strangulation and a misdemeanor charge of assault on a female in connection with the case, records show.

The case involved a victim other than Becker’s former wife and stemmed from a March 2016 domestic-violence incident in Lexington, Town of Davidson Police Capt. Steve Ingram said last year.

In a separate case, Becker was found guilty in Cabarrus County Criminal District Court on June 9 of misdemeanor assault on a female, according to court records. The case stemmed from a January assault on a woman in his Cabarrus County home, records show. Becker was sentenced to a minimum 30 days in jail and was given credit for 30 days served.

The 37-year-old victim told the Observer on Monday that she had dated Becker for six months before the assault and that she has not talked with him since. She said she gave birth to their child the day after he was found guilty and that Becker has not asked to see the baby.

Reached by phone Tuesday evening, Becker declined to discuss the cases and referred the Observer to his lawyer, David Rudolf of Charlotte. The Observer has left phone and and email messages for Rudolf.

Long, 41, was found dead in the bedroom of her home, clutching a .357 Taurus revolver in her left hand, records show. Police said Long was right-handed.

Long died of a single gunshot wound to the left side of her head, Dr. Michael Sullivan, Mecklenburg County’s chief medical examiner at the time, wrote in an autopsy report.

Former Davidson Police Chief Jeanne Miller said later that year detectives had narrowed their investigation to one person. In January 2016, Ingram said Long’s estranged husband, Christopher Daarmond Reeves, “has been excluded as a person of interest.”

Long left a will instructing that all of her assets – nearly $1 million – go to Becker. But Becker and Reeves later signed a consent order allowing Reeves to receive an undisclosed share of Long’s estate, court records show.

In an affidavit, Long’s brother, John Long, said he didn’t believe his sister “would have freely and voluntarily left her assets to Mr. Becker.”

John Long said it’s more likely his sister would have left her assets to their father, given her “expressed desire” to buy the family’s farm in Kentucky.

This story was originally published July 25, 2017 at 8:01 PM with the headline "Suspect in Davidson woman’s killing found guilty in cases involving 2 other women."