Person of interest determined in Long homicide

An unnamed suspect has been identified but not made public in the summer killing of Russell Long
 
The Greene County Sheriff’s Office is looking at a “person of interest” in the disappearance and death of Russell Long, though they currently won’t say who it is.
“We have a person of interest we are looking at, but I can’t release a name right now,” said Captain Marc Staeger, of the Criminal Investigations Division of the sheriff’s office.
Long’s death has been ruled a homicide, but the sheriff’s office did not release a cause of death.
Long, of Ash Grove, was last seen on Wednesday, March 31, by a member of his family in Willard.
“(The) family member said they saw Russell leave in a vehicle, possibly a white SUV, from their home ... in Willard,” Kassandra Niemeier, Long’s sister said after Long was reported missing. “It was late evening. We are not for sure who he was leaving with or why.”
Long left his truck at the relative’s house in Willard with his keys and wallet inside, something Niemeier called “highly unusual.”
Long’s remains were found on Friday, June 4, by workers with the Greene County Highway Department on Farm Road 59, approximately two miles northwest of Bois D’Arc.
In a statement released the following Tuesday, the sheriff’s office confirmed the remains were Long’s and announced his death was being investigated as a homicide.
At that time, Deputy Jason Winston, then the public information officer for the sheriff’s office, said they could not determine whether Long had died in the place where he was found, or if he had been killed elsewhere and moved to the spot later.
Anyone with any information on Long’s disappearance is asked to call the tip line at the Greene County Sheriff’s Office at (417) 829-6230.