Teen Sentenced for Murder of his Grandmother and Other Crimes

Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson announces Lawrence resident Jaered A. Long, 19, was sentenced on Tuesday to 586 months in prison for the murder of his grandmother, Deborah L. Bretthauer.  Long was originally charged with first degree murder as a juvenile in the stabbing death of Ms. Bretthauer.  After filing charges with the Court, the State sought to try Long as an adult.  The District Court Judge granted, after a hearing, the State’s request to prosecute him as an adult.  Long entered a plea to an amended charge of intentional second degree murder, before the scheduled trial, and he avoided the possibility of a life sentence if he were convicted of first degree murder.

Long, who lived with Ms. Bretthauer, called 911 on December 28, 2015 at approximately 11:47 p.m. and reported a stabbing at his residence.  Long advised dispatch he had argued with his grandmother at her residence and then he left to go for a walk.  He stated when he returned to the residence, he discovered his grandmother with a stab wound to her neck.  Long would later report during investigation by law enforcement that his grandmother asked him to clean his room sometime during the evening hours of December 28 and that the request made him angry.  Long stated he told his grandmother that he would clean his room tomorrow.  After playing video games in his room for a period of time, Long retrieved a knife from the kitchen and went to his grandmother’s room where he stabbed her repeatedly.  Long would later show detectives where he attempted to dispose of the murder weapon.

Long was also sentenced for another case stemming from two separate batteries on corrections officer while he was in custody.  Long received 52 months in prison on that case.  The sentence will run concurrently to his sentence in the murder case.

Today’s sentencing hearing was held in the courtroom of the Honorable Barbara K. Huff.  The case was investigated by the Lawrence Police Department and was prosecuted by District Attorney Charles Branson and Assistant District Attorney Bryant Barton. 

*Rule 226 - Kansas Rules of Professional Conduct

3.6 Advocate: Trial Publicity

3.8 Advocate: Special Responsibilities of a Prosecutor

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