A 54-year-old man was charged with first-degree murder in the death of a woman whose body was found in the backyard of a home in St. Louis, Missouri, after he initially claimed not to know her.

Argument, Gunshot, and Discovery of the Body

According to authorities, Long lived in a basement apartment in the house next door to where the body was found. A witness told police that he heard a man and a woman arguing days before the discovery and that, after the argument, he heard a single gunshot.

Smith was found partially frozen, with his head in a pool of blood, in the backyard of the neighboring house. Police indicated that the body had already begun to decompose before being exposed to the extreme temperatures.

Text Messages and Traces of Blood

After identifying the victim, investigators reviewed her cell phone and discovered that Smith had been communicating with Long. On January 3, the two exchanged several messages, including one in which the woman expressed that she no longer felt safe in her home. That same day, Long called her. After that, there was no further communication. With a search warrant, police inspected Long's residence and found blood spatter at the entrance to the apartment, as well as additional stains on the stair railing leading to the door. Flight and Contradictions: Authorities located Long on Friday. When detectives attempted to stop him, he fled in his vehicle, ran a red light, and tried to evade arrest. The chase ended after the use of spike strips, which allowed for his apprehension. During questioning, after being read his rights, Long acknowledged that he lived alone and confirmed that the phone number found on Smith's cell phone belonged to him, although he denied ever having seen her. According to police, when confronted with the evidence, he changed his story. Long was charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action,and resisting arrest. He remains in custody without bail at the St. Louis City Justice Center. His next court hearing has not yet been scheduled.