Six years after Maggie Long, a 17-year-old high school senior from Bailey, Colorado, was “essentially burned alive” at home after walking in on a burglary in process ahead of a school concert, local authorities have renewed calls for anyone with a “key piece of information” to come forward and claim a reward for helping solve the case.
The Park County Sheriff’s Office on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, the six-year anniversary of Long’s murder, said that the victim’s family, the feds, and local investigators are offering a $75,000 reward.
“The Park County Sheriff’s Office honors and remembers murder victim Maggie Long on the anniversary of her death. Long, a high school senior from Bailey, Colorado, was found murdered in her home on December 1, 2017,” the sheriff’s office said.
According to the FBI, the sheriff’s office responded to a house fire that fateful night after a 911 caller reported “people were inside the residence causing damage.”
“At least one male was on the property. After the fire was extinguished at the residence, Maggie Long’s remains were discovered by fire rescue personnel. The El Paso County Coroner’s Office later ruled her death a homicide,” the FBI said, noting that there was evidence a “physical altercation took place between Long and her assailants before the fire started.”
Noticeably stolen from the home were “a Beretta handgun, an AK-47-style rifle, 2,000 rounds of ammunition, a green safe, and jade figurines,” the feds said, also releasing sketches of three suspects.
Suspect sketch 1, Maggie Long, suspect sketch 3 (images of sketches via FBI; image of Maggie Long via Park County Sheriff’s Office).
Park County Sheriff Tom McGraw said that investigators, local, state, and federal, “have never stopped the search for those responsible for Maggie’s death and will continue to follow every lead until we find resolution in this case.”
“As we’ve stated previously,” McGraw said, “someone has that key piece of information that will lead to the arrest of those responsible for Maggie’s murder.
“It will take one person with one piece of information that will help our investigative team bring resolution to this case for Maggie, her family and the Bailey community,” he added.
While the case was initially viewed as a “crime of opportunity,” the feds said years later that they were examining whether those believed to be responsible for Long’s gruesome death committed a hate crime against an Asian American.
The suspects pictured in the sketches above and below, and possibly a fourth person, were allegedly involved in the break-in before Long’s murder.
Before her death, Long reportedly left Platte Canyon High School and returned home to get a change of clothes, plus some water and cookies for attendees of a concert that was scheduled at the school that night.
Maggie Long, suspect sketch 2 (images via FBI)
Maggie Long never made it to the concert — and no one has been held accountable to the present day. All the while, Long’s sisters and parents have been left without answers.
“I think we need to be very clear that Maggie was murdered in a very violent, heinous manner. She was essentially burned alive,” sister Connie Long said in 2022. “And anyone who could do something to our sister who did not deserve it at all is a threat to the community.”
Authorities have asked anyone who can help get the Long family and their loved one justice to step forward with a tip, anonymously if desired.
“Anyone with information is asked to call the Maggie Long Task Force tip line at (303) 239-4243 or email: [email protected],” authorities said. “Those providing tips can remain anonymous.”
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
