Ashlee Long, a 28-year-old White woman from the Houston area, was a successful real estate agent remembered by her family as a kind, loving, and funny person who lived life to the fullest. A 2019 graduate of the University of Houston with a degree in business administration, she was engaged to her high school sweetheart. Her mother, Michelle Long, called her "my everything," while her father, Henry, said, "You were my angel here, and now you will be my angel in heaven."
On April 5, 2025, Ashlee was in Dallas for a networking trip. Shortly after 2:30 a.m., she and a group of friends were leaving a bar in the downtown area. As they crossed Main Street, one of her companions, 36-year-old William Kistler, brushed his hand along the side of a passing white Mercedes. The car stopped, and a passenger, Kendrick Finch, exited with a gun. Surveillance footage showed Kistler then reaching into Ashlee’s purse to pull out his own gun. Finch opened fire, striking both Ashlee and Kistler.
Ashlee was rushed to a hospital, where she died from multiple gunshot wounds. Kistler was also injured but survived.
Hours after the shooting, Finch, 34, called the police, identified himself as the passenger, and shared details about the incident that had not been made public. Dallas police continued their investigation and, on April 17, announced that Finch was wanted for murder. He turned himself in to law enforcement the following day.
Finch was charged with murder and his bond was set at $500,000. During a bond hearing in early May, his attorneys argued he acted in self-defense, claiming Kistler initiated the confrontation. Prosecutors countered that Finch was the first to shoot, firing at least eight times on a crowded street and endangering multiple people. A judge denied the defense's request to reduce the bond.
Despite the ruling, Kendrick Finch posted his $500,000 bond on May 13, 2025, and was released from the Dallas County Jail. Ashlee’s family has since begun advocating for bail reform in Texas. As of May 2025, Finch remained free on bond while awaiting his trial, which is expected to begin in early 2026.
