Carman Deck, long ago convicted of the 1996 murders of James and Zelma Long of the De Soto area, once again is facing the death penalty and family members of the victims say they hope the sentence is finally carried out.
The U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals on Oct. 19 reversed a lower court’s decision, thus reinstating the death penalty for Deck, now 55.
He was convicted of the murders in 1998 and has been sentenced to death three times since, only for courts to overturn the death sentences.
U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry’s 2017 decision was the most recent to set aside Deck’s death sentence, but now that ruling has been overturned.
Deck’s attorney, Elizabeth Carlyle of Lee’s Summit, said the appeals court decision will be appealed.
“As you might be able to guess, we do not agree with the decision and plan to appeal,” Carlyle said.
In its decision to reverse, the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals stated that Deck’s “postconviction counsel’s performance was reasonable,” which had been a major point listed in Perry’s decision to vacate the death penalty in the case.
The reversal is welcome, said Linda Davis of the De Soto area, a daughter of the Longs.
“I’m just glad they took the time to study and realize it wasn’t right for them to change from the death penalty to life in prison,” Davis said. “I’m glad (the appeals court) made the decision to put the death penalty back on the table.
“That’s just one more notch we’ve got under our belt. There’s only one notch left – one more appeal. We’ll be there for every hearing they have on him.”
Karen Long, a daughter-in-law of the Longs, said the family feels justice has been long delayed in the case.
“We were all very pleased with the decision,” she said. “It’s been a long time coming and we hope it progresses in the court system. It’s a long time coming.”
She and her husband, William Long (a son of the victims), are formerly of the De Soto area and now live in the city of Lake Ozark at the Lake of the Ozarks.
Deck confessed to fatally shooting the Longs.
According to accounts published in the Leader, Deck of St. Louis County was convicted in February 1998 of two counts of first-degree murder and given two death sentences for the July 8, 1996, execution-style murders of James Long, 69, and Zelma Long, 67, during a robbery at the couple’s home in the De Soto area.
Deck’s conviction has been held up on appeal, but he has successfully appealed the death sentence. Deck was sentenced to death for a third time in November 2008 by Jefferson County Circuit Judge Gary Kramer, after a jury recommended a death sentence once again in September 2008 following a penalty-phase retrial.
The Missouri Supreme Court upheld Deck’s death sentence in January 2010.
Deck’s sister, Tonia Cummings, 51, also of St. Louis County, was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder in 1998 in the case and sentenced to 70 years in prison. She is serving her sentence at the Chillicothe Correctional Center.