Kriti MehrotraABC’s ’20/20: Her Last Chance’ is an episode that examines the homicide of Oswaldo “Ozzy” Conde in his residence on October 6, 2003, along with its baffling aftermath. In the early hours of that gloomy day, his girlfriend, Kimberly “Kim” Long, had returned to their shared house, only to find him bludgeoned to death on their couch. She was the one who had dialed 911, but she also ended up becoming the prime suspect shortly after. Kim was arrested, tried, convicted, and ultimately acquitted in this matter. So, let’s find out everything there is to know about her, shall we?
Who is Kimberly “Kim” Long?
Kimberly “Kim” Long and Oswaldo “Ozzy” Conde had met for the first time back in middle school. Yet, once she and her family moved away, they lost touch despite their connection. Around a decade later, though, they found one another again, reconnected, and started dating. Kim was married, and Ozzy appeared to be in a long-term relationship as well, but they left their respective partners to give their bond a shot. He subsequently moved into the home she once shared with her then-former husband, and they began a life together. Unfortunately, it was tumultuous.
On October 5, 2003, after spending the day with friends, the duo got into a dispute due to Kim’s flirtatious nature with others. They’d been drinking, so it exploded, with her allegedly calling him a “loser,” getting aggravated and physical, and asking him to get out of her house. Except, she was the one who walked away and went to Jeff Dills’ place – a friend – for a few hours. The mother of two and licensed nurse returned home and called 911 at 2:09 a.m. the following morning to report Ozzy’s injuries, yet, according to Jeff, he’d dropped her off at 1:20, leaving a 49-minute open window.
Where is Kimberly “Kim” Long Now?
Kimberly Louise Long was arrested and charged with murder on November 10, 2003, but she did not stand trial until early 2005. The start witness for the prosecutors was Jeff, except he sadly passed away in a motorbike accident before the court proceedings began. Thus, his statements to the detectives were the primary evidence against her. However, this also meant that he couldn’t be cross-examined, which was not good for Kim. As per the prosecutors, Kim was furious at Ozzy that night, so she killed him in a blind rage and concealed the evidence before calling the police.
On the other hand, Kim’s defense maintained her innocence and declared that Jeff had the wrong drop-off time. With this, her original trial ended in a hung jury, but in late 2005, her re-trial concluded with a guilty judgment for second-degree murder. During her sentencing, a judge confessed that he would’ve ruled her not guilty if it were a court trial due to a lack of hard physical evidence. Since it wasn’t, he followed the custom and sentenced her to 15 years to life, yet he also allowed her to be released on bail as she appealed the case. Kim was only ordered to go to prison in 2009.
In 2016, based on the fact that forensic pathologists concluded that Ozzy died well before 1:20 a.m., found unidentified male DNA at the scene, and insisted that the assailant would have bloodstains all over them due to the manner of attack, Kim’s conviction was overturned. Jeff had detailed what Kim was wearing the evening before, and she was in the same outfit when she spoke to the cops after the 911 call. In other words, she didn’t change to hide the evidence. The California Supreme Court upheld this verdict in 2020, and the DA dismissed all charges against her on April 22, 2021.
Although she’s been out of prison since mid-2016, it’s only now that Kim Long is considered an innocent and free citizen. It’s hard for her to think of the past and everything she and Ozzy went through, especially since he was the first person she ever loved, but it appears as if she’s trying to move on to the best of her abilities. “I’m so happy I can now put this case behind me… It’s been hanging over my head for so long, but now I am just looking to the future,” Kim penned in a statement following her official exoneration. Thus, today, she’s looking to get back on her feet.
Read More: Oswaldo “Ozzy” Conde’s Murder: How Did He Die? Who Killed Him?
