Ashlee Long, a 28-year-old Houston-area real estate agent, was shot and killed in the early morning hours of April 5, 2025, during a street confrontation in downtown Dallas. A 34-year-old man named Kendrick Finch was charged with her murder. He later posted a $500,000 bond and was released pending trial, a decision that pushed Long’s family into a public campaign for changes to Texas bail laws.
What Happened on April 5
The shooting took place just after 2:00 a.m. outside a bar off Main Street. Long was with a companion, 36-year-old William Kistler, when Kistler reached out and brushed his hand along the passenger side of a Mercedes passing on the street.1FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth. Ashlee Long Murder Kendrick Finch Bond Posted Finch, the passenger, got out with a gun. Kistler then reached into Long’s purse, pulled out his own firearm, and Finch opened fire. Both Long and Kistler were hit. Long was taken to a hospital, where she died. Kistler survived.2CBS News Texas. Dallas Shooting Suspect Houston Real Estate Agent Bond Release
Prosecutors later said Finch fired at least eight times on what they described as a crowded residential and commercial street.3FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth. Ashlee Long Downtown Dallas Murder Kendrick Finch Court The driver of the Mercedes has not been publicly identified.2CBS News Texas. Dallas Shooting Suspect Houston Real Estate Agent Bond Release One of the first things a detective told the family, Long’s stepmother Holly King said, was that if Ashlee had been in that spot five minutes earlier or later, it would not have happened.4FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth. Downtown Dallas Shooting Suspect Turns Himself Amid Murder Investigation
The Arrest and Charges
Detectives identified Finch as the passenger in the Mercedes. After Long’s family used social media to spread photos of the suspect, Finch surrendered to the Dallas Police Department on April 18, 2025, and was charged with murder.4FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth. Downtown Dallas Shooting Suspect Turns Himself Amid Murder Investigation Reporting indicates he had a prior record that included drug charges and burglary, though specifics were not publicly detailed.1FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth. Ashlee Long Murder Kendrick Finch Bond Posted
Kistler was separately charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon for the gun he pulled from Long’s purse during the confrontation.5DPD Beat. Homicide at 1800 Main Street
The Bond Hearing and Finch’s Release
On May 7, 2025, Finch’s attorneys appeared before Judge Jennifer Balido to ask for a reduction in his $500,000 bond. Surveillance footage of the shooting was played in court, and the two sides read it very differently.3FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth. Ashlee Long Downtown Dallas Murder Kendrick Finch Court
Defense attorney Josh Healy argued the video showed Kistler starting the confrontation, “trying to fight random people on the street,” then reaching for a gun and advancing on Finch. Healy said Finch acted in self-defense. “It was clear to us who started it, and it was clear to us who was approaching his vehicle, and at that point, we believe the law allows him to defend himself,” he said.6CBS News Texas. Judge Denies Bond Reduction Fatal Shooting 28-Year-Old Downtown Dallas Prosecutors said the footage showed Finch was the first to step out with a gun and the first to fire. Judge Balido denied the reduction.3FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth. Ashlee Long Downtown Dallas Murder Kendrick Finch Court
Finch then posted the full $500,000 and walked out of the Dallas County Jail on May 13, 2025. His release conditions include an ankle monitor, random drug testing, and a prohibition on possessing a firearm.7FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth. Bond Reform Family Victim Fatal Dallas Shooting Speaks Out After Accused Killer Released Healy said the self-defense argument would be raised at trial, which was expected to begin in early 2026.6CBS News Texas. Judge Denies Bond Reduction Fatal Shooting 28-Year-Old Downtown Dallas
Who Ashlee Long Was
Long was born on June 3, 1996, and lived in the Richmond-Katy area southwest of Houston. She graduated from the University of Houston in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and built a career in real estate, working with Keller Williams, Magnolia Realty, and Century 21.8Galbreaith-Pickard Funeral Chapel. Ashlee Long Obituary Her mother said she “loved life,” “lived it to the fullest,” and “never met a stranger.”9FOX 26 Houston. Houston Realtor Murder Family Speaks Out After Suspected Released Bond She was engaged to her high school sweetheart, Jacob Underwood. Her celebration of life was held at River Pointe Church in Richmond, Texas.
The Family’s Push for Bail Reform
Finch’s release gutted the family. Long’s mother, Michelle Long, called it “unbelievable.” Her brother, Kevin Marsalis, said sitting through the bond hearing and seeing “zero remorse” from the defense side was infuriating. “My question I would have for him and his family is how would you feel if this was your loved one out minding their own business and following the law… and then to get gunned down on a city street,” he told FOX 26 Houston.9FOX 26 Houston. Houston Realtor Murder Family Speaks Out After Suspected Released Bond
Long’s stepsister, Gillian Kimber, launched a website called Justice for Ashlee that routes visitors to their Texas lawmakers to press for bail changes, and the family started a GoFundMe to cover travel, legal fees, and outreach.10Inman. Family of Slain Texas Realtor Ashlee Long Demanding Bail Reform “I feel like you shouldn’t be able to murder someone and get out on bail,” Kimber said, adding the family planned to keep at it for years.7FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth. Bond Reform Family Victim Fatal Dallas Shooting Speaks Out After Accused Killer Released According to Marsalis, Ashlee’s father met directly with a state senator working with Governor Greg Abbott on legislation to restrict bond for people accused of violent crimes.9FOX 26 Houston. Houston Realtor Murder Family Speaks Out After Suspected Released Bond
The timing lined up with action in Austin. Abbott had made bail reform an emergency item for three consecutive legislative sessions, and the 89th Legislature moved several measures the family’s advocacy aligned with. Senate Bill 9 requires magistrate judges to deny bail to people accused of murder, capital murder, aggravated kidnapping, or aggravated sexual assault, and also to defendants charged with a felony while already out on bail for one, people with federal immigration detainers, and those with two or more prior felony convictions.11Houston Public Media. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Bail Bills Into Law During Visit to Houston Senate Joint Resolution 5, a proposed constitutional amendment letting judges deny bail to people accused of murder, capital murder, and certain aggravated assaults, cleared both chambers and is set for the November 2026 statewide ballot.12Texas Tribune. Texas Bail Overhaul House Passage Abbott signed several of the bail bills into law during a June 2025 visit to Houston. The constitutional change, if voters approve it, would be the structural piece: judges in Texas could deny bail outright to defendants facing the most serious violent charges, rather than setting a figure a defendant like Finch can pay.