Murder Victim’s Body Found In Park

CUMBERLAND GAP NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK
On October 6th, resource management staff spotted a fire below the road shoulder on Highway 988 inside the park. Upon closer examination, they discovered that a human body had been set on fire. They immediately radioed law enforcement rangers, who quickly responded, extinguished the fire, and secured the scene. Shortly after the fire was discovered, a person arrived at the scene and reported seeing a vehicle parked in that area earlier in the day. This witness was able to provide a vehicle description along with a description of the person standing next to the vehicle. Assistance was requested from Southeast Region’s Investigative Services Branch, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Kentucky State Police. The FBI’s evidence response team processed the crime scene and collected multiple evidence items. On October 8th, an autopsy was performed on the body and the person’s identity was obtained by fingerprint analysis.  He was identified as James Long of Harlan, Kentucky. Long was reported missing by his family on the morning of October 6th. Agents from the three investigating agencies have conducted several interviews and are currently following up on numerous leads.