Hico man accused of killing mother with fence post driver

A Hico man who recently moved in with his mother faces a charge of murder after authorities say he repeatedly beat her with a tool used to drive fence posts.

Matthew Long, 33, was arrested Sunday shortly after authorities found the body of his mother, Sharon Long, in the living room of their home. He remained in the Hamilton County Jail on Tuesday, awaiting charges to be filed, officials said.

“They were not fighting,” Lt. Roy Wood of the Hico Marshal’s Office said Tuesday. “He just started hitting.”

Wood did not know how many times Long hit his mother, but he said, “It was a lot.”

Hico, a town of about 1,400 people, is about 65 miles southwest of Fort Worth in Hamilton County.

After the assault, Long walked about a mile to the home of another relative, Wood said, and that relative called authorities after 9 p.m. Sunday to report what had happened.

“Officers with the marshal’s office went to that home,” Wood said. “He was placed in custody.”

Authorities then went to the 500 block of Star Street, where Matthew Long and his mother lived.

“The victim was found in the home,” Wood said.

A post driver was found at the scene, authorities said.

Matthew Long has been cooperating with investigators, Wood said.

He had been living out of state, but he moved back with his mother about two months ago, Wood said.

Wood said officers with the marshal’s office had no reports of responding to calls at the Long home.

The homicide is being investigated by the marshal’s office and the Texas Rangers.

This story was originally published January 26, 2016 at 5:08 PM with the headline "Hico man accused of killing mother with fence post driver."