The name Rex Heuermann has sent shockwaves through communities and captured the attention of the world. In 2023, Heuermann, a seemingly ordinary Long Island architect, was thrust into the spotlight as the prime suspect in one of the most chilling and long - standing criminal investigations in recent memory - the Gilgo Beach murders.
Personal and Professional Life
Rex Heuermann is a 60 - year - old who hails from Massapequa Park on Long Island. During his school years, he was described as a loner. Heuermann pursued his passion for architecture at the New York Institute of Technology. Post - education, he established his own firm, RH Architecture Design, in 1994, located on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. On the surface, he led a seemingly normal life, running his business and having a family. He was married to Asa Ellerup, and together they had an adult daughter, Victoria, who even worked with him in the family business. Heuermann also had a stepson from Asa's previous marriage. His neighbors initially saw him as an “ordinary guy with a family and a job,” living a quiet life in their community. However, this unassuming exterior would soon be shattered.
The Gilgo Beach Murders and His Alleged Involvement
The Gilgo Beach murders are a series of homicides that haunted the nation for over a decade. Starting in the late 2000s, several women, many of whom worked as online escorts, went missing. In 2010 - 2011, the remains of 11 bodies, mostly young women, were discovered along the desolate Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach. The victims' occupations as escorts unfortunately meant that their cases may have been deprioritized due to social stigma and institutional bias.
Heuermann's name first emerged as a suspect in early 2022. The investigation that led to him was a painstaking process. Eyewitness reports played a crucial role. An eyewitness recalled seeing a Chevy Avalanche, registered to Heuermann, leaving the vicinity where Amber Costello disappeared in 2010. This vehicle description matched what Costello's roommate had previously shared, but it had been buried in Suffolk County's investigative files for years. A newly formed multi - agency task force was able to connect these older leads with updated surveillance and forensic analysis. It took just six weeks after the task force's creation to single out Heuermann as a primary suspect.
He was placed under surveillance for nearly ten months. During this time, investigators retrieved a discarded pizza box from his residence. This seemingly innocuous item became a key piece of evidence. DNA from the pizza box was later linked to a hair found on the body of Megan Waterman, one of the victims.
Charges and Legal Proceedings
On July 13, 2023, Rex Heuermann was arrested. Initially, he was charged with the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Costello, and Megan Waterman. These three women, along with Maureen Brainard - Barnes, became known as the “Gilgo Four.” Their remains were among those discovered along Ocean Parkway in 2010. Later, in 2024, Heuermann faced additional charges related to the murders of Maureen Brainard - Barnes, Sandra Costilla (murdered in 1993), Jessica Taylor (murdered in 2003), and Valerie Mack (murdered in 2000). These charges expanded the alleged timeline of his crimes, raising concerns about potential additional victims who may still be unidentified.
After his arrest, Heuermann was placed in custody at the Riverhead Correctional Facility in Suffolk County. As of now, his legal proceedings are still in the preliminary phase. A hearing held on March 28, 2025, evaluated the admissibility of DNA evidence. A forensic expert testified in court that the techniques used were widely accepted within the scientific community. Heuermann, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, remains in custody, separated from the general prison population for safety reasons. He spends his time in his 60 - square - foot jail cell, reading, reviewing case discovery materials, and watching television, according to reports.
The case against Rex Heuermann continues to unfold, and as it does, it not only shines a light on the heinous crimes he is accused of but also on the failures within the criminal justice system that allowed these murders to go unsolved for so long. The Netflix docuseries “Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer,” set to be released on March 31, 2025, is expected to bring further public attention to the case, the victims' stories, and the systemic issues that plagued the investigation.