Man Arrested in Connection to Gilgo Beach Killings, Investigators Expect to Charge Him in Fourth Murder
Investigators have been inundated with evidence and information since the arrest of Rex Heuermann last Thursday, the suspect charged in some of the Gilgo Beach killings, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney. Ray Tierney, speaking on “CNN This Morning,” stated, “We feel we can prove these three murders.” Heuermann, 59, was arrested and charged with murder in the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello, three of the “Gilgo Four.” The Gilgo Four refers to a group of women whose remains were discovered near Long Island’s Gilgo Beach in 2010. He has pleaded not guilty to these crimes.
However, Heuermann is also the main suspect in the disappearance and killing of the fourth woman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes in 2007. Although he has not been formally charged in this case, prosecutors have stated in a bail application that he is the prime suspect. “We’re also confident that we’re going to be able to eventually charge that fourth murder,” Tierney added.
During intake at the jail after his arrest, Heuermann, an architect, asked one question, according to a source familiar with the case: “Is it in the news?” This query came amid the shocking discovery of between 200 and 300 firearms in a walled-off vault behind a locked metal door in Heuermann’s basement, exceeding the 92 registered guns authorities knew of. The stash included pistols, revolvers, and semi-automatic rifles, revealing Heuermann’s avid hunting activities.
The search of Heuermann’s Massapequa Park house on Long Island has primarily focused on forensics, but investigators are also looking for hidden items or souvenirs from the killings. They found one “out of place” item, a doll, which was not located in the children’s rooms. Authorities also searched a storage unit Heuermann maintained in Amityville, Long Island.
Since the arrest and execution of search warrants, investigators have been flooded with new information and details, said Tierney. “We have a description of the last individual who saw the final victim, Amber Costello, alive that matches that of this defendant, who has a rather unique physical appearance. We have phone evidence, and we also have that DNA evidence.” Tierney explained that Heuermann’s DNA was found on one body, while his wife’s DNA was found on two bodies.
The Gilgo Four are part of a larger investigation into 11 sets of human remains uncovered along Long Island’s South Shore between 2010 and 2011. Police have described this case as one of the most significant homicide investigations in the island’s history. When asked whether investigators expect to connect Heuermann to additional victims, Suffolk County Deputy Police Commissioner Anthony Carter stated, “As we continue to gather evidence, anything is possible.” Carter mentioned a multi-jurisdictional task force that will continue investigating Heuermann and the remaining unsolved cases.
Authorities had been monitoring Heuermann for over a year, gathering enough evidence to make an arrest. However, they decided to apprehend him last week out of concern that he may target another victim. “It was an adrenaline rush,” Carter said of hearing about the arrest finally taking place. “I knew that this person was a demon. The fact that we are able to bring some closure and some peace to the families as well as take a violent person off the streets is rewarding, I think, for everyone.”
Intriguingly, a woman who met Heuermann through a networking group recalled a conversation in which he mentioned the Gilgo Beach killings. Dominique Vidal told CNN affiliate WABC, “But now I see it as a serial killer, kind of just putting it in somebody’s face.” She also mentioned receiving a voicemail from Heuermann after leaving the group, in which he asked if she was familiar with the Gilgo case.
The investigation began in 2010 after a search for a missing woman led to the discovery of the Gilgo Four, who were bound in camouflaged burlap along the same stretch of roadway near Gilgo Beach. More remains were found in subsequent searches, and the case remained unsolved for over a decade until a multiagency task force was formed in early 2022. Within weeks, investigators identified Heuermann as a possible suspect. They conducted surveillance, collected DNA samples, and analyzed his phone records. The breakthrough in the case occurred when investigators matched DNA from a piece of male hair found on the burlap to a DNA sample taken from a pizza crust Heuermann had disposed of in a Manhattan trash can. Heuermann’s internet history also revealed numerous searches related to the Gilgo investigation and violent pornography.
Heuermann’s wife and children were out of state during the times believed to be when the three women were killed, and they are cooperating with the investigation, said Carter. The deputy commissioner described Heuermann’s alleged actions as among the most disturbing he has seen in his career, stating, “I can’t begin to imagine the pain that these families have had to endure over the last decade, and to know that this demon was capable of doing such an evil act to these families, it is just beyond comprehension.” He described Heuermann as a “demon” multiple times and emphasized the intentionality and cover-up of the crimes committed. Heuermann resided in Massapequa Park, just across the bay from where the victims’ remains were found. He is the owner of the architecture and consulting firm RH Consultants & Associates.