Accused Serial Killer Expected to Appear in Court for Conference
Rex Heuermann, the man charged with killing three women and burying their bodies near Gilgo Beach on Long Island, is expected to appear in court on Tuesday. This will be the second time Heuermann, a prominent 59-year-old architectural consultant in Manhattan, will face a judge since his arrest on July 13.
The nature of the proceeding at Suffolk County Court in Riverhead, N.Y., referred to as a “conference” in court records, remains unclear. Both the Suffolk County District Attorney and Michael J. Brown, Heuermann’s lawyer, have not responded to requests for comment regarding the details of the proceedings.
Last month, Heuermann was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Amber Lynn Costello, Melissa Barthelemy, and Megan Waterman. These three victims were among the 11 bodies discovered between 2010 and 2011 along the same shoreline.
Despite pleading not guilty to these charges, Heuermann has not been charged in connection to the other eight killings. However, Raymond A. Tierney, the Suffolk County district attorney, revealed last month that Heuermann is the prime suspect in the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, who disappeared in July 2007. Notably, all four women worked as escorts and their bodies were found in close proximity to each other.
The arrest of Heuermann followed an extensive investigation by a multiagency task force. Authorities focused on collecting and retesting DNA evidence, as well as examining cellphone records. The investigation revealed that the three women Heuermann is accused of killing had been contacted by multiple burner phones from two locations near his home in Massapequa Park and his office in Manhattan, linking him to the crimes.
Since his arrest, additional details about Heuermann have surfaced. High school classmates describe him as a loner who was bullied but also had a mean streak. Prosecutors and the police have labeled him a sadistic serial killer with a liking for perverse pornography. It was also discovered that he kept an arsenal of weapons in a basement vault.
Following Heuermann’s arrest, crowds gathered near his small, rundown red house where he lived with his wife, Asa Ellerup. Ellerup filed for divorce shortly after he was charged. Onlookers watched as investigators searched the residence, removing evidence packed in boxes and bags. Authorities even excavated the backyard in search of clues.
Just last week, police officials left the house and Ellerup, along with her adult children, returned home. In an interview with The New York Post, Ellerup revealed the toll the situation has had on her and her children. She mentioned experiencing anxiety and her children crying themselves to sleep at night.
During the search of the house, items such as a piece of the bathtub and a chunk of tile from the floor were taken out, and litter boxes for Ellerup’s cats were seemingly thrown on top of everything. She also described how her personal belongings, including pictures and furniture, were in disarray.
Through it all, Ellerup has been trying to provide comfort and support to her son, who has developmental disabilities. They have stayed up late together, assuring one another that they are in this together and will get through it.
As the conference at court approaches, the community anxiously awaits further developments in the case.