Rex Heuermann, a 61-year-old architect from Long Island, NY, has been accused of being the Long Island Serial Killer, linked to the deaths of seven victims around Gilgo Beach. The investigation of this case dates back to 1993, which ended with his arrest on July 13, 2023.
Heuermann is currently charged with the murders of seven women: Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Costello, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla, and Valerie Mack. He has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. Since his arrest, Heuermann has been imprisoned without bail at the Riverhead Correctional Facility in Suffolk County, NY, still awaiting trial.
How did Heuermann finally get arrested?
The Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD) pieced several strands of evidence while working with the FBI and New York State Police to conduct an extensive investigation that finally led to Heuermann’s arrest on July 13, 2023.
Stray pieces of information, like Heuermann’s Chevrolet Avalanche, him adding minutes to a burner phone that he had, DNA that was recovered from his discarded pizza crust, and hairs on the victims’ bodies solidified his connections to the murder of the seven women.
What happened since Heuermann’s arrest?
Authorities have been inspecting other unsolved cases with Heuermann’s for any connections. With new victims that could be potentially linked to the serial killer, the investigation is still very much under way.
Netflix’s latest docuseries ‘Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer’ has brought renewed attention to the Gilgo Beach serial killings case, with Heuermann right at its center.
Director Liz Garbus reflects, “After we completed and turned in our cuts to Netflix, there was another victim added to [Heuermann’s] docket. Will there be more between now and the time that we air? It’s possible. Will there be more between now and the time that we go to trial, if they go to trial? It’s probable.”
