The Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Is Finally Being Punished. What To Know About Rex Heuermann And His Murder Victims

For much than a decade, the Gilgo Beach serial killings baffled investigators. The break came from an improbable root — a discarded pizza crust.

In January 2023, architect and “family man” Rex Heuermann threw distant a pizza container connected Fifth Avenue extracurricular his Manhattan office. Months later, DNA from nan leftover crust linked him to a 2010 execution and, later, a drawstring of unsolved killings successful a chilling lawsuit that has haunted New York’s Long Island for years.

Prosecutors said Heuermann was responsible for nan deaths of 7 women: Melissa Barthelemy, 24, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, Amber Lynn Costello, 27, Megan Waterman, 22, Sandra Costilla, 28, Jessica Taylor, 20, and Valerie Mack, 24. He initially denied them all.

Heuermann returned to tribunal April 8, 2026, wherever he switched his plea from not blameworthy to guilty. He besides admitted to an eighth homicide – nan 1996 sidesplitting of Karen Vergata, a Manhattan mother of 2 whose remains were recovered westbound of Gilgo Beach and connected Fire Island, much than a decade apart.

He is apt to get life successful situation pinch nary anticipation for parole erstwhile he is sentenced connected June. 17. As portion of his blameworthy plea, Heuermann has agreed to cooperate pinch nan FBI’s behavioral study portion to thief drawback different serial killers.

The investigation into nan crimes spanned decades, opening pinch a 1993 sidesplitting and stretching done nan 2010 disappearance of different female that would yet expose a funeral crushed on a desolate agelong of Ocean Parkway. But an apprehension wouldn’t travel for 13 much years.

Who is Rex Heuermann?

Rex Heuermann, a longtime Long Island resident, is simply a joined begetter of 2 who lived successful Massapequa Park. He commuted into Manhattan for his occupation arsenic an designer astatine a institution he founded, RH Consultants & Associates.

He was arrested connected July 13, 2023, adjacent his Midtown office, wherever authorities said cardinal evidence, including cellphone information and burner telephone activity, placed him successful interaction pinch respective victims.

Heuermann lived astir 20 minutes from Gilgo Beach, pinch his wife, Asa Ellerup, and their big children. Neighbors described him arsenic a quiet, mostly unremarkable family man, though others recalled unsettling encounters.

In his master life, immoderate acquaintances described him arsenic arrogant aliases intense. Paul Teitelbaum, who worked pinch him, said Heuermann had a “swagger” and an cognition that said: “I’m nan expert, you’re fortunate to person me.”

Interior designer Dominique Vidal recalled repeated, unwanted calls and a “creepy” voicemail contempt nary moving relationship.

Heuermann has lived connected Long Island astir of his life and attended Berner High School successful Massapequa Park, wherever classmates described him arsenic awkward and socially awkward.

The Gilgo Beach killings: How nan lawsuit began

The lawsuit that would yet seizure Heuermann began successful May 2010 pinch nan disappearance of 23-year-old Shannan Gilbert.

During a 21-minute 911 call, she pleaded for help: “There’s personification aft me…somebody’s aft me, please.” She fled a client’s location successful nan early greeting hours and vanished.

During a hunt for Gilbert successful a dense thicket adjacent to nan beach, constabulary discovered quality remains. Within days, 4 victims had been found. By outpouring 2011, nan number of victims roseate to 10.

They first 4 victims became known arsenic nan “Gilgo Four” – Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello and Megan Waterman. All 4 of nan women were successful their 20s and worked arsenic escorts.

Over nan adjacent year, investigators uncovered much remains – yet totaling astatine slightest 10 victims, including women, a man and a toddler.

Gilbert’s assemblage was recovered successful December 2011. But she has not been linked to Heuermann and authorities agelong maintained her decease was accidental. Her family powerfully disputed that conclusion.

Who are nan victims?

Prosecutors charged Heuermann pinch nan deaths of 7 women. Maureen Brainard-Barnes was 25 erstwhile she vanished successful 2007. Her remains were recovered astatine Gilgo Beach successful December 2010, constabulary said. DNA belonging to Heuermann's woman was recovered successful hairsbreadth recovered from a loop utilized to restrain Brainard-Barnes, according to an indictment. Ellerup was not considered a fishy arsenic she was retired of authorities erstwhile Brainard-Barnes was killed.

Melissa Barthelemy, 24, went missing successful July 2009. That aforesaid year, Barthelemy's sister, Amanda Funderburg, said she had received respective taunting telephone calls that were believed to beryllium from nan killer, according to authorities. Her remains were recovered successful December 2010 on Ocean Parkway adjacent nan others.

Megan Waterman, 22, was past seen astatine a edifice successful Hauppauge earlier her remains were recovered on Gilgo Beach successful December 2010.

Amber Lynn Costello, 27, vanished successful September 2010 aft leaving her location to meet a client. A witnesser described that customer arsenic “ogre-like” and driving a Chevrolet Avalanche, according to prosecutors. Her remains were recovered successful December 2010.

Court records show that Heuermann was linked to nan “Gilgo Four” murders done a extremity astir his pickup truck, a stash of burner phones, “sadistic” online searches and telephone calls taunting victims’ families. Email accounts believed to person been utilized by Heuermann were utilized “to entree and/or behaviour searches related to pornography, rape, torture, and activity workers respective 1000 times,” prosecutors said.

His DNA was besides recovered connected 1 of nan victims, while his wife’s hairsbreadth was recovered connected 3 of nan 4 women he is connected to, according to prosecutors.

In June 2024, Heuermann was charged pinch 2 further murders. Sandra Costilla and Jessica Taylor were nan first victims of Heuermann who were murdered earlier 2007.

Costilla, whose remains were recovered connected November 20, 1993, connected Cove Road successful North Sea, a Southampton town, is nan earliest known victim. Investigators suspected that convicted serial killer John Bittrolff was linked to Costilla’s murder, but he was ne'er charged. He is presently serving a 50-year-to-life condemnation astatine Clinton Correctional Center successful Dannemora.

DNA grounds later linked Heuermann to nan case.

Taylor, a 20-year-old Poughkeepsie resident who worked arsenic an escort successful New York City, was recovered dismembered successful a wooded area of Manorville, New York, connected July 26, 2003. Her torso was found, but different parts were missing.

Those remains, including her head, hands and forearm, were discovered years later – on Ocean Parkway connected March 29, 2011 – and initially branded “Jane Doe No. 5.”

In December 2024, Heuermann was charged pinch nan decease of a seventh woman. Valerie Mack, 24, whose remains were first recovered connected Long Island successful 2000, had been moving arsenic an escort successful Philadelphia and was past seen by her family that twelvemonth successful New Jersey.

Some of Mack’s skeletal remains were initially discovered successful Manorville, New York; authorities recovered much of her remains astir 50 miles west, successful Gilgo Beach, much than 10 years later. They were unidentified until familial testing revealed who she was successful 2020.

Human hairsbreadth recovered pinch Mack’s remains was sent for testing earlier this twelvemonth and recovered to beryllium a apt lucifer pinch nan familial floor plan of Heuermann’s daughter, prosecutors said successful tribunal papers. His girl is not accused of immoderate wrongdoing and would person been 3 aliases 4 years aged erstwhile Mack died.

After pleading blameworthy to nan 7 killings Wednesday, Huermann besides admitted that he “caused nan death” of Karen Vergata and transported her assemblage retired to a distant spot. Vergata, a Manhattan mother of two, vanished successful 1996. Her remains were recovered westbound of Gilgo Beach and connected Fire Island much than a decade apart.

How was Rex Heuermann caught?

For years, nan Gilgo Beach killings remained unsolved. The investigation was plagued by soul issues, including allegations that erstwhile Suffolk County constabulary main James Burke hindered practice pinch national authorities. Burke later resigned and served situation clip connected unrelated charges.

The lawsuit gained caller momentum successful 2018 and again successful 2022 pinch renewed activity and a dedicated task force.

Early clues pointed to a unique vehicle: a first-generation Chevrolet Avalanche seen by a witnesser successful Amber Costello’s disappearance. That lead brought investigators to Heuermann.

From there, authorities built a lawsuit utilizing cellphone records, burner telephone information and location tracking. The phones utilized to interaction victims were traced to areas adjacent Heuermann’s location and Midtown office.

Investigators besides linked him to nan acquisition and usage of burner phones, including 1 tied to an online account.

Then came nan important DNA evidence. Surveillance teams observed Heuermann discarding a pizza container extracurricular his Manhattan office. A laboratory tested DNA from nan leftover crust and matched it to a hairsbreadth recovered connected burlap utilized to wrap Megan Waterman’s body.

“On March 14, 2022, nan sanction Rex was first mentioned,” Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said during a property convention pursuing nan arrest.

“A New York authorities interrogator was capable to place him successful a database and from that constituent connected we utilized nan powerfulness of nan expansive jury, complete 300 subpoenas and hunt warrants, looking into this individual’s inheritance to bring america to this day.”

The DNA lucifer – mixed pinch integer grounds and witnesser accounts – led to his apprehension successful July 2023.

A ‘blueprint’ of crimes

In 2024, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney revealed that Heuermann kept a “blueprint” of his crimes connected a difficult thrust successful nan basement of his Massapequa Park home, which was precocious searched for a 2nd time.

Tierney said Gilgo Beach Task Force believed “this readying archive that was utilized by Heuermann to crippled retired his kills pinch excruciating detail.”

“His motivations, meticulous planning, and clear intent were obvious,” Tierney told reporters pursuing nan arraignment. “His intent was thing short but to execution these victims.”

Attorney John Ray, who represents immoderate of nan victims’ families, called Heuermann a “stalker” who took awesome pleasance successful hunting nan women he killed.

The twisted archive nan slayer kept successful his home, which was released soon earlier nan proceeding began, features a bid of checklists pinch tasks to complete before, during and aft nan killings, arsenic good arsenic applicable lessons for “next time.” Among nan dozens of entries written are reminders to cleanable nan bodies and destruct evidence, to “get slumber earlier hunt” and to “have communicative set.”

One section, titled “things to remember,” appears to item lessons from erstwhile killings, prosecutors said, specified arsenic utilizing heavier statement and limiting sound to maximize “play time.” A “body prep” checklist includes, among different items, a statement to “remove caput and hands.”

Ray said nan integer information was basal to nan charges against Heuermann and their quest for justice.

“The lives of these women matter,” Tierney said astatine nan 2024 property conference. “No 1 understands that much than nan families.”