How did investigators catch Gilgo Beach Serial Killer suspect Rex Heuermann? | World news
The 13-year hunt for Long Island’s notorious Gilgo Beach killer has reached its end with the revelation that Manhattan businessman Rex Heuermann may be the man behind the murders. Prosecutors dropped the bombshell last Friday, saying DNA evidence directly linked Heuermann to murders that have haunted the community for the past decade.
The breakthrough came when a surveillance team found a key piece of evidence, a pizza crust thrown into a Manhattan trash can near Bryant Park on January 26th. DNA extracted from the pizza matched a male hair found on the burlap wrapped around the lifeless body of Megan Waterman, one of the victims found near Gilgo Beach in December 2010.
But the connections don’t end there. DNA testing on trash bottles collected outside Heuermann’s Massapequa Park residence linked his wife to female hairs found on three of the victims – Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Costello, and Megan Waterman. All four victims were sex workers who met their end while the Heuermann family left home more than ten years ago.
The allegation that Heuermann used Melissa Barthelemy’s cell phone to harass her family included abusive calls after she disappeared in 2007. These details only paint a darker picture of the suspected serial killer.
The prosecutor’s filing further revealed disturbing aspects of Heuermann’s digital life. Using a cell phone and a Gmail account, he researched thousands of prostitutes, pornographic images, and even children. The same account is used to find information on active and known killers, including the Gilgo Four victims and their investigations, as well as its tracking functionality.
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Additional evidence linking Heuermann to the murders included a witness statement describing a customer who looked like an “ogre” – a white man in his forties, between 6 feet 4 inches and 6 feet 6 inches tall, with dark bushy hair and oval glasses. This description coincides with the physical characteristics of the accused architect.
During his arraignment in Suffolk County Superior Court, Heuermann pleaded not guilty to the first- and second-degree murder charges against him. Prosecutors say he is also the prime suspect in the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes. Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney, who took over the case last year, expressed relief at the progress made by his new task force, which led to Heuermann’s identification within six weeks of its start.
