Authorities continue to investigate Rex Heuermann, the suspect in the Gilgo Beach murders, with recent searches of his residence yielding potential evidence. Heuermann, a 59-year-old architect, faces six murder charges related to three victims: Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello. He has pleaded not guilty.
A former FBI profiler suggests Heuermann's alleged calls to a victim's family member were motivated by a desire to revel in their distress. Heuermann allegedly used Barthelemy's phone to contact her family multiple times in 2009, boasting about killing and assaulting the 24-year-old woman, according to prosecutors.
Rex Heuermann being escorted into court. (Matt Agudo/Splash for Fox News Digital)
Barthelemy disappeared from New York City in July 2009, and her remains were discovered on Gilgo Beach in December 2010. One reported call was made to her then-16-year-old sister, Amanda, where the caller taunted her with cruel details about Melissa.
Rex Heuermann and Melissa Barthelemey (Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
Rex Heuermann's mugshot. (Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
The former FBI profiler, Mary Ellen O’Toole, believes these calls indicate Heuermann derived pleasure from inflicting emotional pain. Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney highlighted similarities in the victims' professions, advertising methods, and the crime scenes.
While Heuermann remains a key suspect in Maureen Brainard-Barnes's death, he hasn't been charged in that case. His attorney maintains the evidence is circumstantial, emphasizing his client's denial of the accusations.
