The investigation into the alleged "Long Island Serial Killer" continues to unfold, revealing chilling new details about the suspect's actions. Rex Heuermann, a 59-year-old architect, has been arrested and charged with the murders of three of the four victims known as the "Gilgo Beach 4." He remains the prime suspect in the fourth victim's death.
Court documents reveal disturbing allegations that Heuermann contacted the family of one of the victims, Melissa Barthelemey, multiple times after her disappearance. These calls, made between July and August 2009, allegedly included confessions of assaulting and killing the 24-year-old woman.
Barthelemey, originally from the Buffalo area, was last seen in New York City on July 10, 2009. Authorities believe she was working as a sex worker at the time. Cell phone records indicate calls made from her phone in Babylon, New York, close to where her body was eventually discovered on Gilgo Beach in December 2010, along with the bodies of Megan Waterman, Amber Costello, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes.
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney highlighted similarities in the victims' professions, advertising methods, and the crime scenes. Heuermann has pleaded not guilty to six counts of murder (first- and second-degree for each victim). The district attorney anticipates further charges as the investigation progresses, particularly regarding Brainard-Barnes' death.
Heuermann's lawyer maintains that the evidence is circumstantial and that his client denies the accusations. The defense emphasizes the presumption of innocence and the need to try the case in a court of law, not the court of public opinion.
Investigators have uncovered a significant digital footprint, including thousands of Google searches allegedly made by Heuermann. These searches, spanning from March 2022 to June 2023, reportedly include graphic pornography and information about local sex workers, as well as searches related to the Gilgo Beach murders and the ongoing investigation.
The Gilgo Beach case encompasses more than just the "Gilgo 4." The investigation, initially triggered by the search for missing escort Shannan Gilbert, has led to the discovery of other victims in the area. These include the partial remains of Jessica Taylor, an unidentified Asian male or transgender female, and a woman known as "Peaches," whose remains were linked to earlier discoveries dating back to 1997.
