Suspected Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Makes First Court Appearance
Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Rex Heuermann 1st Court Appearance ... Faces Judge On 6 Murder Charges
Suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann is making his first appearance in a New York court … this after he was accused of killing 3 sex workers and is the prime suspect in a fourth slaying.
The hulking Heuermann was in handcuffs as he was led by uniformed officers Tuesday into the Suffolk County courtroom to face a judge on 6 murder charges, three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder, which could send him to prison for the rest of his life.
Heuermann remained mostly stone-faced as he entered the courtroom.
As we reported, Heuermann was arrested in July and indicted on charges he murdered three prostitutes -- Melissa Barthelemy in 2009 and Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello in 2010. He was also linked to the 2007 killing of a fourth woman, Maureen Brainard-Barne, but he hasn't been charged yet in that case.
Prosecutors say Heuermann stuffed their bodies into burlap sacks and dumped them near Gilgo Beach on Long Island.
For over a decade, the murders went unsolved, but then investigators caught a break in 2022 when they followed up on a lead from years ago, tying Heuermann to a pickup truck allegedly involved in the Costello homicide.
Investigators put Heuermann and his family under surveillance at their Massapequa Park home, rounding up discarded trash for DNA testing. Detectives got a match for Heuermann off a DNA sample found on a pizza crust in a Manhattan trash can. Testing also revealed Heuermann's hair follicle was discovered inside a burlap sack containing one of the victims.
Cell phone records and witness descriptions were also used to tie Heuermann to the crimes. Police believe Heuermann could be responsible for up to 11 murders, but he has denied any wrongdoing. The former NYC architect is married with 2 kids, although his wife recently filed for divorce.
