New York authorities have shed light on the aftermath of Rex Heuermann’s arrest in connection with the Gilgo Beach serial killings. In an interview with CBS New YorkSuffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison disclosed the response of the 59-year-old’s family to the disturbing allegations that he was involved in the murders of at least three women on Long Island over a decade ago.
According to Harrison, the family was taken aback by the news, feeling shocked, embarrassed, and disgusted upon learning about the accusations against Heuermann. The police commissioner added that there was no indication that the family was aware of the “double life” that Heuermann was allegedly leading, involving such heinous crimes.
The Gilgo Beach serial killings have been a haunting and unsolved case that has loomed over Long Island for years. As the investigation progresses, authorities are now grappling with the implications of Heuermann’s arrest and the impact it has on his family, who, until recently, were unaware of the sinister secrets he allegedly harbored.
The Gilgo Beach Serial Killings or Long Island Murders — Explained
For over a decade, the Gilgo Beach murders had plagued Long Island’s South Shore, leaving residents terrified and authorities baffled. The investigation began in 2010 when a woman’s disappearance led to the discovery of ten sets of human remains, setting off a hunt for a potential serial killer, as per a report by CNN. In a major development, authorities have recently announced the arrest of Rex Heuermann, a 59-year-old New York architect, charged with the murders of three of the victims, known as the “Gilgo Four.”
This report presents a timeline of events that unfolded over the years, leading to the breakthrough and Heuermann’s subsequent arrest.
2010 – The Start of the Investigation:
The investigation into the Gilgo Beach murders commenced in 2010 when police searching for a missing woman, Shannan Gilbertdiscovered the remains of Melissa Barthelemythe first victim. Over the next few days, three additional victims, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Costello, and Megan Watermanwere found within a half-mile stretch on Gilgo Beach. The four women, all escorts who advertised on Craigslist, had disappeared between 2007 and 2010.
Following Barthelemy’s disappearance, her family endured a distressing ordeal of receiving multiple taunting calls from the suspect, CNN said in report. In one particularly chilling call, the individual brazenly confessed to killing and sexually assaulting Ms. Barthelemy, as stated in a bail application submitted by the Suffolk County district attorney after Heuermann’s arrest.
2011 – More Remains Uncovered:
In January 2011, investigators traced calls from Barthelemy’s cell phone to midtown Manhattan, with the last two calls originating around Madison Square Garden and Times Square. However, the caller terminated the calls too quickly for the authorities to pinpoint their exact locations, posing a challenge to the investigation, CNN said in its report.
On March 29, 2011, several miles east of where the bodies of the “Gilgo Four” were discovered, the partial skeletal remains of another woman came to light. Initially known as Jane Doe #5, investigators later identified her as Jessica Taylor, an escort whose partial remains had been previously found in Manorville in 2003.
The following month, on April 4, 2011, a significant discovery occurred on a stretch of Ocean Parkway in Suffolk County near the beach. Three additional sets of remains were found, including those of a female toddler, an unidentified Asian male, and a woman initially referred to as Jane Doe #6.
Just one week later, in Nassau County, approximately 40 miles east of New York City, two more sets of human remains were uncovered. Through DNA analysis, one of the remains was identified as the mother of the toddler found earlier in Suffolk County. Remarkably, the partial remains of the mother had been first discovered in 1997, making it a critical development in the investigation.
Officials confirmed that the discovery of another set of remains “genetically matched” with remains found on Fire Island in 1996, significantly expanding both the investigation’s timeline and geographical scope.
In mid-April of that same year, Steve Cohen, the attorney representing Barthelemy’s mother, revealed that an unidentified male, using the victim’s cell phone, had been making taunting calls in which he claimed responsibility for Barthelemy’s murder, as reported by CNN.
During one of these distressing calls on August 26, 2009, the unidentified male caller asked Barthelemy’s sister if she believed they would ever see her again, only to coldly state, “You won’t. I killed her,” before abruptly ending the conversation. This brief but chilling call was documented by CNN at the time.
Subsequently, another phone call occurred in July 2009, shortly after Barthelemy’s disappearance. The caller, who had made a total of seven calls from Barthelemy’s cell phone, referred to her as a derogatory term in a short conversation with her then-15-year-old sister, according to Cohen’s account to CNN.
In the final call, Cohen recounted that the man disturbingly described, in graphic detail, the sexual acts he had perpetrated against Barthelemy to the victim’s sister. These haunting calls added to the complexity and urgency of the investigation as authorities sought to bring justice to the victims and their families.
In December 2011, the body of Shannan Gilbert was discovered in the wooded marshes of Oak Beach, Suffolk County. It is important to note that Oak Beach is approximately 9 miles away from the location where the 10 other sets of human remains were found during the investigation into the Gilgo Beach slayings.
Authorities, following a thorough examination and analysis of the evidence, later concluded that Gilbert’s death was likely accidental and not connected to the series of killings that had occurred at Gilgo Beach.
2020 – A Key Clue and Victim Identified
In January 2020, authorities released photos of a black leather belt marked with the letters “WH” or “HM,” believed to be handled by the suspect. Later that year, the partial remains of “Jane Doe #6″ were identified as Valerie Macka mother who had gone missing two decades earlier. Advanced forensic DNA technology and genetic genealogy helped identify Mack’s remains, leading to her adoptive family.
2022 – Task Force Formed
In February 2022, a multiagency task force, including Suffolk County Police Department, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, and the FBI, was established to intensify efforts to solve the Gilgo Beach murders. During surveillance, Rex Heuermann emerged as a prime suspect. Investigators collected DNA samples from his family’s trash as part of the ongoing investigation.
2023 – Rex Heuermann Arrested:
In January 2023, investigators obtained a complete DNA sample from Rex Heuermann’s trash, taken from leftover pizza crust. Analysis revealed a match between the DNA found on the victims and the pizza crust. Additionally, hair believed to be from Heuermann’s wife was found near three murder victims. On July 13, 2023, Rex Heuermann was arrested in New York City, the first arrest in connection with the Gilgo Beach killings.
With inputs from agencies