Rex Heuermann, 62, is expected to plead guilty Wednesday in connection with the murders of seven women whose remains were discovered over a 17-year period, sources told NBC News last week. The plea comes five months before Heuermann was scheduled to stand trial, where he faced a potential sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted.
The Gilgo Beach Case
Between 2010 and 2011, authorities discovered the remains of 11 people along a beachside parkway in Gilgo Beach, Long Island. Most of the victims were sex workers. While 11 sets of remains were found, authorities do not believe all the killings are connected to a single person.
The Victims
Heuermann was initially charged in the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, 24, Megan Waterman, 22, and Amber Costello, 27, who disappeared between 2009 and 2010. These women were among the “Gilgo Four,” a group of sex workers whose bodies were found bound with burlap in Gilgo Beach in 2010. He was later charged in the deaths of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, Jessica Taylor, 20, Sandra Costilla, 28, whose remains were found in Southampton in 1993, and Valerie Mack, 24, who disappeared in 2000.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and a lawyer for Heuermann have not yet responded to requests for comment. It remains unclear why Heuermann has decided to change his plea, despite having maintained his innocence since his arrest in July 2023.
The serial killings have had a lasting impact on Long Island, an expansive suburb east of Recent York City. The case remained unsolved for nearly two decades until Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney reopened the investigation in 2022.
Investigators focused on a Chevrolet Avalanche registered to Heuermann, which had been identified in a previous tip regarding Costello’s disappearance. Cellphone evidence similarly linked Heuermann to the crimes, showing burner phones used to contact victims pinged near both the victims’ locations and Heuermann’s home and workplace. Authorities say Heuermann discarded the phones after the killings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Rex Heuermann charged with?
Rex Heuermann is charged with murdering seven women, whose remains were found over a 17-year period.
Where were the remains found?
The remains were found along a beachside parkway in Gilgo Beach, Long Island.
When was Heuermann arrested?
Heuermann was arrested in July 2023.
As Heuermann prepares to enter a guilty plea, the families of the victims and the Long Island community await further details and a sense of finality in this long-standing case.
