OAN Staff Avril Elfie
2:19pm – Tuesday, December 17, 2024
Rex Heuerman, the suspect in the ongoing Gilgo Beach murder case, has been charged with his seventh murder.
advertisement
Prosecutors filed yet another murder charge against Heuerman on Tuesday, bringing the total number of victims of the alleged serial killer to seven. All women, most of them sex workers, were reportedly killed near New York City.
According to court documents, hair belonging to suspect Rex Heuerman's “wife or daughter” was found near the most recent victim found tied to him. Hair was found near the left wrist of the deceased victim, Valerie Mack, 24.
Mr. Heuerman's estranged wife is not considered a suspect in any of these murders, and their daughter would have been only 4 years old when Mr. Mack was killed.
Mack worked as a bodyguard between 2000 and 2011, when her skeletal remains were discovered. It took years before her identity was discovered.
Authorities said Mack's killer had cut off his right leg, which had a tattoo of his son's name on it.
A note found on Heuerman's computer said to “remove any identifying marks on the victim's body,” including tattoos, “before packing the body for transport.”
“Investigators believe that the perpetrator amputated Mr. Mack's lower right leg, mid-calf, in order to prevent or delay the identification of Mr. Mack's tattoo and, by extension, his identification,” prosecutors said in court documents. ” he said.
Most of the victims are sex workers who allegedly met Heuerman after advertising his services.
“These women's lives matter,” Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney told reporters in Riverhead. “We investigators understand that. Obviously, no one understands that more than the families. Again, we just love being able to work with these families. I'm happy and honored.”
Mr. Heuerman spoke briefly and maintained his innocence.
“Your Honor, I am not guilty of any of these charges,” he repeated.
Outside court, Heuerman's lawyer, Michael Brown, vowed to target companies that provide DNA testing to investigators.
“I know he's very frustrated. He's said from day one that he's not responsible for these murders,” Brown told reporters. “He wants to have his day in court.”
Defense attorneys are also debating whether to request that the seven murders be split into separate cases or move the trial out of Suffolk County.
Investigators also continue to search for the perpetrator of the Gilgo Beach victim's murder, known as “Asian Doe.” Authorities identified the man whose body was found in 2011 and said he was a “biological male” of “Asian descent” who was believed to have been cross-dressing at the time.
Tierney said an “army” of investigators are currently investigating a number of cold cases in the area, but it's difficult to predict how many potential victims or bodies may still be out there. That's what it means.
The Mack-related charges come after Heuerman was charged by Suffolk County prosecutors with murdering Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Costello, Maureen Brainard Burns, Sandra Costilla and Jessica Taylor. It was done.
The former architect has been detained since July 13th.th2023.
Court records say investigators were directed to Heuerman as a potential suspect when they began a thorough review of evidence in the case in 2022.
The suspect allegedly used multiple prepaid anonymous burner phones to communicate with each victim, and prosecutors said FBI analysts could cross-compare cell site data on the victims' cell phones. said that it was completed.
Additionally, according to court records, hair was found on burlap wrapped around the body of one of the victims, and Heuerman's DNA was determined based on a sample taken from the peel of a pizza box that Heuerman had discarded. It was found to match.
Stay informed. Receive breaking news directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
Advertisement below
Please share this post!
