Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuerman has been charged in the death of a seventh woman, according to prosecutors in Suffolk County, New York.
Valerie Mack, 24, of Philadelphia disappeared in 2000. In November of the same year, Suffolk County police discovered her partial body in Manorville, New York, after a group of hunters discovered a suspicious black bag.
The indictment comes as investigators continue to use cutting-edge technology to examine DNA evidence that the defense intends to challenge, two people familiar with the matter said.
“Your Honor, I am not guilty of any of these charges,” Heuerman, wearing a dark suit and with his hands tied behind his back, told the judge on Tuesday.
Suspected serial killer Rex Heuerman faces more charges a year after his arrest
Valerie Mack (left) appears with her sister Angela in an undated photo. For years, Mac was known as “Jane Doe #6.” Her naked torso was discovered in 2000 in Manorville, New York, and the rest of her dismembered body was found along Ocean Parkway on Long Island in 2011. In 2020, authorities announced that they had positively identified the remains as Mack using genetic genealogy. (Photo provided by Angela Mack)
Police arrested a New York City architect in front of his Manhattan office in July 2023. It's been more than a decade since a search for a missing woman 45 miles east of Long Island's Gilgo Beach uncovered the bodies of 10 others, including many of Mack's.
Investigators initially charged him with the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, 24, Megan Waterman, 22, and Amber Costello, 27, but a special investigation team dedicated to solving all deaths The committee found further evidence.
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Suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer may have more victims and hunting grounds than police initially imagined
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In January, prosecutors charged Heuerman with the murder of Maureen Brainerd Burns, 25.
An undated photo of Valerie Mack, one of 11 victims whose bodies were found during the search for Shanann Gilbert near Gilgo Beach in New York. She was dismembered and police recovered her body parts about 80 miles away in Manorville. (Suffolk County Police Department)
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And in June, a grand jury indicted Heuerman in connection with the murders of two more women, Jessica Taylor, 20, and Sandra Costilla, 28.
Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney told reporters after Heuerman returned to court Tuesday that he did not believe there was any concrete evidence regarding the whereabouts of the suspect's family at the time of Mack's murder. said. He previously said there was evidence that his wife and children were out of town during the six other murders.
Heuerman allegedly kept news articles and conducted Internet searches about the victims, Tierney said.
When asked if the newspaper clippings about the Gilgo Beach murders found in Heuerman's basement were mementos, the prosecutor replied, “I scored a touchdown in high school. I still have that article.''
Like Taylor's, Mack's dismembered body was recovered in two separate locations, one along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach and the other in Manorville, about 80 miles away.
Rex A. Heuerman appears in Judge Tim Mazzei's courtroom for a conference on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 in Riverhead, New York. He is the main suspect in the so-called Gilgo Beach murder case. (Newsday/James Carbone)
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Fox News Digital previously reported that police in at least three other states are also investigating cold cases with possible connections to Heuerman.
A map created by the Suffolk County Police Department shows the locations of bodies found in Gilgo Beach from 2010 to 2011. (Suffolk County Police Department)
Mr. Heuerman has previously pleaded not guilty to the charges. He is being held without bail at the Suffolk County Jail in Riverhead, New York.
Prosecutors say the 60-year-old architect led a double life, being a mild-mannered commuter with an office in Manhattan during the day and frequently abusing sex workers when he wasn't at work.
Investigators say they allegedly recovered DNA from his now estranged wife at one of the crime scenes and believe it was transferred there by the killer.
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Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said she and the rest of Heuerman's family were out of town because of the murder.
Heuerman's wife, Asa Ellerup, filed for divorce shortly after his arrest, but said she did not believe Heuerman was competent to press charges and would wait until the case played out in court. .
Mr. Heuerman is scheduled to return to court on January 15th for another hearing.
This is breaking news. Check back with Fox News Digital for the latest information.
