A new search at the home of suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann has uncovered evidence that could link him to a fifth victim, marking a significant development in the ongoing investigation that has spanned over a decade.
Long Island investigators have made a breakthrough in the Gilgo Beach murders case, connecting a fifth alleged victim to Rex Heuermann, the suspect accused of murdering four women and dumping their bodies along a remote highway more than a decade ago. Sources close to Fox News Digital have provided insights into the latest findings.
The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office has remained tight-lipped about the new developments but has confirmed that Heuermann will reappear in court on Thursday morning for an unscheduled hearing. According to anonymous sources cited by Newsday, the local newspaper, the suspected serial killer has been indicted on unidentified charges related to these new revelations.
A joint task force comprising police K-9 units from Suffolk County, the NYPD, and New York State conducted a thorough search in Manorville in April. This was followed by a second search warrant executed at Heuermann's residence in May.
In July 2023, Heuermann was apprehended outside his Manhattan architecture firm. For two weeks, investigators meticulously searched his home in Massapequa Park, located approximately 20 minutes from where the bodies of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello were discovered in 2010. Prosecutors subsequently added charges for the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, whose remains were found in the same vicinity.
Collectively known as the "Gilgo Four," these women were discovered close to each other under similar circumstances. Seven additional victims were unearthed further east along Ocean Parkway, and investigations into their deaths are still underway.
Two of the victims, Jessica Taylor and Valerie Mack, were dismembered and their remains were discovered in Manorville in 2000 and 2003, respectively. Additional remains of both victims were later uncovered near the Gilgo victims.
Paul Mauro, a former NYPD inspector who has closely followed the case, speculates that the search in Manorville may have yielded DNA evidence that prompted investigators to compare it with samples from Heuermann's home.
Heuermann has pleaded not guilty to the murder charges connected to the Gilgo Four. He is currently being held without bail at the Suffolk County Jail in Riverhead, New York. The case is yet to proceed to trial.
The Gilgo Beach murders gained widespread attention after Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old escort, disappeared from Oak Beach in May 2010. She made a frantic 911 call and sought help from neighbors before vanishing into the marsh.
In 2020, police concluded that Gilbert's death was accidental, a determination that the family's attorney vehemently opposes. They maintain that Gilbert suffered from mental illness and used disorienting drugs.
However, Dr. Michael Baden, a renowned forensic pathologist and former chief medical examiner of New York City, was hired by Gilbert's family. His findings contradicted the official conclusion, suggesting that Gilbert may have been strangled.
The new evidence and the indictment of Heuermann on additional charges have injected renewed vigor into the Gilgo Beach murders investigation. The upcoming hearing is expected to shed further light on the latest developments and the possible connection between Heuermann and the fifth alleged victim.
