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New evidence regarding the family of suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann is expected to be revealed at a press conference on Long Island today, according to an attorney for several of the alleged victims.
Attorney John Ray, who represents some of Heuermann’s alleged victims, as well as the family of Shannan Gilbert, promises that “new important evidence regarding the family” will be announced.
Heuermann’s estranged wife, Asa Ellerup, filed for divorce in July 2023 after he was charged, but has still shown up at several of his hearings.
News of the evidence comes exactly a week after Heuermann, 60, was arraigned on murder charges in the 2003 dismemberment death of Jessica Taylor, 20, and the 1993 death of Sandra Costilla, 28.
Ellerup and the couple’s two children were out of state at the time of the hearing, according to their attorney, Robert Macedonio, but were expected to be back this week.
The Manhattan architect has already been charged with the 2009 and 2010 murders of Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Lynn Costello and Maureen Brainard-Barnes — known as the “Gilgo Four.” He pleaded not guilty.
Last months, Gilgo Beach Task Force investigators completed a second search of Heuermann’s home in Massapequa Park and a search of an area of Manorville.
New evidence regarding Rex Heuermann’s family expected today
Attorney John Ray, who represents some of Heuermann’s alleged victims, as well as Shannan Gilbert’s family, is holding a press conference today where he is expected to announce new evidence in the case.
The presser will be held at 11:15am at Ray’s office in Miller Place, Suffolk County.
Andrea Cavallier13 June 2024 14:58
Timeline of alleged Gilgo Beach murders now spans back three decades
Today’s new charges against suspected Gilgo Beach killer Rex Heuermann significantly expand the timeline of his alleged crimes.
Now, he faces new charges for the 2003 dismemberment death of 20-year-old Jessica Taylor and the 1993 death of 28-year-old Sandra Costilla.
This means Heuermann is now accused of crimes dating back over thirty years.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney says this new timeline “doesn’t change anything” for prosecutors.
“It underscores that which we already knew, that we have an individual who we are alleging meticulously planned and executed six separate murders,” Tierney told reporters on Thursday morning.
Katie Hawkinson6 June 2024 19:20
ICYMI: ‘Astronomically large number’: DA gives odds that hair found on victims belong to suspect
Suffolk County, New York District Attorney Ray Tierney said testing of biological samples found on Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costilla revealed they likely belonged to suspected Gilgo Beach killer Rex Heuermann, leading his office to an indictment this morning.
A male hair was found on Costilla’s body, which a lab revealed likely matched Heuermann or someone with his DNA profile.
“It was 4.347 times 10 to 332nd power more likely to have come from a person genetically identical to Rex Heuermann than from an unrelated individual,” Tierney said of the results. He called it an “astronomically large number.”
A male hair was also found on Taylor’s body. That sample was tested and also found to likely belong to Heuermann or “someone matching the defendant’s DNA profile.”
Tierney said of the match results: “That number is 1.837 times 10 to the 603rd power...That number doesn’t exist, that’s so big.”
Katie Hawkinson6 June 2024 19:00
ICYMI: Victim’s family speaks out as Heuermann hit with new charges
Family members of Jessica Taylor, who was murdered and dismembered in 2003 at 20 years old, are speaking out about her death.
“Jessica was a beautiful person,” her cousin Jasmine Robinson said in a statement. “Simple memories such as sitting down to dinner together, drawing pictures, dancing, jump rope, and sleepovers with her and my sister are memories I cherish.”
Rex Heuermann was charged this morning with Taylor’s murder. The Suffolk County District Attorney also charged him with the 1993 death of 28-year-old Sandra Costilla.
“Jessica was my daughter,” her mother Elizabeth Baczkiel said in a statement, read by attorney Gloria Allred to the media.
“She was loving and compassionate and so funny...I miss how she called me ‘mommy’ and ‘mama,’” she continued. “It is a tragedy she never had children. Jessica would have made a great mother.”
“Jessica, my darling daughter, you will never be forgotten. You will always be missed. You will forever be in our hearts.”
Katie Hawkinson6 June 2024 18:45
Following the search, prosecutors to hit Heuermann with two new murder charges for the 2003 dismemberment death of Jessica Taylor, 20, and the 1993 death of Sandra Costilla, 28.
Read more on what we know about the search from The Independent’s Andrea Cavallier:
Katie Hawkinson6 June 2024 18:30
WATCH: Suspected Gilgo Beach killer enters court to face new charges
Andrea Cavallier6 June 2024 18:15
Prosecutors say they found evidence of new killings on Heuermann’s hard drive
Rex Heuermann was charged with two new murders on Thursday morning after prosecutors say they found new evidence on a hard drive.
The bail document released Thursday says prosecutors identified a “planning document” on a hard drive in his basement used to “methodically blueprint” his killings, the Associated Press reports.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said the Gilgo Beach Task Force believes “this planning document that was used by Heuermann to plot out his kills with excruciating detail”
“His motivations, meticulous planning, and clear intent were obvious,” Tierney said. “His intent was nothing short but to murder these victims.”
Attorney John Ray, who represents the victims’ families, said this digital data was essential to the new charges.
“He didn’t think that any of these things that he listed would ever be found because they were buried within his electronic devices that he had erased a long time ago,” Ray told reporters on Thursday morning. “What he didn’t recognize is the sophistication of modern electronic data investigation, and that’s what these things turned around.”
Heuermann was charged this morning with the 2003 dismemberment death of Jessica Taylor, 20, and the 1993 death of Sandra Costilla, 28.
Katie Hawkinson, Andrea Cavallier6 June 2024 17:47
DA alleges Heuermann used book on serial killers to ‘improve methodology'
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said investigators found a book about a serial killer in Rex Heuermann’s home.
Tierney said Heuermann had referenced passages from retired FBI agent John Douglas’ book titled Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit.
“It’s our allegation that the defendant was referencing that Mindhunter book, not to gain insight into his own behavior, to modify or change it, but rather to use it as a means of improving his methodology and to avoid capture by the authorities,” Tierney said on Thursday.
Katie Hawkinson6 June 2024 17:42
Victim’s family speaks out as Heuermann hit with new charges
Family members of Jessica Taylor, who was murdered and dismembered in 2003 at 20 years old, are speaking out about her death.
“Jessica was a beautiful person,” her cousin Jasmine Robinson said in a statement. “Simple memories such as sitting down to dinner together, drawing pictures, dancing, jump rope, and sleepovers with her and my sister are memories I cherish.”
Rex Heuermann was charged this morning with Taylor’s murder. The Suffolk County District Attorney also charged him with the 1993 death of 28-year-old Sandra Costilla.
“Jessica was my daughter,” her mother Elizabeth Baczkiel said in a statement, read by attorney Gloria Allred to the media.
“She was loving and compassionate and so funny...I miss how she called me ‘mommy’ and ‘mama,’” she continued. “It is a tragedy she never had children. Jessica would have made a great mother.”
“Jessica, my darling daughter, you will never be forgotten. You will always be missed. You will forever be in our hearts.”
Katie Hawkinson6 June 2024 17:30
District Attorney says ‘fair’ to say Heuermann is suspect in seventh murder not included in today’s indictment
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said it’s “fair” to say Rex Heuermann is a suspect in a seventh murder.
The Manhattan architect was initially charged with the 2009 and 2010 murders of Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Lynn Costello and Maureen Brainard-Barnes — known as the “Gilgo Four.” Now, he faces new charges for the 2003 dismemberment death of 20-year-old Jessica Taylor and the 1993 death of 28-year-old Sandra Costilla.
Tierney says Heuermann may be a suspect in the murder of Valerie Mack.
Gilgo Beach Task Force investigators completed a second search of Heuermann’s home in Massapequa Park and a search of an area of Manorville where the partial remains of both Taylor and Mack were found more than two decades ago.
However, Mack’s murder was not included in Thursday’s indictment.
Katie Hawkinson6 June 2024 17:11
