In July 2023, officials arrested a Long Island resident named Rex Heuermann in connection with the Gilgo Beach serial killings. He was already charged with the killing of three women -Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello. However, according to BBC News, authorities recently charged him with a fourth murder.
Disclaimer: The article contains mention of murder. Reader discretion is advised.
Rex Heuermann recently appeared in court and pleaded not guilty. Furthermore, he is being held in the Suffolk County Jail without bail. Reports suggest that Heuermann, who was joined by his wife and daughter in court, was silent and stone-faced during his appearance. His attorney, Michael Brown, stated, “He’s looking forward to fighting these charges and we’re doing that.”
A few months ago, he pleaded not guilty to three charges of first-degree murder and three charges of second-degree murder for the killings of Barthelemy, Waterman, and Costello. The name of his alleged fourth victim is Maureen Brainard-Barnes. At the time of her disappearance, she was 25 years old. Furthermore, Investigators found her remains along the Ocean Parkway in December 2010.
Maureen’s daughter, Nicolette Brainard-Barnes, told reporters, “While the loss of my mom has been extremely painful, (the charges) brought hope for justice for my mom and my family.”
The victim’s sister, Melissa Cann, added, “It has been 16 years since I last saw my sister, 16 years since I heard her voice, because 16 years ago, she was silenced.”
Meanwhile, Rex Heuermann is currently 60 years old.
What are the Gilgo Beach serial killings?
Officials discovered the remains of 11 individuals in Gilgo Beach between the years 1996 to 2011. This area is located on the South Shore of Long Island, New York. The majority of the departed were sex workers who reportedly advertised themselves on the website Craigslist.
The person responsible for these killings is also known as Long Island Serial Killer (LISK).
