The Gilgo Beach serial killings spanned from 1996 and 2011. Officials discovered the remains of 11 people in Gilgo Beach, which is located on the South Shore of Long Island, New York. Furthermore, the majority of the deceased were sex workers, who reportedly advertised themselves on the website Craigslist.
Disclaimer: The article contains mention of murder. Reader discretion is advised.
In July 2023, officials arrested a 59-year-old Long Island resident named Rex Heuermann in connection with the Gilgo Beach serial killings. He was already facing charges for the murder of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello. However, according to BBC News, authorities have also charged him with the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes.
According to PEOPLE, Rex Heuermann is married to Asa Ellerup. However, after her husband’s arrest, she filed for a divorce. An ABC report further stated that she filed the documents at Suffolk County Supreme Court. A few months back, Ellerup’s lawyer issued a press release that included a direct statement from Ellerup. In this statement, Ellerup pleaded for “normalcy.”
The statement read, “On behalf of my family and especially my elderly neighbors, who have also had their lives turned upside down by the enormous police presence, in addition to the spectators, and news crews.”
It further read, “They deserve to live peacefully; they should be able to walk their dogs and go to the grocery stores without cameras shoved in their faces. I am pleading with you all to give us space so that we may regain some normalcy in our neighborhood.”
When did Rex Heuermann’s wife file for divorce?
Rex Heuermann’s wife Asa Ellerup filed for divorce a week after his husband’s arrest.
The case of the Gilgo Beach serial killings surfaced in December 2010 after officials discovered the bodies of four women wrapped in burlap. Furthermore, every corpse was placed within about 500 feet of one another. Two months later, authorities discovered six more bodies at the beach.
According to The New York Times, the OTT service Peacock will pay the suspected killer’s family to participate in a documentary series. However, the release date of this project remains unknown. Peacock is owned by NBCUniversal. Sherre Gilbert, the sister of one of the victims, Shannan Gilbert, expressed her disappointment about the upcoming project on social media.
She stated, “Disappointed, disgusted, flabbergasted, frustrated are a few words that come to mind right now”
She further said, “The way that the media will buy stories to further re-victimize, re-traumatize, and exploit the families & victims of serial killers is evil!”
According to people, Rex Heuermann’s family was shocked, disgusted, and embarrassed after the entire revelation. Suffolk County police commissioner Rodney Harrison stated, “I don’t believe that they knew about this double life that Mr. Heuermann was living.
Furthermore, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney told PEOPLE, “I think he lived this double life. And he used the anonymity of phones and computers to shield himself from the rest of society.” He ended his statement by saying, “Unfortunately for him — and fortunately for the rest of us — he wasn’t successful.”
Rex Heuermann and Asa Ellerup have two adult children named Victoria and Christopher. Furthermore, Daily Mail reports that the family will receive at least $1 million for a docuseries.
