An unexpected discovery changed the direction of the case against Rex Heuermann, as police uncovered chilling new evidence and have connected the architect to two additional murders, one dating back more than 30 years. Police released new details that show the alleged serial killer’s meticulous planning, including lists of problems that could trip him up and how to effectively dispose of his victims. NBC New York’s Greg Cergol reports.
What to Know
- Rex Heuermann, 60, was first arrested in July 2023 in the deaths of three of the four women whose remains were found in burlap sacks along a remote stretch of Gilgo Beach's Ocean Parkway in 2010; the fourth murder was added in a superseding indictment in January 2024
- The architect from NYC pleaded not guilty in their cases; other sets of remains were found amid that investigation. He was charged in June with murdering one of those women -- Jessica Taylor -- and a previously unknown victim, Sandra Costilla, whose case dates back to 1993
- Heuermann pleaded not guilty to the June charges against him; a planning document for his alleged kills was seized at his home during a recent search, according to the bail application
The New York architect charged in a string of deaths known as the Gilgo Beach killings is set to appear in court Tuesday, with prosecutors saying they will announce a “significant development" in the investigation.
Rex Heuermann is charged with killing six women whose remains were found on Long Island, and has pleaded not guilty. But investigators are still looking into the deaths of several other people whose remains were discovered in the area.
The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office scheduled a news conference alongside local and state law enforcement to follow Heuermann's morning court appearance but did not elaborate on what the announcement would entail.
District Attorney Ray Tierney has previously indicated that the 61-year-old is a suspect in the death of Valerie Mack, whose partial skeletal remains were found in 2000. Mack, 24, had been working as an escort in Philadelphia and was last seen by her family that year in New Jersey.
In addition to Mack, prosecutors are also looking into the death of Karen Vergata, whose remains were first discovered in 1996 and finally identified in 2022 after a new DNA analysis.
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In September, authorities released new renderings of an unidentified victim who was found in 2011. Officials said the victim, who for years they had identified as male, may have presented outwardly as female and died in 2006.
Local
Heuermann was initially charged in the deaths of three women in 2023, and was subsequently charged in three more earlier this year. In a court filing for the most recent charges, prosecutors said they had recovered a file on a hard drive in Heuermann’s basement that he used to “methodically blueprint” his killings — including checklists with tasks to tick off before, during and afterwards, as well as lessons for “next time.”
