Police believe that Rex Heuermann, the main suspect in the Gilgo Beach murders, kept trophies from all his victims. 

They are hoping that they will be able to locate these trophies in his house and believe that he may have done this on purpose or even unconsciously kept them. This is a strong possibility as serial killers typically keep some kind of trophy whether it be a piece of jewelry or clothing from their victims. 

The investigation is currently ongoing and authorities are gathering and analyzing digital and trace evidence. 

His house was initially searched after he was arrested and a search warrant was obtained. While they examined his house, over 200 guns and a child-sized doll that he kept in a wooden and glass case were found. In addition to this, Heuermann had two storage units and a Chevy Avalanche, which are all in the process of being examined for evidence. 

Heuermann has been charged with three counts of second-degree homicide and three counts of first-degree homicide in the three deaths of Megan Waterman, Amber Costello and Melissa Barthelemy. He additionally is the prime suspect in Maureen Brainard-Barnes’ murder. 

The four women were found dead in December 2010 alongside Gilgo Beach after they went missing from 2007 to 2010. They all worked as escorts and it is believed that Heuermann contacted them under the false pretenses of wanting to hire them. 

Officials believe that Heuermann contacted the women through four separate burner phones, one for each of them, and then lured them out to Long Island. After committing the murder, he would stop using the phone as he wouldn’t want them to be traced back to him. Heuermann did not realize that police would be able to check the cell sites in order to determine the location of where the calls were being made. 

In addition to this, it was found that Heuermann had made over 200 Google searches all connected to the murders, specifically trying to find out how far officials are in the investigation. He has also looked up the victims and their families, specifically their siblings.

Some other disturbing searches were uncovered, including rape, torture, child porn and rape porn. 

Authorities believe that Heuermann is obsessed with serial killers as he has googled “8 Terrifying Active Serial Killers (We Can’t Find)” and “11 currently active serial killers.” 

While the case had not gone anywhere in years, a breakthrough was made in March 2022, 15 years later, when officers were able to determine that the Chevy Avalanche owned by Heuermann was connected to the murder of Amber Costello. Reportedly a witness saw the vehicle when Costello went missing and motor vehicle records were then used to track the car down. 

Locating the car’s records was essential to the case as it revealed the owner and his address. The next step was discovering his description and office location.

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After Heuermann’s address was tracked down, authorities took a pizza box that Heuermann discarded and extracted and analyzed a DNA sample from it. This was a positive match to another DNA sample from a burlap sack, which Heuermann allegedly used to wrap Waterman’s body in after he murdered her. 

Heuermann’s wife’s hair was also found at the scene of the crime, but evidence showed she was out of town. Police were able to rule her out as a suspect and believe that her hair was there because of her typically close proximity to Heuermann. 

More than ten bodies have been located on Gilgo Beach, but it is now not believed that Heuermann committed all of these murders. 

Officials arrested Heuermann at his office in Manhattan rather than at his home in Massapequa Park, as he had 92 gun permits, and they wanted to surprise him. He was arraigned on Friday and pled not guilty. He is currently being held without bail.

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Article by Nina Hauswirth

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