For over a decade, the Gilgo Beach murders haunted Long Island’s South Shore, leaving residents on edge and stumping investigators. The case began with the 2010 disappearance of a woman, which led to the discovery of her remains along with those of nine other individuals, sparking fears of a serial killer on the loose. A significant breakthrough came last summer when authorities charged New York architect Rex Heuermann with the murders of three of the four victims now known as the “Gilgo Four.”
In January, Heuermann faced an additional charge of second-degree murder for the death of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, a 25-year-old last seen in July 2007. Her remains were discovered on the Long Island shoreline in 2010. The case against Heuermann was strengthened by forensic evidence, including a strand of hair linking him to Brainard-Barnes.
In a subsequent development, Heuermann was charged with the second-degree murders of Jessica Taylor, who was killed in 2003, and Sandra Costilla, who died in 1993. His arrest in July led to indictments on multiple counts of murder: one for each of the three killings of Melissa Barthelemy in 2009, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello in 2010. Despite these charges, Heuermann, 60, has pleaded not guilty and continues to assert his innocence, as stated by his attorney, Michael Brown.
The investigation into Heuermann began in early 2022, leading to surveillance and the collection of DNA from his family’s trash to build a comprehensive case.
Here’s a timeline of the Gilgo Beach killings, detailing how the investigation unfolded and the crucial moments that led to Rex Heuermann’s arrest.
The investigation into the Gilgo Beach murders began with the search for Shannan Gilbert, a 23-year-old from Jersey City, New Jersey, who vanished in May 2010. During this search, police stumbled upon the first set of female remains hidden in the bushes along a remote stretch of Gilgo Beach. On December 11, 2010, Suffolk County officials identified these remains as belonging to Melissa Barthelemy, a 24-year-old.
Just two days later, the grim discovery continued as investigators found the remains of three more victims—Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Costello, and Megan Waterman—scattered along a half-mile stretch of the beach. These women, who had worked as escorts and advertised on Craigslist, were last seen between July 2007 and September 2010. Each of their bodies had been wrapped in camouflaged burlap.
The case took a chilling turn when authorities revealed that after Barthelemy’s disappearance, her family received disturbing phone calls. In one call, the suspect allegedly confessed to killing and sexually assaulting Barthelemy. These calls would later become a key element in unraveling the mystery.
In January 2011, investigators traced calls made from Barthelemy’s cell phone to midtown Manhattan, with the final calls originating near Madison Square Garden and Times Square. Unfortunately, the calls were disconnected too quickly for precise location tracking.
On March 29, 2011, the search yielded more unsettling evidence when partial skeletal remains of another woman were discovered several miles east of where the Gilgo Beach victims were found. This finding further complicated the investigation and expanded the scope of the search for answers.
The woman initially known as Jane Doe #5 was later identified as Jessica Taylor, an escort whose partial remains had been discovered in Manorville in 2003. In April 2011, the investigation took a new turn when three additional sets of remains were found along Ocean Parkway in Suffolk County. Among these were the remains of a female toddler, an unidentified Asian male, and a woman who was initially called Jane Doe #6.
Just one week later, two more sets of remains were uncovered in Nassau County, approximately 40 miles east of New York City. DNA analysis revealed that one set belonged to the mother of the toddler, whose partial remains had been first found in 1997. The other set of remains was genetically linked to remains discovered in 1996 on Fire Island, significantly broadening the timeline and geographical scope of the investigation.
In mid-April 2011, Steve Cohen, the attorney representing Barthelemy’s mother, revealed disturbing details about taunting phone calls made from Barthelemy’s cell phone. An unidentified caller had made threats and claimed responsibility for Barthelemy’s death. On August 26, 2009, the caller ominously asked Barthelemy’s sister, "Do you think you’ll ever see her again?" before adding, "I killed her," and abruptly ending the call.
The caller had made seven calls from Barthelemy’s phone, with one made just days after her disappearance. In one of these calls, the caller disparaged Barthelemy, referring to her as a “whore” during a brief conversation with her then-15-year-old sister. These chilling communications provided crucial insights into the case and helped shape the ongoing investigation.
In the final disturbing call, the caller described in explicit detail to the victim’s sister the sexual assault he had inflicted on Barthelemy, as reported by her attorney, Steve Cohen. The investigation took a new direction in December 2011 when Shannan Gilbert’s body was discovered in the dense marshlands of Oak Beach, Suffolk County, roughly nine miles from where the other remains were found. Authorities later speculated that Gilbert's death might have been accidental and not linked to the Gilgo Beach murders.
In January 2020, Suffolk County police sought public assistance by releasing photos of a potential piece of evidence: a black leather belt marked with the letters “WH” or “HM.” They also launched a dedicated website to gather new information about the case. Former Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart suggested that the belt was likely handled by the suspect and did not belong to any of the known victims.
On May 28, 2020, a significant breakthrough occurred when Suffolk County Police identified “Jane Doe #6” as Valerie Mack, a 24-year-old mother from Philadelphia who had been missing for nearly 20 years. The FBI played a crucial role in identifying Mack through advanced forensic DNA technology. By analyzing samples from her remains, investigators used genetic genealogy to connect with Mack’s biological relatives, eventually tracing her to her adoptive family and son.
In February 2022, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison established a multiagency task force to intensify the investigation into the Gilgo Beach killings. This task force brought together resources and expertise from the Suffolk County Police Department, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, and the FBI, signaling a renewed commitment to solving the case.
On March 14, 2022, Rex Heuermann emerged as a potential suspect in the Gilgo Beach murder investigation after a New York state investigator linked him to the case through a database, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. Surveillance on Heuermann and his family commenced, with investigators collecting DNA from discarded items, including pizza crusts, to build their case.
To refine their search, investigators sifted through cell tower records from thousands of individuals, gradually narrowing the list to a few hundred and then to a handful of potential suspects. They then focused on those who matched a physical description provided by a witness who had seen the suspected killer.
Authorities also honed in on connections to a green pickup truck—a vehicle that a witness had observed in association with the suspect. They discovered that Heuermann drove a green pickup truck registered to his brother. Further scrutiny revealed that Heuermann not only matched the witness’s description but also resided near a Long Island cell site and worked close to the New York City cell sites where other calls related to the case were recorded.
Analysis of Heuermann's personal cell phone and credit card billing records showed multiple instances of him being in locations relevant to the case, aligning with the locations of burner phones believed to have been used during the murders. These burner phones were reportedly used to contact the victims, and Heuermann was alleged to have used the victims’ cell phones to check voicemails and make taunting calls after their disappearances, as asserted by Suffolk County prosecutors.
Authorities discovered that Rex Heuermann had conducted over 200 internet searches related to the Gilgo Beach investigation, focusing on the status of the case, photos of the victims, and attempts to locate their relatives, according to District Attorney Ray Tierney. This compulsive behavior indicated a deep personal interest in the investigation.
In late 2022, detectives recovered a discarded cup believed to have been used by Heuermann. However, they were unable to extract a usable DNA sample from it. A breakthrough came in January 2023 when investigators obtained a complete DNA sample from Heuermann via leftover pizza crust found in his trash.
The Suffolk County Crime Laboratory had previously discovered a male hair on the burlap used to wrap one of the victims, which was linked to Heuermann through DNA analysis. The DNA from the pizza crust matched that found on the victim's remains. Furthermore, hair believed to belong to Heuermann’s wife was found on or near three of the murder victims, as per the bail application. This hair was traced back to 11 bottles located in a garbage can outside Heuermann's home.
On July 13, 2023, Heuermann was arrested in New York City, marking the first significant arrest in the Gilgo Beach case. He was subsequently transported to Suffolk County Police headquarters in Yaphank, Long Island, for further processing, as confirmed by Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison.
The following day, authorities publicly named Rex Heuermann as the primary suspect in the Gilgo Beach murders. Heuermann, a registered architect, has been the owner of RH Consultants & Associates, a New York City-based architecture and consulting firm, since 1994, as stated on his company's website. The extensive investigation, which spanned over two years, involved a major reinvigoration of the case. Investigators utilized the grand jury's power, issuing over 300 subpoenas and search warrants to gather evidence that firmly linked Heuermann to the crimes, according to District Attorney Ray Tierney.
In June, Heuermann faced additional murder charges related to the deaths of Sandra Costilla and Jessica Taylor. He has pleaded not guilty to these charges. Taylor's remains were initially discovered in Manorville in 2003, with additional remains found along Ocean Parkway on Gilgo Beach in 2011. A hair found beneath Taylor’s remains was linked to Heuermann through DNA analysis. Costilla’s remains, uncovered in 1993 in North Sea by hunters, were also tied to Heuermann, as detailed in the bail application.
The bail application alleges that Heuermann is responsible for the murders of Taylor, Costilla, and the so-called "Gilgo Four," whose remains were found between 1993 and 2011. In September, District Attorney Tierney announced that authorities were seeking the public's assistance in identifying another victim discovered along Ocean Parkway in 2011. Known as “Asian Doe,” this victim was a biological male of Asian descent, estimated to be between 17 and 23 years old, and was found dressed in women’s clothing. Investigators believe that this victim, who likely died from blunt force trauma, may have been deceased since 2006 or earlier.
Tierney did not disclose if this particular victim had any direct links to the ongoing investigation into Heuermann. The report also included contributions from CNN’s team members Kristina Sgueglia, Brynn Gingras, Aya Elamroussi, Samantha Beech, John Miller, Ray Sanchez, and Mark Morales.
In summary, while the investigation into the Gilgo Beach murders has made significant progress with the identification of Rex Heuermann as a primary suspect, the case continues to evolve. Authorities are still piecing together evidence and seeking public assistance to uncover more about unidentified victims, such as “Asian Doe.” The collaboration of investigative efforts and media coverage remains crucial in advancing the case and bringing closure to the families affected by these tragic events.
