RIVERHEAD, New York – Accused serial killer Rex Heuermann is set to appear in court next week on Long Island, where he is expected to face charges in the death of a fourth woman whose remains were discovered near Gilgo Beach, according to multiple sources.
Heuermann, 60, has already been charged with the murder of three women, and is considered the prime suspect in the death of a fourth victim, Maureen Brainard-Barnes. The alleged killer has pleaded not guilty to the killings of Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, and Amber Costello, all of whom were found deceased in December 2010. He is currently being held without bail.
During the upcoming court appearance in Riverhead, prosecutors are expected to announce that a grand jury has charged Heuermann with a fourth murder, as per the sources. The distinctive buckle of a belt found with Brainard-Barnes bore the initials WH, believed to represent Heuermann’s father, according to prosecutors.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office, which is handling the case, has not provided immediate comment. Heuermann, an architect, was linked to the victims – all sex workers – through DNA evidence, including a sample obtained from a pizza crust found in the trash outside his Manhattan office. Additionally, there are six other unsolved cases of victims found at Gilgo Beach.
The accused killer will return to the courtroom on Tuesday and faces the possibility of new charges in relation to the fourth murder. The upcoming court session will shed more light on the ongoing investigation into this chilling case.