RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (AP) — Alleged serial killer Rex Heuermann is facing additional charges in the death of a fourth woman whose remains were found near Gilgo Beach. The 60-year-old architect, already accused of killing three women, is expected to be indicted in connection with this latest case, marking a somber development in the ongoing investigation.
He is scheduled to return to court in Riverhead next week on Tuesday, January 16, 2024. Heuermann has maintained his plea of not guilty in the deaths of Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, and Amber Costello, all of whom were found dead in December 2010, their bodies wrapped in burlap. Heuermann is currently held without bail as authorities intensify their efforts to bring justice to the victims and their families.
The latest victim, identified as Maureen Brainard-Barnes, adds another layer of complexity to the case. Prosecutors have disclosed that Brainard-Barnes was discovered with a belt bearing a distinctive buckle marked with the initials WH. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, responsible for Heuermann’s prosecution, has not provided immediate comments on these new developments.
Rex Heuermann currently faces charges in connection with the deaths of three women, Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, and Amber Costello, whose bodies were discovered wrapped in burlap near Gilgo Beach in December 2010. He has pleaded not guilty to these charges and is being held without bail. Heuermann’s connection to the victims, all of whom were reportedly engaged in s*x work, was established through DNA evidence.
Additionally, prosecutors consider him the prime suspect in the death of a fourth woman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, whose remains were found with a distinctive belt bearing the initials “WH,” possibly linked to Heuermann’s father. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office is expected to announce further charges as a grand jury is set to indict him in connection with the fourth murder.
The community remains on edge as the investigation unfolds, shedding light on the disturbing pattern allegedly perpetrated by the accused serial killer. The Gilgo Beach case has long been a haunting mystery, with six other victims’ deaths still unsolved.