ALBANY, N.Y. – New York authorities have apprehended the alleged Long Island Serial Killer, bringing to a close a years-long search for the perpetrator behind a string of murders that had terrorized the state.
Rex Heuermann, a New York City architect, was charged with three counts of first and second-degree murder after the bodies of three women were discovered near Gilgo Beach in Long Island, New York. The bodies of ten total victims have been found on the beach, but Heuermann is currently only facing charges in connection with these three deaths.
Heuermann’s arrest in July 2023 was made possible after investigators extracted DNA evidence from a discarded pizza box. This breakthrough allowed law enforcement to track down Heuermann near his office in Midtown Manhattan and surrounded his home in Massapequa Park, just 17 miles north of Gilgo Beach.
The hunt for the killer began in 2010 when skeletal remains were discovered, which ultimately led to the identification of the victims. Heuermann is charged with the murders of three sex workers, whose bodies were discovered wrapped in burlap near the beach, with a hair found as crucial evidence in the case.
Investigators pored over evidence from Heuermann’s digital footprint, which included burner phones, Google Pay transactions, and internet searches for child pornography and explicit videos. Additionally, unusual and threatening phone calls made to an attorney prior to Heuermann’s arrest added another layer of eerie mystery to the case.
Aside from Heuermann’s arrest, the case took a surprising turn with the identification of a woman whose body was found at Gilgo Beach 27 years ago, shedding new light on a decades-long mystery. However, Heuermann’s ex-wife Asa Ellerup has also come under scrutiny, filing for divorce after learning of her husband’s alleged involvement in the LISK case.
In conclusion, the arrest of the alleged Long Island Serial Killer has brought some closure to a series of murders that had instilled fear in the state of New York for years. Despite the developments in the case and new revelations, the investigation is ongoing, with Heuermann’s next hearing scheduled for February 6.