Inside the Gilgo Beach murders investigation: The years-long search to catch a Long Island serial killer
Rex Heuermann, 59, of Massapequa, Long Island, was charged with multiple counts of murder in connection with the unsolved killings of women whose bodies were found on Long Island's Gilgo Beach more than a decade ago, according to court documents released Friday, July 14, 2023.
Suspect in custody
Heuermann, a married father of two, was taken into custody the night of July 13 and was arraigned the following day in Suffolk County court in Riverhead. He pleaded not guilty. The judge ordered him held without bail.
On July 14, there was a large police presence at the suspect's home in the village of Massapequa Park, a community just north of South Oyster Bay and the sandy stretch known as Gilgo Beach where the remains were found in 2010 and 2011.
The Gilgo Beach Four
Heuermann has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello. Those three women, along with Maureen Brainard-Barnes, were all found in close proximity to one another in 2010 and have been called the "Gilgo Beach Four." If convicted, he faces multiple sentences of life without parole.
In all, the bodies of at least 10 women were found in the area, believed to be the victims of a serial killer.
The Gilgo Four. Pictured from left, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Costello, Megan Waterman and Melissa Barthelemy.
A DNA hit
DNA from a pizza crust that was discarded earlier this year was used to link Heuermann in the Gilgo murders case with one of the victims, prosecutors allege in the court documents.
A Mother Vanishes
Megan Waterman, 22, was the youngest of the four victims whose bodies were discovered near Gilgo Beach. Megan was last seen on June 6, 2010, leaving a Holiday Inn Express in Hauppauge, N.Y.
"I can't bring her back"
Lily Waterman was just 3 years old when her mother disappeared. Megan was one of four women whose remains were found discarded near Gilgo Beach on Long Island in December 2010.
In her first television interview in 2020, Lily (pictured with Megan) told "48 Hours" that if she could talk to her mom, she would tell her how much she loves her. "I never got to really say those words."
She says she misses her mom every day. "No one can ever replace her or come above her."
More bodies found
Investigators found three other bodies in the area near Megan Waterman's remains and were stunned they'd stumbled onto the victims of a serial killer. They dubbed the four sets of remains the Gilgo Four.
The killer had left puzzling clues: all the bodies had been discarded in a similar fashion, roughly 500 feet apart, each of them swathed in burlap.
Maureen Brainard-Barnes
Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, was the first of the Gilgo Four to disappear. She had been working as an escort in New York City when she vanished in June 2007.
"My sister mattered"
Maureen's sister Melissa Cann says Maureen's death is always in the back of her mind. "It's really really hard... I miss her so much."
Melissa Barthelemy
Melissa Barthelemy, 24, went missing in July 2009. In the weeks following her disappearance, her 15-year-old sister was terrorized by a series of frightening phone calls made by a man calling from Melissa's cell phone. Police believe the man who made these phone calls is, in fact, Melissa's killer.
Amber Costello
Amber Costello, 27, disappeared in September 2010, after she left her home on Long Island to meet a client. In 2011, her roommate Dave Schaller told "48 Hours," "she was an amazing person, she really was."
The killer had a type
Former Suffolk County Chief of Detectives Dominick Varrone says there were striking similarities among the Gilgo Four. "Very petite. 5 foot or under, 100 pounds. Hazel green eyes." He believes the killer may have combed through online ads to target a specific type of woman.
Shannan Gilbert
The woman whose disappearance set off the search that led to the discovery of the Gilgo Four was Shannan Gilbert. Shannan, 23, was visiting a client in Oak Beach, Long Island, in May 2010 when she made a minute frantic phone call to 911 ... and then vanished.
A sister's search
After Shannan's disappearance, her sister Sherre and other members of the Gilbert family worked tirelessly to find her, canvassing the Oak Beach area and urging the police to step up their investigation.
The search continues
Throughout the spring of 2011, investigators continued a wide-ranging search for Shannan Gilbert.
Six more sets of remains
By May 2011, police had discovered six more sets of remains in the area, bringing the total to 10 sets of remains — including the Gilgo Four. Investigators were not sure the same killer was responsible for all the murders.
Shannan Gilbert is found
In December 2011, a year-and-a-half after she went missing, police found Shannan Gilbert's belongings. Her purse, cellphone, shoes and even her jeans were found in the marsh eight miles from Gilgo Beach. A week later, Shannan's skeletal remains were found about a quarter mile from her belongings. Investigators are not convinced Shannan was murdered and theorize that she may have died of hypothermia or possible drowning.
Disproving a theory
Shannan Gilbert's family retained Long Island attorney John Ray to help prove her death wasn't an accident. Ray has interviewed witnesses and commissioned a second autopsy. A private medical examiner determined that a damaged hyoid bone in Shannan's neck suggested she may have been strangled. Ray told "48 Hours," "the murderer will be outed … I have to prove it, and I intend to prove it."
The 911 tape
John Ray fought for and won access to the 911 call made by Shannan Gilbert the night she disappeared. He is forbidden by court order from sharing the contents but insists they shed light on Shannan's disappearance.
Stalled investigation
In early 2012, James Burke became Suffolk County Police Chief. Burke ended cooperation with the FBI on the serial killer case and other major investigations. Losing FBI technology and expertise may have slowed down the serial killer investigation.
Trouble brewing
In December 2012, a petty thief named Christopher Loeb broke into Chief Burke's SUV. Loeb stole a duffle bag containing Burke's gun belt, porn and sex toys. Loeb was taken to a police station where he was handcuffed, chained to the floor and interrogated. Detectives began to beat him before Burke himself took over.
A cover-up
When the FBI investigated the incident, Burke began a cover-up. Critics say major cases on Long Island — including the serial killer case — languished while Burke worked to stay out of prison.
A guilty plea
In February 2016, James Burke pleaded guilty to violating Loeb's civil rights and conspiracy to obstruct justice. He was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison.
New evidence
In 2018, Geraldine Hart, a career FBI agent, became the new Suffolk County Police Commissioner. "Not having the FBI involved consistently from the beginning has definitely hindered this investigation," Hart tells "48 Hours." In January 2020, Hart's office released images of evidence in the serial killer case.
The black leather belt
A black leather belt embossed with the letters HM or WH was recovered during the initial stages of the investigation. The Suffolk County Police Department believes the belt was handled by the suspect and did not belong to any of the victims.
"A horrible accident"
In May 2020, the Suffolk County Police Department released the full audio of Gilbert's 21-minute 911 call, as well as maps and other images showing what authorities believe happened on May 1, 2010, the night she disappeared.
"Based on the evidence, the facts, and the totality of the circumstances, the prevailing opinion of Shannan's death, while tragic, was not murder and most likely not criminal," Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison said.
Have Information?
The Suffolk County Police Department set up a website, Gilgo News with information on the case. Anyone with tips can visit: www.gilgonews.com.