After over a decade of unanswered questions behind the Long Island serial killings, this past Friday police have finally arrested 59-year-old Rex Heuermann in connection with the murders of multiple women.
Investigators are currently saying that Heuermann may not be responsible for all of the deaths along the shore line. So far, he has been charged with the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello, who all went missing in 2010. They also suspect that he was involved in the death of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, who went missing 3 years prior in 2007.
One of the victims back in 2010 was Melissa Barthelemy. After her family reported her missing, they said that the killer had been using Barthelemy’s mobile phone in order to call and torment her family. Members of the family told investigators that the killer even confessed to killing Melissa over on the phone to her family. In order to find Melissa, the family hired a psychic who led them directly to her grave along the shore of Gilgo Beach.
After Barthelemy was found in December of 2010, three more bodies were found nearby. The entire investigation unearthed 11 sets of remains along the parkway on Gilgo Beach, including 10 adult victims and a toddler. Police believe the victims to have been sex workers, although three of the adult victims as well as the toddler have not been identified.
There were pieces of evidence left behind by the killer, including DNA, the burlap that he wrapped the bodies in, a belt that was embossed with possible initials, and of course the phone calls. One call made the last day Barthelemy was seen alive was traced back to Massapequa in Long Island, closely to Heuermann’s home and a mere 20 miles from where her body was found on Gilgo Beach.
Although the police do not have quite enough evidence to link Heuermann to all 11 of the murders yet, the families and communities of the victims hope to find peace and justice soon. Heuermann is currently maintaining his innocence in regards to the Long Island serial killings. We can only hope that the police will continue to find enough evidence to put the killer behind bars for life and allow the families of all of the victims to heal properly.