Accused Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Charged With NJ Woman's Murder

NEW JERSEY — Authorities have charged Rex Heuermann, the accused Gilgo Beach serial killer, in the death of a New Jersey woman who was found dismembered more than 20 years ago.

Valerie Mack, who also used the name Melissa Taylor, went missing in 2000 at the age of 24, police said. She was working as an escort in Philadelphia at the time of her disappearance and family members last saw her in the spring or summer of 2000 in the area of Port Republic, police said.

On Tuesday, the Suffolk County District Attorney said Heuermann now faces second-degree murder charges in her death. He was previously charged in the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Costello, Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla and Maureen Brainard-Barnes.

For the first time, Heuermann spoke in court, saying, "Your honor, I am not guilty of any of these charges."

Heuermann's next court date is set for January 15.

Mack had been decapitated, and her remains were found by hunters on Nov. 19, 2000, in a wooded area of Manorville in Long Island. According to the bail application obtained by Patch, the three hunters were out with a dog when the dog alerted them to a black plastic bag, wrapped in duct tape about a mile from the road.

Inside the bag, the hunters found additional plastic bags and a set of human remains; they called 911 and Suffolk County police found the remains of Mack. "Notably, the victim was decapitated," the bail application said.

Both of her hands were severed from her body, above the wrists, and her right leg had also been cut off from her body at mid-calf, the application said. Her torso, legs and arms were also bound with rope, the DA said.

Mack's head, hands and right foot were not found at the scene and their location remained unknown for about 11 years, the DA said. The other dismembered remains were found in April 2011, near Cedar Beach.

Mack, who was 5 feet tall and 100 pounds with brown hair, was identified after authorities used genetic genealogy. She was born in Atlantic City as Valerie Lyn Fulton and placed in foster care, the DA said, shuffling between several foster homes before being adopted by the Mack family.

At 17, she gave birth to a son and began living with her son's father in Wildwood.

She is believed to have been a sex worker in Philadelphia and Atlantic City at the time of her death, the DA said. Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation identified her remains in 2020.

Related articles —

• Accused Gilgo Killer Charged In 7th Murder, Says 'I Am Not Guilty'
• Trial For Accused Gilgo Beach Killer Could Be 'A Year' Away: Attorney
• Gilgo Beach Killer's Victim Identified After 20 Years: Police

This article contains reporting from Patch's Lisa Finn.