Gilgo Beach Murder Investigation: Looking Back At Patch's Coverage

MASSAPEQUA, NY — It's been a week since an arrest was made in the Gilgo Beach murder investigation, a high-profile cold case dating back more than a decade ago.

Rex Heuermann, a Massapequa Park resident who runs an architecture firm in Manhattan, was taken into custody July 13 as he left work. The 59-year-old, whose wife filed for divorce this week, has two adult children. He appeared in Suffolk County court July 14 in connection to three unsolved murders from 2010, and pleaded not guilty.

In the days since the arrest, Patch has been there with the latest updates and angles of the rapidly developing and complex case, with coverage including original interviews with experts, and reporters combing through court documents.

Since day one, neighbors have been willing to talk about their interactions with Heuermann, although most had little to no contact with him. However, one man, who has lived next door for years, told Fox News about he "creeped" his wife out.

There are reports that Heuermann allegedly killed at least of the victims in his Massapequa Park home before dragging the body to the beach.

The arrest of Heuermann brought the victims of the Gilgo Beach serial killings back into the spotlight, and the first victim, Shannan Gilbert, whose death remains unsolved.

We spoke to experts who delved into the mind of a serial killer and got the thoughts of acclaimed forensic psychiatrist Dr. Carole Lieberman, who thinks the evidence points to Heuermann being a "sexual sadist."

Police are looking into unsolved murders that fit Heuermann's profile for possible links to South Carolina, Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

While law enforcement investigates Heuermann's activities on Long Island and elsewhere, he has been placed on suicide watch at the Suffolk County Correctional Facility.

Below is a selection of Patch's coverage of the Gilgo Beach case over the last days — and years.

Jan. 24, 2011

Police Hunting Gilgo Beach Serial Killer

A serial killer is responsible for the deaths of four young women found on Gilgo Beach in December, said Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota at a press conference today, during which police provided the identities of the last three victims.

May 17, 2011

Timeline: Gilgo Beach Bodies Investigation

Patch recaps the events during the four-month-old serial killer investigation that began with a missing woman last seen in Oak Beach in May 2010.

July 12, 2011

Report: Police Making Progress on Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Case

There is no arrest imminent in the Gilgo serial murder investigation but Suffolk Police are reportedly making progress, according to Suffolk Police Commissioner Richard Dormer who is slated to appear on a national news broadcast show Tuesday night.

Dec. 17, 2011

Newest Oak Beach Remains are Shannan Gilbert

The human bones found last Tuesday in Oak Beach are the remains of Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old New Jersey escort who went missing 19 months ago after an appointment in the beachfront community.

Jan. 8, 2012

Police Release Latest Gilgo Serial Killer Victim Sketch

Suffolk Police on Saturday released a sketch of one of the five yet-to-be-identified victims in the Gilgo serial killing case that involves eight women, a male and a toddler.

May 3, 2012

Shannan Gilbert's Cause of Death Is Undetermined

On the two-year anniversary of Shannan Gilbert's disappearance at Oak Beach on Tuesday, the Suffolk County Medical Examiner met with her family to report the autopsy findings.

Oct 31, 2018

Netflix Film About Gilgo Beach Murders Shooting On North Fork

Cameras were rolling Wednesday as a crew set up in Southold to shoot a new Netflix film about the Gilgo Beach murders, which rocked Long Island and led to the desperate search for a serial killer who has never been found.

Jan. 16, 2020

Black Belt Could Hold Clues To Gilgo Beach Killer

For the first time, police released a "significant piece of evidence," in the Gilgo Beach murders — a black belt embossed with the letters "HM" or "WH,"; the letters are 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch. The belt was found at the initial stages of the investigation at a crime scene and is believed to have been handled by the suspect and did not belong to the victims, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said at a press conference Thursday.

May 18, 2020

Attorney Claims Inconsistencies In Shannan Gilbert 911 Tapes

The attorney representing Shannan Gilbert, a New Jersey escort who disappeared ten years ago after meeting a client for sex on Oak Beach, leading to the discoveries of 10 sets of human remains believed to be the victims of a Long Island serial killer, held a press conference last week after listening to the 911 tape that Suffolk Police released to him. Gilbert disappeared in May 2010 and her body was found in a marshy area near Oak Beach in December 2011.

May 28, 2020

Gilgo Beach Killer's Victim Identified After 20 Years: Police

Twenty years after her death, a woman dismembered by the Gilgo Beach killer has been identified, police said.
On Thursday, Suffolk County police, along with the FBI, revealed the name of the woman known as"Manorville Jane Doe," or "Jane Doe #6," as Valerie Mack. Mack, who also used the name Melissa Taylor, went missing in 2000 at the age of 24, police said.

Dec. 31, 2021

LI Police Commissioner: 'No Rest' Till Gilgo Murders Are Solved

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison used an investigative tactic he learned in the New York Police Department on Friday — stepping into his new role guiding the department — by taking a walkthrough with homicide detectives at the site of the 11-year-old Gilgo Beach serial killer investigation.

Feb. 22, 2022

Suffolk Police Dept. To Create Gilgo Homicides Task Force

Continuing what he called a commitment to getting answers in the long-unsolved Gilgo Beach killings, on Tuesday Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison announced the creation of a new task force dedicated to the ten bodies found along Ocean Parkway over 10 years ago.

March 31, 2022

Police To Release Gilgo Beach Video, 911 Call: Report

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison recently announced that he will publicly release videotape evidence and 911 audio that is part of the Gilgo Beach serial killer investigation, Newsday reported.

The audio is of Shannan Gilbert, Harrison said, a sex worker who was trying to get away from a client in Oak Beach the morning of May 1, 2010.

April 12, 2022

Police Release Surveillance Video Of Gilgo Beach Murder Victim

Surveillance videos of Gilgo Beach homicide victim Megan Waterman, which were taken just before she disappeared, were released Tuesday by Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison.

May 5, 2022

New Information On Gilgo Beach Victims Released: PD

Suffolk County Police have released new information on four Gilgo Beach homicide victims.
On Thursday, Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison announced previously unreleased information regarding Maureen Brainard Barnes, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello.

May 13, 2022

'They're Trying To Kill Me': Police Release 911 Gilgo Beach Calls

Suffolk Police have released three 911 calls made the night that Shannan Gilbert went missing near Oak Beach, in two videos released on Youtube, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison announced on Friday.

May 17, 2022

Gilbert Family Calls For Resignation of Detective In Gilgo Case

A Suffolk County detective is being called upon to resign from the Gilgo Beach homicide investigation.

Friday, July 14, 2023

'A Demon That Walks Among Us ': Gilgo Murder Suspect Pleads Not Guilty

A Massapequa Park man pleaded not guilty in a Riverhead courtroom Friday afternoon to six murder charges in connection with the decades-old Gilgo Beach serial killings.

Who Is Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Suspect Rex Heuermann?

The reported arrest of Rex Heuermann, a 59-year-old Massapequa Park resident, in connection with the Gilgo Beach slayings has many asking just who he is.

Gilgo Beach Killing Suspect 'Not On Radar': Victim's Family's Lawyer

Rex Heuermann, the Massapequa Park man charged Friday in connection with the Gilgo Beach killings, was not on the victims' radar before his arrest, attorney John Ray, who was hired by victims' families, told reporters outside the Riverside courtroom where he was arraigned.

What We Know About The Evidence In The Gilgo Beach Killings Arrest

Investigators on Long Island have been embroiled in the Gilgo Beach slayings since 2010, when the first of 11 sets of remains were found along Ocean Parkway.

Billy Baldwin Says He Went To School With Gilgo Beach Killing Suspect

Billy Baldwin, actor and brother of Alec Baldwin, Beach serial killing suspect Rex Heuermann.

Gilgo Beach Killer Timeline: All You Need To Know Leading Up To Arrest

Below is a timeline of key events leading up to Friday's arrest in the Gilgo case.

Monday, July 17, 2023

Police Raid Amityville Storage Unit, Related to Gilgo Killings: Cops

Suffolk County Police executed search warrants at storage units in Amityville on Sunday and Monday, in relation to the Gilgo Beach murders investigation, a representative confirmed with Patch.

Gilgo Latest: Chilling Encounters Emerge; Heuermann On Suicide Watch

Long Island architect Rex Heuermann, who pleaded not guilty last week to murder in the deaths of three sex workers, was placed on suicide watch, Patch reported Monday, and at least two people have come forward and shared chilling interactions they said they had with him.

Accused Gilgo Beach Serial Killer On Suicide Watch: Sheriff

Rex Heuermann, the man charged with murder in three of the Gilgo Beach killings, has been placed on suicide watch while in custody within the Suffolk County Correctional Facility, a spokeswoman for the Suffolk Sheriff Errol Toulon's office said Monday.

Accused Gilgo Killer's Attorney: 'Nothing' Suggests Client Is Involved

The attorney of Rex Heuermann, charged with murder in three Gilgo Beach killings, claims that "nothing" suggests his client was involved in the slayings, News12 reported.

Woman Shares Chilling Encounter With Accused Gilgo Killer: Report

A woman revealed a chilling encounter she said she had with Rex Heuermann — the man charged with murder in the Gilgo Beach serial killings — earlier this month at a Massapequa park.

Convicted Murderer Was In Rex Heuermann's Google Sights: Court Docs

Of the more than 200 Google searches Rex Heuermann conducted, one stood out, pointedly naming a Manorville man convicted in the cold case murders of two sex workers and later thought to be connected to the Gilgo Beach slayings himself.

Bedford Woman's 'Disturbing' Gilgo Beach Suspect Encounter Goes Viral

A Bedford Hills interior designer's account of her chilling encounter with the man accused in the Gilgo Beach serial killings has gone viral on social media after she posted a chilling video on Tik Tok.

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Neighbor: Accused Gilgo Serial Killer 'Creeped Out' Sunbathing Wife

As detectives haul away evidence from the Massapequa Park home of Rex Heuermann, a longtime neighbor spoke out about an unsettling interaction with the accused Gilgo Beach serial killer.

Psychiatrist: Accused Gilgo Beach Killer Appears To Be 'Sexual Sadist'

Gilgo Beach serial killing suspect Rex Heuermann, charged with six murder counts in the deaths of three sex workers in the Gilgo Beach serial killings, could be "a sexual sadist." That's according to a California forensic psychiatrist, who told Patch this week there is "so much that fits together in what has come out.

Las Vegas Police Probe Possible Ties To Accused Gilgo Killer

The vehicle that connected Rex Heuermann, 59, of Massepequa Park, with the murder case of three sex workers in the Gilgo Beach serial killings was impounded by law enforcement on Tuesday, reports say.

Evidence Seized From Gilgo Beach Suspect's Home So Far

Suffolk Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison called Rex Heuermann "a monster" on Monday in an interview with Pix 11 News where he revealed investigators were combing a storage locker in Amityville for trophies, possibly body parts or possessions of Heuermann's alleged victims.

What Is Mitochondrial Analysis, Used On Accused Gilgo Killer's Pizza?

In elementary school, many of us were taught that mitochondria are the "powerhouse" of the cell. But in forensic science, mitochondria are powerful enough to solve serial murder cases.

Accused Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Asked 1 Question To Jailers: Report

Rex Heuermann, who faces six murder charges in connection with the deaths of three sex workers in the Gilgo Beach slayings, had one question for his jailers during his intake last week.

Gilgo Beach Killings Suspect Had Confrontation With Ex-Cop: Report

Accused Gilgo Beach killer Rex Heuermann blew up at a retired police officer on a train only days before his arrest, then waited for the man after the ride to confront him for a second time, Fox News reported citing a law enforcement podcast.

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Accused Gilgo Beach Suspect An 'Outlier' In Serial Killer Field: Doc

Accused serial killer, Rex Heuermann, the man charged with six murder counts in the deaths of three sex workers in the Gilgo Beach case, is anything but average, at least in the realm of serial killers, says an expert, who has written extensively on the subject.

Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Suspect Did Work In Trump Building: Docs

Long Island serial killer suspect Rex Heuermann briefly worked inside one of former President Donald Trump's most recognizable building, according to city filings.

Gilgo Murder Investigation: SC Sheriff Working With NY Law Enforcement

As the search for evidence in the Gilgo Beach serial killings expands into other parts of the country, the Chester County Sheriff's Office in South Carolina working with New York law enforcement, a representative confirmed with Patch.

Thursday, July 20, 2023

Gilgo Beach Latest: NJ Ties Probed, Wife Files For Divorce

Investigators believe accused Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann to have killed at least one victim in this Massapequa Park home, reports say.

Former Escort 'Needed To Get Away' From Accused Gilgo Killer: Report

A former escort who narrowly escaped a fateful encounter with accused Gilgo Beach serial killer, Rex Heuermann, in Port Jefferson says he seemed to take pleasure out of raising the subject of the Gilgo Beach murders, The Daily News reported.

Gilgo Suspect Believed To Have Killed At Least 1 In Home: Report

Accused Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann is believed to have killed at least one victim in this Massapequa Park home, law enforcement sources told CBS News.

Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Suspect Worked On Empire State Building

The architect arrested and accused of killing four woman on a Long Island beach once renovated a floor of the Empire State Building.

Serial Killers Fantasize About 'Sexual Homicide' For Decades: Expert

The serial slayings of three sex workers — so far attributed to accused Gilgo Beach killer, Rex Heuermann — appear to be sexually motivated, and could have been fantasized about decades earlier.

Friday, July 21, 2023

Accused Gilgo Killer Dug In Backyard Overnight, Neighbor Says: Report

Neighbors of Rex Heuermann, who one week ago was charged with six murder counts in the deaths of three sex workers in the Gilgo Beach killings, continue to share strange and bizarre stories about living near the Massapequa Park resident.

Accused Gilgo Killer May Have Lured Women To His Home: Report

Investigators probing Rex Heuermann have been working on a theory since the spring that he committed the Gilgo Beach slayings in his Massapequa Park home, a source told CNN.

Gilgo: Strangulation, Taunts Common In Serial, Sexual Murder: Psych

Though considered an extraordinary crime, there are some general similarities between the legal case lodged against the accused Gilgo Beach serial killer and the cases of convicted serial, sexual murderers, like the Golden State Killer and the Dating Game Killer.

BTK Killer Calls Gilgo Beach Suspect 'A Clone Of Me': Report

Dennis Rader, known as the BTK serial killer, told Fox News he sees "a clone of me" in Rex Heuermann, the Long Island man charged with six murder counts in the deaths of three sex workers in the Gilgo Beach serial killing case.