Rex Heuermann's Latest Cheek Swab Matches Pizza Crust DNA: Reports

MASSAPEQUA PARK, NY — A cheek swab taken recently from Rex Heuermann, who was charged in murders of three sex workers found on Gilgo Beach, matches DNA found on pizza crust disposed of by Heuermann — a key part of evidence that officals say led to his arrest, multiple reports said.

Prosecutors announced the news as Heuermann appeared in court Wednesday morning for a pre-trial conference, the reports said.

Last month, Judge Timothy Mazzei granted a motion by prosecutors that orders Heuermann to submit to a cheek swab for DNA analysis, despite his defense attorney's opposition.

Attorney Danielle Coysh, defense attorney of Heuermann, had argued that the Suffolk County District Attorney failed to demonstrate probable cause that their client killed anyone, according to newly filed documents obtained by Fox News.

Heuermann, of Massapequa Park, pleaded not guilty last month in the deaths of Amber Costello, Melissa Barthelemy, and Megan Waterman, whose remains were found in 2011 along Ocean Parkway.

Prosecutors wanted the sample to compare it to already obtained DNA evidence from a discarded pizza crust.

On Jan. 26, a surveillance team recovered a pizza box thrown out by Heurmann in Manhattan. A swab taken from the pizza crust matched the DNA from the hair found in the burlap sack found on Waterman.

Wednesday was Heuermann's second time in court since his indictment on July 14.

At his previous court appearance on Aug. 2, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said that his team provided a "a massive amount of material" as part of discovery, including four, two-terabyte hard drives and six CDs containing thousands of pages of documents.