Chilling video shows Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann being arrested by plainclothes cops

Plainclothes officers are seen in the footage suddenly swooping in and surrounding the architect before taking him into custody

Published on: Jul 16, 2023, 08:11:06 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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A chilling viral video shows Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann being arrested by plainclothes cops as he calmly strolled down a Midtown sidewalk. Oblivious while walking along, the 59-year-old is seen with a messenger bag slung over his shoulder.

Plainclothes officers are seen in the footage, obtained by WABC, suddenly swooping in and surrounding the architect before taking him into custody. The capture took place close to Rex’s Fifth Avenue office on Thursday night, July 13.

Rex appeared in court on Friday, July 14, pleading not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and other charges. The charges were related to the deaths of three women over a decade ago. He has also been named the prime suspect in a fourth murder.

DNA found on the hair of victim Megan Waterman led to Rex being taken into custody. DNA found on Megan and that of Rex’s were a match. Investigators searched Rex’s Massapequa Park home and found random items such as a cat scratch pole, a framed picture, and an empty bookcase, according to New York Post. Rex is a married dad of two.

Rex’s arrest is tied to the ‘Gilgo Four,’ referring to the four women whose bodies were found within days of each other in 2010. The women in question were Melissa Barthelemy, 24, Megan Waterman, 22, Amber Lynn Costello, 27, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25. Melissa’s body was found firstalong Ocean Parkway on Dec. 11, 2010, sparking serial killer fears.

The number of bodies had climbed to 10 by spring 2011. The murdered people included eight women, a toddler, and an unidentified man. Back in February 2022, Suffolk County’s new police commissioner created a special Gilgo Beach Homicide Investigation Task Force. It took 18 long months to build a case against Rex. Besides the DNA, he was reportedly possibly also linked to the murdersthrough burner cell phone calls and disturbing Google searches.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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