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Link between Gilgo Beach suspect Rex Heuermann and murdered NJ mom Victoria Camara to be probed
Following Rex Heuermann’s arrest, Las Vegas authorities began probing cold cases to determine possible links
Alleged Gilgo Beach killer Rex Heuermann’s DNA will reportedly be tested against DNA recovered in the case of Victoria Camara, a New Jersey mom who was found murdered in 2003. 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.
Following Rex’s arrest, Las Vegas authorities began probing cold cases to determine possible links. The Las Vegas Police Department's DNA lab is now set to conduct a direct comparison of Rex’s DNA and the DNA recovered in connection with Victoria’s murder.
The murder of Victoria Camara
Victoria Camara, who was 17 when she was killed, resorted to sex work to earn a living for her baby girl and herself. In August 2003, her remains were found in the desert near a haul road in Boulder City. The location is about 26 miles southeast of Las Vegas.
"Somebody took my mom's life without regard," Victoria’s daughter, who is now grown up, previously told News 12. She added, "I just hope it gets us the answers we've all been looking for. Honestly, it will definitely help a lot.”
"She just was thrown like a piece of trash in the desert," said Kaila Donaldson, Victoria’s first cousin and childhood best friend, according to KTNV. "You first hear it. It's unbelievable. It feels like a Lifetime movie."
Kaila added, "She was a beautiful person, very artistic. She loved makeup. She loved building things. We used to play with Legos all the time. She was just the person that I could go and talk to about anything."
‘It's very scary’
Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr. said that he sees a link between his department's case against Rex and other similar cold cases that have been resurfacing after his arrest. "I do feel that there's similarities, it's very scary," he said. "When you see the deaths, the type of women that were killed, the occupation that they were in [...] it all resonates to this one particular person."
Rex was "very quiet" when he was arrested, it has been revealed. The 59-year-old was caught by plainclothes cops as he strolled down a Midtown sidewalk on Thursday night, July 13. Rex had worked in Midtown for several years at his own company, RH Architecture. He has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and other charges.
