Gilgo Beach suspect Rex Heuermann to be charged in murders of 2 more women

Rex Heuermann will be arraigned on an indictment in the 2003 death of Jessica Taylor and the 1993 murder of Sandra Costilla.

Published on: Jun 6, 2024, 08:22:09 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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Suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann, who will be back in court on Thursday, June 6, will be charged in the murders of two more women. He will be arraigned on an indictment in the 2003 death of Jessica Taylor and the 1993 murder of Sandra Costilla, according to sources, New York Post reported.

Rex Heuermann to be charged in the murders of 2 more women (James Carbone/Newsday via AP, File) (AP)

Taylor was a 20-year-old woman who was working in New York City as an escort. Her remains were discovered on July 26, 2003, in a wooded area in Manorville. Her additional remains were found along Ocean Parkway on March 29, 2011. Initially, she was labelled Jane Doe No. 5.

Costilla was murdered in 1993 but has been included among the Gilgo Beach victims only now. Initially, killer John Bittrolff was accused of her murder, but was never charged.

Rex Heuermann’s alleged crimes

Heuermann, 60, a married Massapequa Park dad, was arrested on July 13 last year. His arrest is tied to the ‘Gilgo Four,’ referring to the four women he is accused of killing – Melissa Barthelemy, 24, Megan Waterman, 22, Amber Lynn Costello, 27, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25. All of their bodies were found in 2010 within days of each other.

Officials said that detectives believe there may have been more victims. Investigators subsequently began to expand the case, and started to re-examine dump sites. More searches were carried out at Heuermann’s home. Authorities also went through other unsolved missing persons cases.

A law enforcement official involved in the case previously said, according to CNN, “We are not near the end of this investigation. We are very much at the beginning.”

Asa Ellerup, Heuermann’s wife, filed for divorce days after he was arrested last year. She said she doesn't think Heuermann is capable of committing these crimes, and offered her sympathies to the victims and their families, saying, “Nobody deserves to die in that manner.”

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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