'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Gilgo Beach, located on the south shore of Long Island, New York, was the scene of a string of murders between the years 1996 and 2011. According to the autopsy and police reports that were released to the public by authorities, the killer tortured, murdered, and dismembered at least 11 women during this period.
The baffling case managed to make headlines after almost 13 years since the killer in the case was finally caught. Even though the killer was convicted of only three of these killings due to the lack of evidence in the other cases, the investigation for this case has reopened, with more shocking truths about the case coming to light.
5 things to know about the Gilgo Beach Serial Killings
1) The victims' remains were discovered in 2010
CBS News reports that on May 10, 2010, Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old s*x worker placed a call to 911 stating:
"Something is going to happen to me … there’s somebody after me… please."
The police immediately dispatched help to the place where the call had been traced, Gilgo Beach. By the time they arrived, Gilbert was nowhere to be seen. Further investigations into her disappearance revealed that Gilbert had banged on the doors of several people living in the neighboring community before she went missing.
It was in December of the same year that Gilbert's remains were finally found during a cadaver search conducted by the police. However, this discovery quickly took a shocking turn since four other bodies were also discovered in the same marsh that Gilbert had been found in.
The four victims, Maureen Brainard-Branes, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Lynn Costello, dubbed by police as the Gilgo Four, were found in the same month as Gilbert, striking fear among the community. The New York Post reveals that these findings led the police to predict that these killings were the work of a serial killer.
2) All victims in the case had been s*x workers
The police discovered that all victims had either been s*x workers or escorts when they looked into the lives of the victims to find a potential reason for the Gilgo Beach killings.
According to the New York Post, the victims' family and friends reported to the police that the women had gone out of the house under the pretense that they were going to meet a client who was willing to offer a hefty amount for their services. However, the women were never heard from again, causing their close relatives to report them missing.
3) Numerous other victims were discovered between March and April 2011
On March 29, 2011, the police discovered four more bodies two miles east of their original findings. The remains were found in garbage cans along the coast of the beach, which led the police to believe that these murders were also a part of the Gilgo Beach serial killings. According to CBS News, the bodies were mutilated and dismembered beyond recognition.
In April 2011, two more bodies were discovered south of the original findings. These bodies were also discovered in trash cans along the beach entrance, just like the others.
Over the years, police were able to identify only three of these victims. Their suspicion that these killings were a part of the Gilgo Beach killings was confirmed when they discovered that all the victims had also been s*x workers.
4) Rex Heuerman was convicted for three of these murders
In August 2023, Rex Heueurmann, a 59-year-old husband, father, and New York City architect, was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison in the cases of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes.
According to CBS News, a major break was made in the case when similar mitochondrial DNA was found in three of the victims. The lab results revealed that these DNA findings were from Heuermann. However, naturally, the police investigated more into Heuermann's past to make a solid case against him.
It was discovered that Heuermann had been in contact with all these victims through burner phones, a big reason why police weren't able to trace these calls in 2011. On Heuremann's phone, the police also found disturbing and sadistic p*rnographic content, which strengthened their case against him.
Even though Heuermann is convicted of only three killings, he is the prime suspect for all other Gilgo Beach killings as well. The investigation into his involvement is still in process.
5) Rex Heuermann's wife is also a potential suspect at the moment
The attorney for the Gilgo Beach victims recently raised the possibility in court that Rex Heuermann's wife, Asa Ellerup, was also a perpetrator in the serial killings and had assisted her husband in bringing s*x workers to their house.
The attorney stated in a public statement outside court:
"It’s part of one large criminal enterprise. She should be considered a suspect and not just a bystander or someone who’s been victimized by her husband.”
However, this statement is now backed by the fact that Ellerup's DNA evidence was also found on one of the three victims of whose murder Heuermann has been convicted. The police are now investigating the couple's home in search of more evidence regarding the Gilgo Beach killings.
