Rex Heuermann, the suspect arrested and charged in the deaths of three women whose remains were discovered on a Long Island beach roadway over a decade ago, is believed to have killed at least one of his victims at his home in Massapequa Park, CBS News reported, citing sources close to the investigation.
Heuermann shared his Long Island home with his wife and two adult children, who were reportedly away at the time of the alleged murders.
Suffolk County officials have already executed several court-authorized search warrants in various locations in the United States, including Las Vegas and South Carolina, where Heuermann may have had ties. During one of these searches, a Chevrolet Avalanche truck believed to be connected to the suspect and potentially used in at least one of the murders was recovered in South Carolina and transported to Suffolk County. Investigators in Long Island plan to thoroughly examine the truck for any evidence relevant to the crimes.
Heuermann’s wife, Asa Ellerup, filed for divorce this week after a twenty-year marriage. According to Ellerup’s attorney, Robert Macedonio, she and the couple’s two children were unaware of his alleged double life.
Authorities charged Heuermann, a 59-year-old architect, with the murders of three women, Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Costello, and Megan Waterman. The victims’ bodies were discovered within a quarter-mile of each other along Ocean Parkway.
These three victims were among ten sets of human remains found at Gilgo Beach on the island between 2010 and 2011. The search for another missing woman, Shannan Gilbert, led to the discovery of these remains. Although police initially classified Gilbert’s death as an accidental drowning in a coastal marsh, her family has contested this assertion.
At the time of Heuermann’s indictment, prosecutors considered him a suspect in the death of a fourth woman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes. He has pleaded not guilty to the initial charges and is currently in custody under suicide watch.
The investigation continues.
