What we know about Gilgo Beach killings suspect Rex Heuermann

MASSAPEQUA PARK, N.Y. (WPIX) — Officials in New York have arrested Rex Heuermann, a 59-year-old architect from Long Island, in connection with a string of killings known as the Gilgo Beach murders.

Heuermann was arrested Thursday night near his New York City office, police said.

Here’s what we know about Rex Heuermann

The suspect grew up on Long Island, according to a 2022 interview he conducted with Bonjour Realty, and lived in Massapequa Park his whole life, according to local news outlet News 12. Neighbors told the outlet he has a wife and two children.

Heuermann worked on construction and renovation projects in New York City. An employee of his, Damien Richards, told NewsNation affiliate WPIX Heuermann went into his office whenever he wasn’t working remotely on job sites and his daughter usually joined him at work.

“Depending on his day, like most bosses in this industry, when he’s having a good day he’s alright,” said Richards, who was hired to work for Hauermann in 2020. “But when not, he’s not the best person to be around … if he’s not having a good day.”

Richards said Heuermann was at his office on Thursday. He last spoke to him around 1 p.m.

Heuermann’s consulting firm worked with clients like Target, Nike, Burlington Coat Factory, Foot Locker and other large brand names, according to his website.

What is Rex Heuermann accused of?

In total, 10 bodies found in the Gilgo Beach area are believed to be connected to the case. Heuermann has been charged with first-degree murder in three of the deaths: Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello.

Defense attorney Michael Brown, who is representing Heuermann, said his client denied the accusations against him and told the lawyer he “didn’t do this.”

Police said Heuermann owns a first-generation Chevrolet Avalanche, which was seen by a witness to the disappearance of Costello.

Court documents outlining the case allege Heuermann set up an account on Tinder under an alias and used a burner phone to contact his victims.

Prosecutors said an email account associated with a burner phone connected to Heuermann was used to search for sex workers, torture-related pornography and child pornography.

Searches also allegedly included serial killers and the investigations into Barthelemy, Waterman, Costello and Maureen Brainard-Barnes, another victim identified by police during the Gilgo Beach search, according to court documents.

In addition, Heuermann looked up the task force created to find the Gilgo Beach serial killer, court documents said.

Heuermann is also accused of using Barthelemy’s cellphone to make taunting calls to one of her family members. Court documents stated the phone was in Midtown Manhattan during the calls, which is where Heuermann’s office is located.

Activity on Barthelemy’s cellphone also stopped when Heuermann traveled to Iceland in 2009, court documents said, but started up again when Heuermann returned to the U.S.

Court documents said Heuermann’s wife was out of the state during the disappearances of the three women.

Police made the connection to Heuermann after linking female hairs found on the victims to his wife. A Suffolk County Police detective recovered the hairs from 11 bottles Heuermann left out in a trash can on the curb.

They were also able to link a male hair found on Waterman to Heuermann after a surveillance team recovered a pizza box he threw out in Manhattan.