After over a decade, legislation enforcement lastly caught the person believed to be the Lengthy Island serial killer accountable for the horrific deaths of three ladies discovered across the Gilgo Seashore space in New York. However what led investigators to the arrest? Apparently, a discarded pizza crust!
As we beforehand reported, Rex Heuermann was arrested on Thursday. He has since been charged with three counts of first-degree homicide within the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello. Though he has not been charged for the homicide of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, prosecutors mentioned he stays the “prime suspect” within the case because the investigation continues. As for a way Heuermann even grew to become a suspect in these instances?
Associated: Lady Arrested In Connection To Loss of life Of Robert De Niro’s Grandson
In response to NBC New York, Suffolk County District Lawyer Ray Tierney revealed on Friday that when investigative efforts into the Gilgo Seashore murders began up once more final yr, the 59-year-old architect develop into a most important focus within the case after a witness had seen his pickup truck the place a sufferer vanish in 2010:
“On March 14, 2022. the identify Rex was first talked about. A New York state investigator was capable of determine him in a database and from that time on we used the facility of the grand jury, over 300 subpoenas and search warrants, trying into this particular person’s background to convey us to today.”
In January, federal investigators had been then following Heuermann in Midtown Manhattan and noticed him toss a pizza field within the rubbish. They rapidly grabbed the field, which contained some leftover pizza crust inside. The crust was then swabbed and examined by a forensics lab. The DNA pattern ended up being a match to the hair that was found on the burlap wrapped across the physique of Megan Waterman.
However that wasn’t the one proof police had towards Heuermann. In response to investigators, all 4 homicide instances had a number of similarities to one another – together with the truth that the girl contacted somebody with a “burner” cellphone shortly earlier than they disappeared. Police tracked the burner cell telephones used to rearrange the meetups with the victims, together with taunting calls made to Barthelemy’s sister with the victims’ cell telephones. Cellphone calls had been tracked all the way down to areas round his dwelling in Lengthy Island and his workplace in Manhattan.
Throughout the investigation, legislation enforcement additionally regarded into his on-line search historical past – and what they discovered was disturbing. Prosecutors alleged in court docket paperwork that he repeatedly used one burner telephone to seek for photographs and data of his victims, intercourse staff, “sadistic, torture-related pornography,” and youngster pornography. WTF?! His electronic mail account particularly had over 200 searches between March 2022 and June 2023 about “associated to lively and recognized serial killers,” his alleged victims’ disappearances, and articles in regards to the Gilgo Seashore murders. One electronic mail account additionally confirmed a selfie of Heuermann that was “despatched to different individuals to solicit and prepare for sexual exercise.” See a few of the searches (under):
“Why might legislation enforcement not hint the calls made by lengthy island serial killer”
“why hasn’t the lengthy island serial killer been caught”
“FBI lively serial killers”
“Map of all recognized serial killers”
“8 Terrifying Lively Serial Killers (We Can’t Discover)”
“Mapping the Lengthy Island Homicide Victims”
“Contained in the Lengthy Island Serial Killer and Gilgo Seashore”
“In Lengthy Island serial killer investigation, new telephone expertise could also be key to interrupt in case”
Chilling particulars…
At the moment, Heuermann has pleaded not responsible to the crimes. He’s being held with no bail pending a bail software primarily based on the “excessive depravity of the allegations.” Little doubt we will anticipate extra proof to be revealed as this case progresses. Reactions to the newest, Perezcious readers? Tell us within the feedback under.
[Image via MEGA/WENN, CBS News/YouTube]
