New York authorities have received a flood of evidence and information targeting the suspect charged in some of the Gilgo Beach murders since his arrest, the Suffolk County, Long Island district attorney told CNN on Monday.
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“We think we can prove three murders,” Ray Tierney said while appearing on CNN This Morning.
The 59-year-old suspect, Rex Heuermann, was arrested Thursday and charged with the murder of three of the “Gilgo Four”, the group of four women whose remains were unearthed near Gilgo Beach on Long Island between 2010 and 2011.
The man has pleaded not guilty to the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello.
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He is also the prime suspect in the 2007 disappearance and murder of a fourth woman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, according to a bail request from prosecutors, although he has not yet been charged in that case. case.
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“We are also confident that we will eventually be able to charge this fourth murder,” Tierney added. We have a description of the last individual who saw the latest victim, Amber Costello, alive.
It matches that of the accused, who has a rather unique physical appearance. We have phone evidence, and we also have this DNA evidence.”
Heuermann’s DNA was found on one body, and his wife’s DNA was found on two bodies, the Suffolk prosecutor added.
The Gilgo Four are “one of the most consequential homicide investigations” in Long Island history, according to police.
When asked if investigators expected to connect Heuermann to more victims, Assistant Police Commissioner Anthony Carter said “we continue to gather evidence, anything is possible.”
The multi-jurisdictional task force is now tracing the suspect’s years of activity, combing through tip lines and interviewing witnesses, Carter added.
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Authorities had Heuermann on their radar for more than a year as investigators gathered enough evidence to make an arrest. But they ultimately decided to arrest him on Thursday, fearing he had set his sights on another victim, Carter said.
“It was an adrenaline rush,” he said when he heard the arrest had finally taken place.
“I knew that person was a demon,” Carter said. The fact that we’re able to bring some closure and some peace to families as well as get a violent person off the streets is gratifying, I think, for everyone.”
The case began in 2010 when the search for a missing woman led to the unexpected discovery of the Gilgo Four – who were found tied up in camouflaged burlap along the same quarter-mile stretch of road.
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By the time authorities finally found Shannan Gilbert’s remains a year later, they had discovered a total of 11 sets of human remains along the south shore of Long Beach – all miles from Gilgo Beach.
A group of investigators involving multiple agencies was formed in early 2022 to re-examine them. Within weeks, he identified Heuermann as a possible suspect, according to Tierney. Investigators then began monitoring him and his family, surreptitiously harvesting DNA samples and analyzing his phone records to establish links.
Investigators have linked Heuermann to at least three of the murders using in part DNA evidence, phone records and credit card bills, authorities said.
Authorities whittled down thousands of cellphone tower records to a handful of people, then began zeroing in on residents who also matched a physical description provided by a witness who had seen the suspected killer.
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Heuermann matched the witness’s description, lived near the Long Island cell site and worked near the New York cell sites where other calls were captured, authorities said.
A key break in the case came when investigators were able to match DNA from a piece of male hair found on the burlap used to wrap Waterman’s body to a DNA sample taken from a scab of pizza that Heuermann had thrown in a garbage can in Manhattan in January.
Additionally, a review of the suspect’s computer revealed a history of at least 200 internet searches for information on the progress of Gilgo’s investigation, as well as compulsive searches for photos of the victims and their families. , said Tierney.
The files also included searches for violent pornography and depictions of women being abused, raped and killed, the prosecutor said.
Heuermann’s wife and two children were out of state at the time the three women were allegedly killed, Tsoierney said.
The suspect’s wife and children are cooperating with the investigation, according to Carter.
It describes the suspect’s alleged actions as “the worst case I have ever seen”.
The assistant police commissioner told CNN that Heuermann’s alleged actions are among the most troubling he has seen in his career.
“I can’t begin to imagine the pain these families have had to go through over the past decade and knowing that this demon was capable of doing such an evil act to these families, it’s just…it’s beyond the understanding.”
He did not refrain from describing Heuermann as a “demon” on several occasions.
“It’s really hard to get into the mind of someone who is capable of committing the crimes they’ve committed,” Carter said. He intended to commit these crimes. He intended to cover up these crimes, and the acts he committed are the worst I have ever seen”.
Heuermann, a licensed architect, lived in the village of Massapequa Park with his family – just across the bay from where the victims’ remains were found.