Rex Heuermann is a name that has sent shockwaves and dominated headlines: he's the man at the heart of one of the most chilling serial killer cases in recent history, as detailed in Netflix's new three-part docuseries, Gone Girls. Heuermann has been accused of perpetrating the Gilgo Beach murders, a series of unsolved crimes that haunted a quiet Long Island beach town for over a decade. These murders involved the discovery of multiple human remains along Ocean Parkway, with victims predominantly being women who were sex workers – the result of which has seen the authorities accused of dragging their feet with the case.
Commenting on this, Gone Girls director, Liz Garbus, said via Tudum, "These family members were never going to give up. These women knew that there was a need to shake [up] the establishment to get attention for this case. Of course, they shouldn’t have [had] to work so hard. The system should work to protect them and should’ve protected their family members. But at the end of the day, their voices really mattered." Four of the women were heartbreakingly known as the 'Gilgo Four': Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Lynn Costello, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes. Along with these four women, Heuermann has also been charged with the murders of Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla, and Valerie Mack. In total, he has been charged with seven counts of murder (three counts being in the first degree).
With the discovery of Costilla's remains, the police realized the case stretched all the way back to the 1990s. Heuermann's arrest marked a significant breakthrough, but it also raised countless questions about how someone seemingly so 'ordinary' could be connected to such a dark legacy. He has denied all the charges and pleaded not guilty on all counts. This is the story behind Rex Heuermann, his trial, and where he is now.
Who is Rex Heuermann?
Rex Heuermann wasn’t a name anyone expected to hear in connection with the Gilgo Beach murders. Born and raised in Long Island, he lived a relatively quiet life as an architect in the bustling city of New York. Heuermann owned a small architectural firm and was known for being a meticulous professional. To his neighbors and colleagues, he was just another middle-aged man with a steady job, wife, and a family. But as investigators would later reveal, there was far more to the story.
Heuermann first became a publicly known name following his arrest in July 2023, after the authorities linked him to the murders via DNA evidence and phone records. The media frenzy that followed painted Heuermann as a Jekyll-and-Hyde figure: a man who outwardly lived a mundane suburban life while allegedly harboring dark secrets.
A timeline of Rex Heuermann and the Gilgo Beach murders
May 2010 - Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker, vanishes after heading to meet a client in Oak Beach, near Gilgo Beach. Before disappearing, she called 911 in a panic – saying she thought someone was after her and trying to kill her – which led to the search that would later uncover the murders.
11 December 2010 - While searching for Shannan Gilbert, police discovered the skeletal remains of Melissa Barthelemy, a 24-year-old sex worker, along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach.
13 December 2010 - Two days later, three more sets of remains were found in the same area. They were later identified as Megan Waterman (22), Amber Lynn Costello (27), and Maureen Brainard-Barnes (25). It later came to light that all four bodies discovered belonged to sex workers who had gone missing between 2007 and 2010.
29 March 2011 - The search for more remains resumed. Police discovered partial remains of Jessica Taylor, a 20-year-old sex worker who had been missing since 2003. Some of her remains had been found eight years earlier in Manorville, about 45 miles away.
4 April 2011 - Three additional sets of remains were then uncovered. These included an unidentified Asian male believed to be in his late teens or early twenties, a toddler (later linked through DNA to another victim), and the partial remains of Valerie Mack, a sex worker whose other remains were also found in Manorville in 2000.
11 April 2011 - The remains of another unidentified woman, referred to as 'Jane Doe' or 'Peaches' (due to a tattoo on her left breast), were found. The toddler discovered earlier was determined to be her child. Her torso had been discovered in Hempstead Lake State Park in 1997 and further remains were discovered on 11 April 2011 in Jones Beach State Park (over 10 miles away).
December 2011 - Shannan Gilbert’s body was finally discovered in a marsh near Oak Beach, about half a mile from where she was last seen. Her death was ruled as accidental drowning, though her family and some experts believe she was also a victim of foul play.
March 2022 - Police revisited the case and began to suspect Rex Heuermann, after spotting a tip-off from a witness who said they saw one of Amber Lynn Costello's clients driving a green Chevrolet Avalanche the day before she was killed. The car is registered to Heuermann and when officers further looked into his phone records, they realized Heuermann had also been in contact with three victims.
July 2023 - Heuermann, a Long Island architect, was arrested and charged with the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Lynn Costello. He was also named the prime suspect in Maureen Brainard-Barnes's case. Evidence, such as DNA and cell phone records, linked him to the crimes.
16 January 2024 - Heuermann is indicted for the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes.
6 June 2024 - Heuermann is indicted for the murders of Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costilla.
17 December 2024 - Heuermann is charged with the murder of Valerie Mack.
What happened in Rex Heuermann’s trial?
Rex Heuermann’s case is currently still in the pre-trial stage, which involves evidence gathering, legal motions, and hearings as both the prosecution and defense prepare their cases. As of early April, it's reported that Heuermann's legal team is trying to have a particular method of DNA testing, which looks likely to connect him to seven of the victims, thrown out of court. Heuermann's lawyers say the hair-testing method is not appropriate for a forensic court of law, while the opposition is looking to convince that it holds weight. Authorities continue to investigate other potential connections between Heuermann and additional victims, which could also further complicate the case. The legal process is expected to be lengthy given the complexity and high-profile nature of the crimes. Families of the victims and the public remain eager for justice, but for now, no trial date has been set.
Where is Rex Heuermann now?
Shortly after he was arrested in 2023, Rex Heuermann's wife filed for divorce. He is currently being held at the Riverhead Correctional Facility in Suffolk County, New York, while waiting to hear when his trial will commence. Speaking to People in March 2025, Dr. Errol D. Toulon Jr, Suffolk County Sheriff, shared that Heuermann has "adjusted to jail life" since being behind bars, after an initial difficult adjustment period. "For the most part, it seems like this is his new normal," Toulon noted. "Initially, he appeared more overwhelmed by his surroundings. Over the past few months, life has shifted for him. He gets visits, makes phone calls, but remains isolated from the general population due to the nature of his alleged crimes. "He lived a double life, using the anonymity of technology to hide from society. Thankfully, his efforts to stay hidden ultimately failed."
