NY architect charged in Long Island murders that sparked documentary on Gilgo Beach cold case

A New York architect is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of three women found over a decade ago in what are known as the Gilgo Beach murders on Long Island, according to court records unsealed Friday.

Detectives said a key break in the case against the suspect, Rex Heuermann, 59, came when they matched DNA from a pizza he ate to a male hair found on the one of the woman’s remains.

The bodies of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello were found wrapped in burlap days apart from each other in 2010. Another woman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, was also found wrapped in burlap at the time. He has not been charged with her murder, but he is the "prime suspect in her death," authorities said Friday.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Rex Heuermann is a demon that walks among us – a predator that ruined families,” Suffolk County police Commissioner Rodney Harrison said. “If not for the members of this task force, he would still be out on the streets today.”

Heuermann, who has lived for decades across a bay from where the remains were found, pleaded not guilty to three counts each of first- and second-degree murder. Authorities said at least 10 bodies were discovered in the same relative area over 10 years ago. Heuermann is not charged in most of the deaths but police said the investigation is continuing.

"This is a watershed event in this case," Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said at a news conference Friday afternoon. He said Heuermann was surprised when he was arrested.

"We are going to convict him and we are going to hold him responsible for what he did in this case," he said.

The case, which has long stumped investigators, has attracted national attention for years and was the subject of the 2020 Netflix film "Lost Girls." Eleven sets of human remains were found on a stretch of highway in Suffolk County after police began searching for Shannon Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker who vanished in 2010 after leaving a client's house in Oak Beach.

Most of the victims were young women who had been sex workers. Several of the bodies were found near Gilgo Beach, in Babylon, N.Y. Last year, an interagency task force was formed with investigators from the FBI, as well as state and local police departments, aimed at solving the case.

In March, detectives tailing Heuermann recovered his DNA from pizza crust in a box that he discarded in a Manhattan trash can and matched it to a hair found on a restraint used in the killings, authorities said.

“This is a day that is a long time in coming, and hopefully a day that will bring peace to this community and to the families — peace that has been long overdue,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

Tierney said the investigation is ongoing, and a task force is going to "continue and work and investigate and try and get a small measure of closure for all of the victims."

Here's what we know about the case, the suspect and the victims.

Who is Rex Heuermann?

Heuermann is the owner and founder of a Manhattan architecture firm, RH Consultants and Associates, according to his LinkedIn page and the company's website. He has permits for 92 guns and "a very large safe for which guns are kept," Tierney said during a press conference on Friday.

Court records show Tierney signed a document asking a judge to deny Heuermann's bail application based on:

• "The serious, heinous nature of these serial murders, the planning and forethought that went into these crimes;"

• "Recent searches for sadistic materials, child pornography, images of the victims and their relatives, counter-surveillance conducted online as to the criminal investigation, his use of fictitious names, burner email and cellphone accounts, and his access to and history of possessing firearms;"

• The "strength of the People’s case;"

• The "length of incarceration the defendant faces upon conviction;" and

• The "extended period of time that this Defendant was able to avoid apprehension."

Where was Rex Heuermann arrested?

Heuermann was taken into custody in Massapequa, New York, late Thursday and investigators were at a home connected to the case on Friday.

According to neighbors, the small red house they raided belonged to a family that had long kept to themselves, the AP reported. The house, which was in a state of disrepair, seemed out of place in the small community with neat rows of houses with well-kept lawns.

Tierney said on Friday the cause of death was homicidal violence, and due to the length of time and environment, there was not a lot that could be done to determine if there was a weapon used in the case.

Who were the victims?

Human remains of at least 10 bodies in the case were found by police. Among them were Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, Megan Waterman, 22, Melissa Barthelemy, 24, and Amber Lynn Costello, 27 – who are known as the "Gilgo 4."

The other victims included Jessica Taylor, 20, a "Jane Doe No. 7," a "John Doe," a "Jane Doe No. 3" who was called "Peaches” because of a tattoo, and a "Baby Doe."

When did the 'Gilgo 4' disappear?

The four women who make up the 'Gilgo 4' were found when police were searching for 24-year-old Shannon Gilbert, a sex worker from New Jersey, in December 2010. The women went missing between July 2007 and Sept. 2010. All of them were "believed to be working a sex worker" when they disappeared, court records showed. Each of them communicated with burner cell phones beforehand, court records show.

Waterman, 22, was last seen in Hauppauge, New York before she died, court records show. She disappeared on June 6, 2010.

Barthelemy, 24, was last seen in New York City before she died, court records show. She disappeared on July 10, 2009.

Costello, 27, was last seen at American Avenue in West Babylon before she died, court records show. She disappeared on Sept. 2, 2010.

Brainard-Barnes, 25, was living in Norwich, Connecticut and last seen in New York City before she died, court records shows. She disappeared on July 9, 2007.

Heuermann's wife was out of town for the disappearances of Barthelemy, Waterman and Costello, according to court documents.

'Lost Girls' movie is based on Gilgo Beach murders

The case inspired the Netflix drama "Lost Girls," starring Amy Ryan, Thomasin McKenzie and Gabriel Byrne. The movie, directed by Liz Garbus, was based on the book "Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery," written by Robert Kolker.

"Lost Girls" premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, according to Deadline, and was released the same year on Netflix.

Contributing: Associated Press

Contact Kayla Jimenez at kjimenez@usatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter at @kaylajjimenez.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rex Heuermann ID'd in Long Island Gilgo Beach murders as suspect