LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK: The Gilgo Beach murders accused Rex Heuermann reportedly asked jail staffers, "Is it in the news?" when he was being processed after his arrest on Thursday, July 13. New York-based architect, Heuermann, 59, has been arrested and charged for allegedly murdering three women, who worked as escorts, and was a prime suspect in the murder of a fourth. He reportedly asked about his newfound fame after being nabbed outside his Midtown offices.
A state police official stated that an investigator assigned to cold cases in February 2022 identified Heuermann as a suspect in just a month, which brought to light the alleged killer's purported need to hear about himself.
When was the first time Rex Heuermann's name came up?
State police Major Stephen Udice said at a press briefing on Monday, July 17, "This was the first time that Rex Heuermann's name had come up and the first time that he had been identified as a potential suspect," adding, "At that time, the task force worked as a team to move forward with that information, and the investigation ultimately confirmed that Rex Heuermann was, in fact, the individual responsible for, at minimum, the deaths of three women."
Beginning in 2010, a total of 11 bodies—mostly women—were discovered on the beach. After taking over as Suffolk County police commissioner in January 2022, former NYPD commander Rodney Harrison reopened the investigation, which was when the search for their killer or killers restarted. An senior investigator from Troop L was then instructed to concentrate just on the killings as a joint county and state task force was established.
Killer described as an 'ogre'
According to authorities, the trail led to Heuermann and his green Chevrolet Avalanche, which was recognized by one of the victims' pimp, who allegedly described the killer as a giant "ogre." Since his arrest, police have searched Heuermann's Massapequa Park house, removing up to 300 firearms, video equipment, and other items while looking for evidence.
Police also carried out a search warrant at a storage facility in Amityville that was connected to the murder suspect over the weekend. They were looking for body parts or "trophies" from the crimes. During his appearance on Friday, July 14, Heuermann entered a not-guilty plea and is being detained without bail at the Suffolk County Jail, per the New York Post.
The State Parks Department reportedly said that Heuermann had previously worked at Jones Beach in Nassau County, LI. A statement from the department read, "Rex Heuermann was a seasonal employee at Jones Beach State Park in [the] summer of 1981 and from 3/05/82 through 10/24/84. We have no further comment."
