LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK: Suffolk County prosecutors reportedly want to collect more DNA evidence in their case against the Gilgo Beach murders suspect, Rex Heuermann. They have asking the court to grant permission to obtain a cheek swab from the suspect. On Monday, July 31, the DA's office sought a "buccal swab" from Heuermann, who is accused of killing three women whose remains were discovered on Gilgo Beach, Long Island, in December 2010, according to Newsday.
The DA's office stated in documents submitted to Suffolk County Criminal Court in Riverhead that investigators sought to compare DNA from Heuermann's cheek with DNA found in the pizza crust and the napkin he threw in front of his Manhattan office in January. The 59-year-old is still in custody despite the fact that the prosecution has given over reams of evidence that will reportedly take months to evaluate, including thousands of pages, pictures, videos, DNA samples and hours of surveillance, as per CBS.
Why do lawyers want Rex Heuermann's DNA swab?
In an effort to find additional evidence connecting Heuermann to the murders, prosecutors are asking the court to grant permission for a DNA cheek swab of the suspect. According to court documents obtained by the Daily News, they want a more comprehensive DNA test that includes a sample from inside the suspect's cheek.
The body of one of the victims, Megan Waterman, 22, was found with a hair that had a DNA match with Heuermann, and the prosecution is now hunting for additional proof, Newsday reported. "If the defendant’s DNA from a buccal swab sample matches the mitochondrial DNA profile developed from Megan Waterman’s remains, there is scientific evidence of the defendant’s contact not only with Ms. Waterman and where her remains were discovered, but also with the burlap utilized to restrain and transport her human remains," Assistant District Attorney Michelle Haddad stated, adding, "Specifically, it is expected this information would provide further relevant evidence of the defendant’s identity as the perpetrator of these crimes."
What have the investigators discovered so far?
The DNA profile made from the pizza crust and napkin matches the DNA profile made from the hair found in the "bottom of the burlap" that was used to wrap and transport Waterman's body during the Gilgo murder investigation by 99.96%, according to the court document, per Daily News. However, without a sample obtained directly from Heuermann, forensic scientists would only be able to refer to the pizza crusts and napkin as "purported to be used/touched" by the suspect, according to the affidavit filed by Haddad.
