Gilgo Beach serial murder suspect expected to change plea to guilty


Full story

The man charged will killing seven women in a series of murders that rocked Long Island’s Gilgo Beach area is expected to plead guilty, multiple sources report.

New York architect Rex Heuermann has maintained he was not guilty since his arrest in July 2023. He was scheduled to go on trial in September, but now, sources familiar with the matter say he’ll plead guilty during his next court appearance set for April 8.

QR code for SAN app download

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

Heuermann was initially charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello. Then in 2024, he was charged in four more killings dating back as far as 1993. Those victims have been identified as Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla and Valerie Mack.

REUTERS/Suffolk County Police Department/Handout

The evidence against Heuermann

Bodies were discovered in Long Island over the span of nearly 20 years, with the most recent discovery in 2011. The cases had long gone cold until in 2022, law enforcement identified a vehicle registered to Heuermann that had been flagged from a witness tip made at the time of Costello’s disappearance in 2010.

Investigators reportedly have cell phone records indicating Heuermann had been in touch with the victims and they say a search of his computer turned up a check-list, described as a blueprint of how to commit the murders and destroy evidence.

They also say DNA taken from a discarded pizza crust linked Heuermann to the murders. In September, a Suffolk County judge ruled that DNA evidence can be used in the trial, after Heuermann’s defense moved to block it.

Tags: , , , ,

SAN provides
Unbiased. Straight Facts.

Don’t just take our word for it.


Certified balanced reporting

According to media bias experts at AllSides

AllSides Certified Balanced May 2025

Transparent and credible

Awarded a perfect reliability rating from NewsGuard

100/100

Welcome back to trustworthy journalism.

Find out more

Why this story matters

A suspect in a series of murders spanning nearly two decades is expected to plead guilty, potentially resolving one of Long Island's longest-running unsolved cases without a trial.

Case resolution without trial

The scheduled September trial will not occur if the guilty plea proceeds as sources indicate on April 8.

DNA evidence admissibility confirmed

A judge ruled in September that DNA evidence linking the suspect to victims can be used in court proceedings.

Investigative methods validated

Law enforcement used vehicle records, cell phone data, computer searches and discarded DNA to build the case after decades.

SAN provides
Unbiased. Straight Facts.

Don’t just take our word for it.


Certified balanced reporting

According to media bias experts at AllSides

AllSides Certified Balanced May 2025

Transparent and credible

Awarded a perfect reliability rating from NewsGuard

100/100

Welcome back to trustworthy journalism.

Find out more

Daily Newsletter

Start your day with fact-based news

Start your day with fact-based news

Learn more about our emails. Unsubscribe anytime.