Gilgo Beach murders: Cops trailed Rex Heurmann's daughter, collected her drink can for DNA evidence
SUFFOLK COUNTY, NEW YORK: The daughter of accused Long Island Serial Killer Rex Heuermann has become a significant focal point in the investigation into the infamous Gilgo Beach murders.
New court documents reveal that investigators trailed Heuermann's daughter, Victoria, and utilized a discarded drink can to gather crucial DNA evidence.
Rex Heuermann has been linked to the killing of Maureen Brainard-Barnes
As Heuermann, 59, faces charges for a fourth murder in connection to the Gilgo Beach investigation, shocking details emerge about the police's extensive efforts. The photograph of Victoria, obscured in the court documents, was taken as she boarded a Long Island Rail Road train.
The revelation comes as Suffolk County prosecutors file new charges against Heuermann for the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, one of the victims found near Gilgo Beach in 2010. Brainard-Barnes had disappeared three years earlier in 2007.
The Gilgo Four, as they were known in media reports, remained unsolved for years until last summer when Heuermann, an architect from Massapequa Park, was arrested. Initially charged with three murders, the 59-year-old has become the prime suspect in Brainard-Barnes' murder, believed to be the first victim among the Gilgo Four.
Gilgo Beach murders victims' tragic fates
The tragic discoveries at Gilgo Beach include the remains of Megan Waterman, Amber Lynn Costello, Melissa Barthelemy, and Shannan Gilbert, who went missing in 2010. The circumstances surrounding these deaths are still under investigation.
Heuermann's estranged wife, Asa Ellerup, and their children were reportedly out of town at the time of the murders. The suspect has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The investigation into the Gilgo murders has revealed not only the alleged crimes but also a series of disturbing revelations about Heuermann's personal and online activities.
Rex Heuermann's disturbing online activity
Court documents indicate the use of burner phones and online aliases linked to the suspect, including a disturbing email account associated with violent pornography searches.
Apart from a variety of explicit content involving teenagers and bondage, the court documents reveal unsettling searches such as "autopsy photos of females," "medieval torture of women," "how I was raped audio," and "stories of rape audio," The Sun reported.
Despite the extensive evidence presented against Heuermann, his wife's attorney, Bob Macedonio, asserts that "Asa Ellerup and her children were not involved, even in the jurisdiction, when these murders took place."
Heuermann is expected to return to court on February 6 as authorities continue their probe into the haunting Gilgo Beach murders, leaving a community on edge and seeking justice for the victims.
