Rex Heuermann: Gilgo Beach murder suspect could be ‘target of violence’ in jailhouse attack
BABYLON, NEW YORK: The murder suspect of the infamous Gilgo Beach killings, Rex Heuermann could be a "major target" for inmates at the high-security New York jail where he's currently in solitary confinement, officials admitted, as per Daily Mail.
59-year-old accused serial killer Heuermann has spent most of his days since his July 2023 arrest in a small windowless cell at the Riverhead Jail as he awaits trial.
Rex Heuermann can be a 'target of violence'
Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D Toulon Jr told Newsday, "We have very good information that he would be a target of violence if he was not in a secure location."
"There was an individual that did say if he was able to get into close contact with him, 'I'm going to do something." He added, "Inmates in jail do not like inmates that abuse women, or children."
"'Because of the nature of his case, it's high-profile, it's incumbent to keep him safe because justice will be served in the courts and not in my jail."
Between 1996 and 2011, the remains of 11 people were found on Gilgo Beach, Long Island, and Heuermann is accused of being the serial killer behind four of the deaths. All of the known victims were sex workers who advertised on Craigslist.
According to Toulon, who oversees operations at the facilities in Yaphank and Riverhead, Heuermann has been housed in a special section with just one other prisoner, and the two do not interact.
What is Rex Heuermann's routine in jail?
The sheriff described Heuermann's daily routine to Newsday.
According to him, the Massapequa Park resident and former architectural consultant now gets up at six in the morning to eat breakfast in his cell and has the choice to take a shower.
Additionally, he has access to the jail's on-site barbershop, which explains Heuermann's recent change in hairstyle—a close crop on the sides with longer hair on top—when he appeared in court earlier this month.
"He does maintain his grooming standards", Toulon said. He added, "He's acclimated, I can tell you he's slimmed down a little bit. I don't know if it's our food. I know he's eating."
After that, Heuermann is handed a laptop so he can view court records or taken to the jail library, but he can only enter when there aren't any other prisoners there.
In addition, he gets access to books, newspapers, and 26 television stations. The alleged murderer revealed to Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei during a prior court appearance that he plans his defense by going over discovery materials from the prosecution for two to three hours every day. Toulon reports that Heuermann has not experienced any behavioral problems thus far.
"He's very compliant with all the directions that all the corrections officers and supervisors give him," the sheriff told Newsday.
The inmate's ex-wife, Asa Ellerup, who filed for divorce six days after he was arrested, has visited him in jail three times over the past six months, Toulon said, adding a mystery person who is not a relative has also visited him three times.
