Chilling Gilgo murders evidence could tie another victim to suspect, says ex-cop
There could be enough chilling evidence in the Gilgo Beach murders case to tie suspect Rex Heuermann to another victim, says an ex-cop.
The mysterious disappearance of a young woman in 2010 and the subsequent search uncovered the remains of 10 people in the Gilgo Beach area, all believed to be victims of an alleged serial killer dubbed the Craigslist Ripper. The finds shocked the local community and for years there were few answers until police announced earlier this year a suspect had been arrested.
Heuermann, a 59-year-old architect from Massapequa Park, around 30 minutes away from Gilgo Beach, was arrested for three out of four murders. Heuermann pleaded not guilty to the murders of Megan Waterman, 22, Melissa Barthelemy, 24, and Amber Costello, 27.
He also remains the prime suspect for the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, aged 25. Brainard-Barnes was found restrained by three leather belts with a female hair found on the buckle of one belt - consistent with DNA from Heuermann's now-estranged wife, Asa Ellerup.
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The mysterious disappearance of a young woman in 2010 and the subsequent search uncovered the remains of 10 people in the Gilgo Beach area, all believed to be victims of a serial killer (Getty Images)Now a former New York Police Department Commanding Officer has said there is compelling evidence to pin Brainard-Barnes' murder on Heuermann. Joe Giacalone told the U.S Sun: "I think the fourth person will be added to the case, Maureen Brainard-Barnes. I think the Gilgo Four, I think it'll get tied to that. I think they're going to prosecute that while they're investigating other cases. The DNA evidence is compelling in that case."
Maureen Brainard-Barnes was last seen July 9, 2007 in her room at the Super 8 Hotel in midtown Manhattan. She'd left her home in Norwich, Connecticut, to meet a client booked through Craigslist, however she was robbed outside the hotel and decided to return home.
Melissa Barthelemy, top left, Amber Costello, top right, Megan Waterman, bottom left, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes (AP)Her last known phone call was to her sister, Missy, from Penn Station. She was reported missing on July 14, 2007, and her body was found December 13, 2010 beside Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach - she had been strangled.
Different parts of other six bodies were found at different times, often years apart. In March 2011, the partial remains of 20-year-old Jessica Taylor were found near Gilgo Beach. Other remains of the poor woman had been discovered eight years earlier and 40 miles away in Manorville, New York. Days later, three more sets of remains were found along Ocean Parkway.
Heuermann is an architect accused of murdering at least three women and leaving their bodies along a remote stretch of coastline near Long Island (AP)They were identified as 24-year-old Valerie Mack, whose partial remains had also been found in Manorville years earlier. The body of an unidentified toddler was found near Ms Mack.
Police also discovered the skeletal remains of an unidentified Asian person believed to be 17 to 23 years old. In April 2011, two more sets of partial remains were found. Firstly a woman who is believed to be the mum of the toddler found the week before. Part of her body had been previously discovered in Hempstead Lake State Park in 1997.
Authorities search the home of suspect Rex Heuermann (AP)The second was the skull of a woman who was linked to remains found on Fire Island in 1996. Investigators have been unable to determine who is responsible for all of the deaths, or whether a lone serial killer or several suspects were involved. Over the years, they’ve said it is unlikely one person killed all the victims.
The officially linked victims are: Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Costello, Jessica Taylor, Valerie Mack, an unnamed Asian Doe, Baby Doe, an African-American woman given the name 'Peaches' and the Fire Island Jane Doe. Possibly connected cases include: Shannan Gilbert, Andre Isaac, Jacqueline Smith, a victim given the name 'Cherries', Tanya Rush, an Asian Jane Doe and Tina Foglia.
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