Rex Heuermann, a 59-year-old architect and father of two, has been arrested as the prime suspect of the notorious Gilgo Beach murders that took place on Long Island, US media reported. The shocking revelation stunned the community, including actor Billy Baldwin, who was surprised to learn that Heuermann was his former high school classmate.
Heuermann filed a not guilty plea through his court appointed attorney Michael Brown, but was remanded without bail. His next court date is scheduled for August 1.
Brown said Heuermann told him "I did not do this," during their conversation after his arrest, adding that the latter was in tears following detention.
According to an American daily newspaper report, Heuermann was raised in a home on 1st Avenue, located directly across the bay from where the remains of 11 bodies were discovered between 2010 and 2011. He is the owner and founder of the Manhattan-based architectural firm, RH Consultants and Associates.
The suspect's wife, Asa Ellerup, is of Icelandic origin, according to reports. Heuermann's first wife, Elizabeth Ryan, whom he married at a young age, was described as a business administration graduate. Heuermann's 26-year-old daughter, Victoria, was listed as a member of his architectural team on the company's website. Neighbors spoke positively of Heuermann's son, who is partially disabled. Some sources suggested he may have been his stepson. The community described the boy as polite and kind.
"We spoke frequently, every day. And his kid is a nice kid, a special needs kid... The guy's been quiet. Never really bothers anybody," said Heuermann's next-door neighbor Etienne DeVilliers, a retired New York City firefighter as quoted by CBS.
Heuermann's arrest came after investigators matched his DNA, obtained from a discarded pizza crust, to hair found on victim Megan Waterman, as stated by US media. He was taken into custody, after both his home in Massapequa Park and his office in Manhattan were surveilled.
He was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and other related charges. Additional information provided during his bail application revealed disturbing details about his alleged crimes, including the use of burner phones, menacing phone calls, and explicit online searches, as revealed in US media publications.
John Ray, an attorney representing the family of one of the victims, expressed relief that an arrest had been made after years of frustration. The community and authorities are now hoping for justice to be served in these long-standing unsolved cases.
"We’re pleased if they actually managed to find somebody that can be tagged for this," said Ray, as quoted by The New York Post.