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Rex Heuermann, the accused Gilgo Beach serial killer, faces multiple charges related to the deaths of seven women whose remains were found in that area of Long Island between 1993 and 2011.
Heuermann, 61, was arrested on July 13, 2023, and he has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Now in custody at the Riverhead Correctional Facility in Suffolk County, New York, as Forbes reported, he awaits trial there.
The start date for Heuermann’s trial is one of many intriguing matters covered in Peacock’s three-part documentary The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets, which begins streaming on June 10. The three-hour series goes inside the suspect’s home for the first time.
When does Rex Heuermann’s trial begin in the Gilgo Beach serial killer case?
The court has not yet set an official trial date because lawyers on both sides are still arguing over key details. The complexity of the case, due in part to its multiple victims and DNA evidence, has had a major impact on nailing down the timeline.
In March, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said that the case against Heuermann — an architect, husband, and father of two who lived in Massapequa Park on Long Island, New York — was “heading toward the trial phase,” 6abc.com reported.
What is Rex Heuermann charged with?
Heuermann is charged with the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Costello, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla, and Valerie Mack.
The prosecution’s case involves evidence including cellphone records, surveillance footage, and DNA analysis. Significantly, DNA from hair found at a crime scene was matched to Heuermann through whole genome sequencing. Tierney has maintained the DNA science is sound, according to the Associated Press. But the defense has contested the admissibility of this kind of DNA evidence, arguing that the technique lacks general acceptance in the scientific community.
What else is holding up the Gilgo Beach serial killer trial?
Heuermann’s defense team has also requested separate trials for each murder, pointing to differences in the timing, killing methods, and other circumstances of the crimes.
They contend that the murders have varying timelines and circumstances and that consolidating them could prejudice the jury.
Michael Brown, Heuermann’s attorney, has said that his client risks being improperly convicted because of the “cumulative effect” of the evidence, according to the AP.
Tierney’s office opposes separate trials. Prosecutors argue that the cases share common elements, including victim profiles and methods of operation found on Heuermann’s computer that suggest a serial killing pattern they have described as a “blueprint.”
Setting a trial date for Heuermann hinges on resolving key disputes between prosecution and defense, including DNA evidence admissibility and whether the case should be split into separate trials.
Watch Peacock’s The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets, streaming in full on June 10, to learn much more about the case.
