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A judge has ruled that prosecutors may use DNA evidence obtained through advanced methods in the upcoming trial for Rex Heuermann, the alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer who’s accused of murdering seven women.
The decision, made on Wednesday by Suffolk County Judge Tim Mazzei in Riverside, New York, allows the district attorney on the case to present DNA evidence generated by Astrea Forensics, a California lab, the Associated Press reported.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney took a victory lap, according to the AP, saying, “We were able to prevail for one simple reason: The science was on our side.”
But Heuermann’s defense team, led by attorney Michael Brown, swiftly filed a motion to block the evidence on new grounds that differed from their earlier objections.
The defense asserted that the DNA evidence violates New York public health law that states a for-profit lab cannot submit evidence in criminal cases in the state, according to NBC News.
Mazzei said he will rule on the defense’s latest DNA-related motion on September 23, the AP reported. At that time, he will also rule on the defense’s request for multiple trials for the different victims.
The lack of consensus from both sides on allowable evidence and the number of trials has delayed setting a trial date for Heuermann, who is featured in the Peacock documentary The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets, now in rotation on Oxygen and streaming on Peacock.
What does advanced DNA refer to in the Gilgo Beach case?
Astrea Forensics uses new techniques to analyze old and highly degraded DNA samples, like the ones collected from the bodies of the victims in the Gilgo Beach case, according to NBC News.
This type of evidence involves whole genome sequencing, which analyzes entire DNA to identify unique genetic profiles.
Prosecutors have said the DNA links hairs from six of the seven victims in the case to Heuermann, his wife, and daughter, ABC News reported.
Mazzei’s decision pertained only to the whole genome analysis conducted by Astrea Forensics on highly degraded hair fragments recovered from some of the victims’ remains, the AP reported.
The California lab’s genome sequencing was called into question previously by the defense because the company’s techniques have never been used as evidence before in New York.
Brown contested the admissibility of this type of DNA evidence. He has argued that the technique lacks general acceptance in the scientific community, as previously reported.
While it is somewhat rare in criminal forensics, the technique has been used in a wide range of scientific breakthroughs for years, the AP reported.
Mazzei’s ruling Wednesday means DNA evidence identified through this process can be used in New York state in the future, NBC News 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.
Their remains were found in and around the Gilgo Beach 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.
He’s in custody at the Riverhead Correctional Facility in Suffolk County as he awaits trial.
