Gilgo Beach Murder Suspect Rex Heuermann Anticipated to Enter Guilty Plea in Connection to Eight Women’s Deaths

In a development that has captured the attention of New York and beyond, Rex Heuermann, the man suspected of being the Gilgo Beach serial killer, is anticipated to plead guilty today in connection with the murder of an eighth woman. This information comes from multiple reliable sources.

Previously accused of the murders of seven women, Heuermann’s charges are set to expand with the inclusion of Karen Vergata’s murder, increasing the total number of his alleged victims to eight.

Karen Vergata was a 34-year-old resident of Manhattan who vanished in 1996. At the time of her disappearance, it was believed she was working as an escort. For years, she was known only as “Fire Island Jane Doe” after her legs and feet were discovered on the Bay Side of Fire Island in April 1996.

It wasn’t until fifteen years later that more of Vergata’s remains were found at Tobay Beach, shedding light on the grim puzzle that investigators had tried to piece together.

The alleged timeline of Heuermann’s crimes stretches from 1993 to 2010. Despite the charges, he has consistently professed his innocence since being taken into custody in July 2023.

District Attorney Ray Tierney posted on social media on Tuesday, saying there would be a “Major Development in the Gilgo Beach Homicide investigation.”

Heuermann, an architect who worked in New York City, was arrested in 2023. He had pleaded not guilty to killing the seven women, some of whom were sex workers.

The first victim was Sandra Costilla, killed in 1993. Mack was killed in 2000 and Jessica Taylor was killed in 2003. Partial remains of Taylor and Mack were found near Gilgo Beach and in Manorville on Long Island, while Costilla was found in North Sea on Long Island.

Maureen Brainard-Barnes was killed in 2007 and found near Gilgo Beach. Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy and Amber Lynn Costello were killed between 2009 and 2010 and also recovered near Gilgo Beach.

Ahead of today’s pivotal court appearance, Benjamin Torres, the son of victim Valerie Mack, also filed a wrongful death lawsuit in the case.

His lawsuit targets Heuermann, along with his ex-wife and daughter.

“Anybody who’s ever lived in a home with a family, especially a tiny little home like that, is not going to tell me or anybody else that if those slaughters were taking place in the basement, that noises, smells, stains and the like, would not have been noticed,” Torres’ attorney John Ray said.

Heuermann’s ex-wife, Asa Ellerup, and his daughter, Victoria Heuermann, say they had no idea anything was amiss. We spoke with their attorney yesterday:

“The Rex Heuermann (Ellerup) knows she did not believe was capable of these crimes,” attorney Robert Macedonio said.

Macedonio also stated that Victoria was too young at the time of the murders to have known anything was amiss.

“The homicide happened someplace in the spring or summer of 2000. Victoria Heuermann was 3 years old, how anybody could stretch a lawsuit, the factual pattern to fit any kind of liability on a 3-year-old is beyond me, attorney Robert Macedonio said. “It’s reckless. It’s irresponsible and it borders on malpractice.”

The family is expected to appear in court later this morning as Rex Heuermann faces a judge.

If he takes the plea deal, he could spend the rest of his life behind bars.

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