Thursday, October 1, 2026
Rex Heuermann admitted to being the Gilgo Beach serial killer today in Riverhead and murdering seven women: Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman, Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla, and Valerie Mack, along Ocean Parkway between 1993 and 2011. He strangled six of the women.
He also admitted to killing Karen Vergata, who disappeared in 1996. Her legs were found in a plastic bag on Fire Island after she went missing and her skull was found west of Tobay Beach off Ocean Parkway in 2011.
Heuermann is expected to be sentenced to three consecutive sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole for klling Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Costello and Megan Waterman.
He is also expected to be sentenced to a consecutive sentence of 100 years to life in prison killing Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Sandra Costilla, Valerie Mack and Jessica Taylor. He will be sentenced in June 17.
Said he strangled Costello on Sept. 2, 2010.
Admitted to strangling Waterman on June 6, 2010.
He admitted to meeting Barthelemy on July 10, 2009 and strangling her.
On July 9, 2007, strangled Brainard-Barnes.
Heuermann admitted to strangling and dismembering Taylor around July 23, 2003.
Between Sept. 1 and Nov. 1 2000, he admitted to strangling and dismembering Mack in Manorville and by Gilgo.
In October 1996, he strangled and dismembered Vergata at Blue Point Beach, Heuermann said.
Said he strangled Costilla on Nov. 19, 1993.
The suspected person was tagged with the infamous nickname — the Gilgo Beach killer. Heuermann became the human embodiment of the moniker when he was arrested in July 2023.
“Massapequa Park is a strong, resilient community, said Massapequa Park Village Mayor Dan Pearl. “This case cast a long shadow, but it does not define who we are. Today bring a measure of closure and we move forward together with strength, unity and compassion.”
In January, Heuermann appeared before state Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei in Riverhead, as his attorneys filed a 178-page omnibus motion asking for multiple forms of legal relief, including dismissing a second-degree murder charge in the 1993 death of Sandra Costilla, and inspecting grand jury minutes to determine whether the evidence presented was legally sufficient.
He previously pleaded not guilty, and his attorneys had mounted a broad challenge to the prosecution’s case.
At earlier court proceedings, the defense focused heavily on disputing key forensic evidence, particularly DNA analysis that prosecutors say links Heuermann to the victims.
Defense attorneys argued that the testing methods and conclusions should be closely examined, raising questions about how the evidence was collected and interpreted.
They also challenged other elements of the investigation, signaling an effort to weaken the overall case against Heuermann and lay the groundwork for a possible trial.
Prosecutors, however, hadmaintained that the evidence is strong, citing a combination of DNA findings, cell phone data and years of investigative work that led to Heuermann’s arrest.
In September, Suffolk County Supreme Court Judge Tim Mazzei ruled that accused Heuermann would face one trial for his seven alleged murders.
“Everyone is thrilled this is over,” said longtime Massapequa Park resident John O’Brien. “When this first happened, this place (Massapequa Park) was a madhouse; you could not get through certain streets. I am happy that he pleaded guilty and the case is over now.”
Carolyn James contributed to this story.
