A man convicted of killing eight women in Long Island has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Rex Heuermann, a former architect, received multiple life sentences for the murders, which he admitted involved strangulation and dismemberment. The sentencing took place at a courthouse where grieving families delivered emotional statements.
Judge's Remarks and Victim Impact Statements
Judge Timothy Mazzei addressed Heuermann directly, calling him a 'disgusting, despicable and small man, and you are a coward.' District Attorney Ray Tierney described Heuermann as a 'remorseless and sadistic serial killer who only cares about himself.' The courtroom was filled with family members of the victims, who shared their pain and loss.
Melissa Cann, sister of victim Maureen Brainard-Barnes, confronted Heuermann in court, stating: 'You are a coward who preyed on vulnerable, innocent women behind a mask, a man without empathy, without a soul, who hunted tortured and murdered women.' Liliana Waterman, daughter of Megan Waterman, was only three years old when her mother disappeared. She told the court: 'The damage he caused extends far beyond the day he committed this crime. Today's proceedings do not erase what happened, and nothing ever will. But today brings accountability.'
The Victims and Timeline
Heuermann pleaded guilty to the murders of seven women and admitted killing an eighth between 1993 and 2010. The victims were Melissa Barthelemy, 24; Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25; Amber Costello, 27; Sandra Costilla; Valerie Mack; Jessica Taylor; Karen Vergata; and Megan Waterman, 22. Barthelemy, Waterman, and Costello, who were sex workers, disappeared in 2009 and 2010. Their bodies were discovered on Gilbo Beach in 2010, bound with head, midsection, and legs tied together. Heuermann was charged with Brainard-Barnes' murder in 2024 after detectives linked him to the killings.
The bodies of Taylor, Costilla, and Mack were found in a beachside park, leading investigators to Heuermann. Key evidence included his dark-green Chevrolet, which matched a witness description, phone records showing contact with three victims, and DNA linking him to burlap used to bind one victim. A pizza box discarded by Heuermann provided critical DNA from a leftover crust that matched a hair on the burlap around Waterman's body.
Timeline of Murders
- November 20, 1993 – Sandra Costilla found dead, earliest known victim.
- 2000 – Valerie Mack goes missing; partial remains later found in Manorville and near Gilbo Beach.
- July 26, 2003 – Jessica Taylor found dismembered in Manorville; further remains discovered in 2011.
- 2007 – Maureen Brainard-Barnes disappears after contact from a burner phone.
- July 2009 – Melissa Barthelemy disappears; her sister receives taunting calls from Melissa's phone.
- May 1, 2010 – Shannan Gilbert disappears after a 911 call; not linked to Heuermann.
- June 6, 2010 – Megan Waterman last seen leaving a hotel in Hauppauge.
- September 2, 2010 – Amber Lynn Costello disappears after meeting an 'ogre-like' client.
- December 2010 – Police discover remains of 'The Gilgo Four'.
- May 2011 – Number of remains rises to 10.
- December 2011 – Shannan Gilbert's remains found.
- 2022 – New task force revisits case, focuses on burner phones and Chevrolet Avalanche.
- January 2023 – DNA recovered from pizza crust discarded by Heuermann.
- July 13, 2023 – Heuermann arrested.
- June 2024 – Charged with murders of Sandra Costilla and Jessica Taylor.
- December 2024 – Charged with murder of Valerie Mack.
- April 8, 2026 – Heuermann pleads guilty to seven murders and admits an eighth.
