Gilgo Beach LISK Serial Killer, Rex Heuermann, charged with 6 murders, July 2023 #12

[fred&edna]

I wonder if any pics were shared via XXXXXX sites, other snuff sickos, etc?

 

[Mountain_Kat]

It is very easy to do now either with a scanner or simply taking a photo of something with your phone.

Was it easy back then ?

 

[jmk59]

Was it easy back then ?

'96 was Win3.1, dial-up modems, cell phones were size of bricks - so very slowwwww

 

[GoBuckeyes]

DS is the man who shared the apartment with Amber Costello. DS reported the ogre-looking man, driving the dark green Chevy Avalanche, who picked Amber up just before she disappeared.

@justk -- Even if RH had been discovered in 2011, would the technology have been advanced enough to convict him? The important DNA testing, especially, is available only recently as DNA testing and understanding was in its infancy. DNA itself was only discovered in 1953, but testing actually began in the 1970s-80s.

The History of DNA Testing: From Discovery to Modern Applications

Probing into our past, predicting our future, and uncovering the mysteries of life, DNA testing has revolutionized the world in ways that Watson and Crick, discoverers of the double helix structure, might never have envisioned back in 1953. An article on the subject reveals that from informing...

thednatests.com

Cell phone technology and tracking as well as computer technology are also much evolved from 2011. If the cases were investigated then, would there have been enough to convict him?

Bittrolff was convicted based on his DNA being on the bodies. Did you note that the hair on Sandra Costilla was sent for comparison to Bittrolff's but came back as not a match? Because it matched RH's.

As for his conviction, this morning Sarge Joe noted that in addition to the DNA Bittrolff was convicted because his brother Timothy testified that he had helped John Bittrolff dispose of one of the bodies.
Pretty much convicts JB in my mind.

Only, that was under the Thomas Spota (2002-2017 as DA) and James Burke era -- I do wonder if there's any chance Spota had leverage to coerce the brother into testifying . . . yep, just googled it. Timothy was discovered a partial match for the DNA because Timothy's DNA was taken after he violated an Order of Protection, per the Wikipedia article on John.

My distrust of Spota and Burke makes me wonder . . .

I think you are right to wonder! Spota and Burke are real pieces of work. MOO

 

[Betty P]

I'm thinking something like that. But he kept at least some film as the post upthread shows LE looking at pieces of film at his house.

He made a list but apparently didn't follow all the steps all the time.

jmo

Unless he had his own dark room, he'd be taking a big risk sending those kinds of photos to a commercial lab. It's one of those questions we won't learn the answer to until trial.

With two new murders added, Rex's defense attorney is going to have a mountain of discovery to review. I wonder how they court is going to organize this? Try all the murder cases at once or focus on just a few, where they have the most witnesses and evidence?

 

[Artis]

Does he have a hunting cabin or blind he's adapted?
He has a boat doesn't he did he have a boat house?

Wasn't there something about having a place in North Carolina?

 

[loveplace]

'96 was Win3.1, dial-up modems, cell phones were size of bricks - so very slowwwww

My very first cellphone in 1996 was a Nokia 1610 and it was much smaller than a brick and flatbed scanners to convert photos to digital images were becoming popular in the early 1990's. The internet was unrecognizable to now though and dial up was still so slow.

 

[Forest_Wood]

When it comes to technology, I have an IQ of 2 (and that's being generous). How would that work, exactly ? I understand scanners, but how do you transfer a physical pic to a computer file ?

ETA: Sorry if that's a stupid question.

Not a stupid question at all!
Back then, a scanner would be attached to your computer through a cable. You'd put the physical photo on the scanner, the scanner took a picture of the photo (similar to what an old photocopier would do), and the scanner would create an identical digital file (electronic file) from the photo. Then you would upload or transfer that digital file to your computer through a modem. Once it was uploaded to your computer, you could view the digital photo on your screen instead of having to look at the physical photo. You could then manipulate the photo on your computer by making it brighter or resizing it, or so on.
Today, your smart phone cuts out all those steps by creating digital photos automatically.
IMO.

 

[jmk59]

My very first cellphone in 1996 was a Nokia 1610 and it was much smaller than a brick and flatbed scanners to convert photos to digital images were becoming popular in the early 1990's. The internet was unrecognizable to now though and dial up was still so slow.

You're right about the cell phones - forgot I also had a Nokia that fit in my pocket. X-files type.

 

[Forest_Wood]

What year did his mother die?

His mother is still alive I believe IMO.
ETA: I feel most sorry for his mother if she is aware of his alleged crimes.

 

[loveplace]

You're right about the cell phones - forgot I also had a Nokia that fit in my pocket. X-files type.

It was a nice trip down memory lane looking them up to make sure my memory wasn't faulty though! Thank you!

 

[Friday13]

I never knew RH's attorney was court appointed. Doesn't a defendant have to show the court a certain level of financial need in order for the court to appoint a public defender ? I know Heuermann has debts, but I still don't understand. He owns his house, he owns his business, he owns his vehicles. he owns various properties...what the heck ?!

I don’t know if this has been answered here already and I can’t explain clearly here in a short and precise manner, but Brown is most likely what is referred to in the state of NYas an 18B attorney, you can Google “legal aid vs. 18b attorney in NY” and it’ll explain the difference. RH was not assigned legal aid.

 

[Forest_Wood]

Was he on the front end of transferring them to computer files?

Scanners?

I think very possibly that's what he meant IMO.

 

[Inthedetails]

Unless he had his own dark room, he'd be taking a big risk sending those kinds of photos to a commercial lab. It's one of those questions we won't learn the answer to until trial.

With two new murders added, Rex's defense attorney is going to have a mountain of discovery to review. I wonder how they court is going to organize this? Try all the murder cases at once or focus on just a few, where they have the most witnesses and evidence?

Really good question. I suppose we'll learn as we go along. Whatever happens, I'm expecting delay after delay after delay.

jmo

 

[Artis]

Hi Artis..
This case takes much time. I've had to walk away at times, but come back. I believe he will, forever, become one of the most notorious serial killers ever.

Since there are so threads here... I would, at least, recommend going to MSM (or find them in the back threads here)
for the articles that seem to porport "everything you need to know about rex heuermann... they are out there and might be helpful this late in the story...

I'm generally familiar from TV news reports and occasional articles in the NY Post. I do recall, over the years (maybe 20 or so) when there would be reports of victims found on LI so, naturally, paid attention when they caught someone. I'm curious but also don't want to delve too deeply because the subject is so scary. Back in the 80s, I read Zodiak and some book by a psychiatrist on several SKs and how nearly all had had head injuries when they were younger. Those books freaked me out so much that I've sine viewed these stories at extra long arms length.

 

[Ursamajr]

"Tierney told Newsday that they were so terrified of Heuermann getting wind that he was being eyed that even the grand jury did not learn his name until just before the bombshell arrest."

“When we were investigating the case, we never mentioned the name, even among ourselves. It was always the subject. At most, it was RH,” he added.

(Snip)

This makes me think that there was/is some concern there was/is a personal connection between Heuermann and someone/s in LE.

 

[Trocroc9]

He would have been 29 in 1993 though.

You have the correct math. Thank you for the kind correction

 

[fred&edna]

In the 90's I was busy being a married mom of 2... I can't remember how anything worked back then. lol

 

[NewMommy09]

Forgive me if anyone has posted about this previously but I thought it was interesting that one of the victims from the new charges went missing in 1993 and one in 2003. 10 year range there alone and I doubt he started killing in 1993. I also noted that victim went missing 3 years prior to marrying his wife of 27 years. Not that I think that implicates her. But wow that's gotta be devastating for her to see in print. I personally think there are many more victims and we will never even know or find them all.

 

[SkylarSid]

Was it easy back then ?

Yes, for people into technology it was easy. He had all the apparatus. He must have spent a fortune on electronics. Back then we were able to transfer photos from cameras to save files, and you could go to photomat and ask for your photos on a disk. I am not sure what he may have be doing with film though unless he was developing them himself as it seems like he was taking incriminating photos.