Gilgo Beach LISK Serial Killer, Rex Heuermann, charged with 6 murders, July 2023 #15

[iamshadow21]

It has been a while since I've checked in on this case.

It is my understanding that the "Gilgo Four" is now officially known as the "Gilgo Six." Is this correct?

He's been charged with six, but if we're going to be picky (I am!) neither Jessica or Sandra were found on Gilgo.

Jessica's torso was found in Manorville, and her extremities were found on Cedar Beach, which is east of Gilgo, and where Toddler Doe and Valerie Mack's extremities were found also.

Sandra was found in Southampton.

There was another person found on Gilgo - Asian Doe, who is grouped very closely with the other four Gilgo victims.

MOO

 

[Ruminations]

I agree that when apparently four different house mates' hairs make it to alleged Rex victims, the more likely explanation is only one suspect is bringing the hairs to the scenes or the victims are collecting them from the house.

I also agree that it is the pattern that helps convict, so severing is not a good idea. OTOH, Rex might have too many victims to allow it to go on for a decade with adding charges and discovery.

I want to know more about Maureen, the belt, Spota, and the brief time the investigation appeared to be moving forward again, under the leadership of Commissioner Hart. Hart presented the belt to the public and a new tip website in around 2020, and Spota left earlier than that (replaced by Sini) around 2017 (?) I'm not sure of the exact dates, but Spota and Hart never overlapped. At that point, Hart had to know that the former DA, Spota, found the belt extremely relevant and felt it identified a suspect that was not charged. In the meantime, there was a new DA who is not being claimed by Brown to have advocated charging Spota's suspect. And Hart presented the belt as being embossed with either WH or HM. She did not say WH.

In addition, it appeared to be accidental that the website left the photo of the belt labeled with being from Maureen's crime scene. Sleuthers assumed from that error that the belt was connected to her, but this was never confirmed until 2024.

So Spota had a suspect, his initials are WH and he's connected to the belt, but Spota was not able to get the suspect arrested, Sini did not have the suspect arrested but was DA when Commissioner Hart emphasized the belt deliberately but said it was 50/50 that the belt was embossed with WH. Tierney obviously does not agree that the other WH is the suspect.

Brown says WH is Rex's grandmother's uncle, and apparently is alive or was alive recently enough to appear on pole cam while Rex was under surveillance. It seems, WH has visited Rex's home, then. I imagine pole cams primarily record people entering and leaving Rex's property.

I find this line of inquiry intriguing, as Spota certainly played a part in suppressing this investigation. I imagine that charging WH would have helped suppress the investigation, given Spota's other suppressive activities. So, I do not suspect at all that WH is a viable suspect. But I do think figuring out why he was fingered has potential for helping us learn the motivations behind the interference into the Gilgo investigation. It is still not known why the investigation was stifled. Why would WH have been a good distraction?

I also wonder if Brown is ever going to imply that Bittrolff killed Sandra (as Spota suspected)? I was waiting for that, not for a new WH.

MOO

 

[Ruminations]

It has been a while since I've checked in on this case.

It is my understanding that the "Gilgo Four" is now officially known as the "Gilgo Six." Is this correct?

I never heard that.

The GB4 are still the GB4 because there are more similarities among them than say, with Costilla, who was assumed to be a victim of Bittrolff's for which he was never charged up until Tierney dropped the charge on Rex, seemingly out of nowhere.

As for Taylor and Mack, they were each assumed to be killed by the same person for years. That person was not necessarily the Gilgo Beach killer. There is archive material that probably represents a lot of Trish's digital storage bill of heated debate about if the dismembering killer, often the "Manorville Butcher" was the same person as the Gilgo Beach killer, who was assumed to have killed the GB4.

Maureen has some differences, though. The time is different, the belt is different, the charge came at a different time, there was a troll-campaign to not bother charging on Maureen ("He's going away for life anyway, what's the difference?") the clarity of the location of Rex's family is different. I think the wrapping material might have been different, but I am not sure if I recall speculation or facts on the wrapping. It is different in that it is the case that got the most attention from Commissioner Hart, although she may not have had intended to connect the belt to Maureen.

MOO

 

[CuriousCricket]

I never heard that.

The GB4 are still the GB4 because there are more similarities among them than say, with Costilla, who was assumed to be a victim of Bittrolff's for which he was never charged up until Tierney dropped the charge on Rex, seemingly out of nowhere.

As for Taylor and Mack, they were each assumed to be killed by the same person for years. That person was not necessarily the Gilgo Beach killer. There is archive material that probably represents a lot of Trish's digital storage bill of heated debate about if the dismembering killer, often the "Manorville Butcher" was the same person as the Gilgo Beach killer, who was assumed to have killed the GB4.

Maureen has some differences, though. The time is different, the belt is different, the charge came at a different time, there was a troll-campaign to not bother charging on Maureen ("He's going away for life anyway, what's the difference?") the clarity of the location of Rex's family is different. I think the wrapping material might have been different, but I am not sure if I recall speculation or facts on the wrapping. It is different in that it is the case that got the most attention from Commissioner Hart, although she may not have had intended to connect the belt to Maureen.

MOO

It is my recollection that MBB was restrained with the belt and different material than the other three and that she was "wrapped" in plastic, not bagged in the burlap, which turned out to be camo mimicking the reeds and flora of Gilgo. Also, according to my memory, the other three featured the same materials, including the tape that trapped Heuermann family hairs. I've wondered if the bags were purchased as bags or were taken from a large bolt of camo fabric then fashioned into bags.

 

[Megnut]

Maybe THOSE are his MISS-LEADERS. HZis own twisted play on words -- mislead... miss..... change up his M.O. to pull LE in competing directions, then sit back and readaboutit.

JMO

 

[iamshadow21]

It is my recollection that MBB was restrained with the belt and different material than the other three and that she was "wrapped" in plastic, not bagged in the burlap, which turned out to be camo mimicking the reeds and flora of Gilgo. Also, according to my memory, the other three featured the same materials, including the tape that trapped Heuermann family hairs. I've wondered if the bags were purchased as bags or were taken from a large bolt of camo fabric then fashioned into bags.

From googling the subject, camo burlap seems to be sold that way, in bags, for hunting blinds.

Given it is sold that way, conveniently human sized, I don't see RH buying a bolt and fashioning his own with a sewing machine.

MOO

 

[CuriousCricket]

From googling the subject, camo burlap seems to be sold that way, in bags, for hunting blinds.

Given it is sold that way, conveniently human sized, I don't see RH buying a bolt and fashioning his own with a sewing machine.

MOO

Yes, I had looked this up some time ago. IIRC, the bags come in 60-inch and 72-inch sizes. However, I was considering that for building a blind for duck hunting a bolt of fabric would be more practical. And sewing? no. I was thinking something like staples or some other closure method.

Also, I can see that having a bolt of fabric, perhaps covering a body in a camo bag would be better concealment if he were ever in an accident and the cover on his truck was compromised.

Even if an officer came to the scene of an accident, if RH were conscious he could get into a duck hunting discussion with the officer and offer a good distraction. Of course, I've written fiction, so this is all my own imagining. Plus, I may overthink everything.

 

[CuriousCricket]

snipped for focus:
Brown says WH is Rex's grandmother's uncle, and apparently is alive or was alive recently enough to appear on pole cam while Rex was under surveillance. It seems, WH has visited Rex's home, then. I imagine pole cams primarily record people entering and leaving Rex's property.

OOPS -- Michael Brown is going to have a real problem with WH as an alternate suspect. IF WH is related to RH, and it had been Rex's mtDNA, it would be a confusing line for a jury to get back to RH's grandmother's uncle. HOWEVER, the DNA on the belt matches Asa!

"Through a forensic analysis of a hair found on the belt buckle used to restrain victim Maureen Brainard-Barnes’s body, detectives obtained nuclear DNA results that they said are nearly identical to Asa Ellerup, Heuermann’s wife," quoting from a Chanel 12, the Bronx article.

https://bronx.news12.com/court-reco...-wife-daughter-recovered-from-victims- bodies

Of course, if there's proof WH was in the home of RH and AE, it could still be transfer. But on all the victims? with such differences of time? Separating the cases seems to be very advantageous for RH.

 

[eishish]

OOPS -- Michael Brown is going to have a real problem with WH as an alternate suspect. IF WH is related to RH, and it had been Rex's mtDNA, it would be a confusing line for a jury to get back to RH's grandmother's uncle. HOWEVER, the DNA on the belt matches Asa!

"Through a forensic analysis of a hair found on the belt buckle used to restrain victim Maureen Brainard-Barnes’s body, detectives obtained nuclear DNA results that they said are nearly identical to Asa Ellerup, Heuermann’s wife," quoting from a Chanel 12, the Bronx article.

https://bronx.news12.com/court-reco...-wife-daughter-recovered-from-victims- bodies

Of course, if there's proof WH was in the home of RH and AE, it could still be transfer. But on all the victims? with such differences of time? Separating the cases seems to be very advantageous for RH.

Will see if it will happen, be alllowed at all, very $$$.

 

[Forest_Wood]

Brown says WH is Rex's grandmother's uncle, and apparently is alive or was alive recently enough to appear on pole cam while Rex was under surveillance. It seems, WH has visited Rex's home, then. I imagine pole cams primarily record people entering and leaving Rex's property.

Wouldn't that make Rex's grandmother's uncle very old?
That's going back 3 generations.
Rex = 60.
Parent = 80?
Grandmother = 100?
Grandmother's uncle = Grandmother's parent's brother = 100+ ?

 

[eishish]

Wouldn't that make Rex's grandmother's uncle very old?
That's going back 3 generations.
Rex = 60.
Parent = 80?
Grandmother = 100?
Grandmother's uncle = Grandmother's parent's brother = 100+ ?

Worth a try. Mom is 90 something

 

[CuriousCricket]

Wouldn't that make Rex's grandmother's uncle very old?
That's going back 3 generations.
Rex = 60.
Parent = 80?
Grandmother = 100?
Grandmother's uncle = Grandmother's parent's brother = 100+ ?

It would seem like it, but if there were first families, a death, then remarriage and a much younger child once or even twice in the line, it might be possible. I have uncles a couple of years older than me and an aunt younger.

But for the brother of a great-grandparent to still be living? . . .doesn't look like it does it?

I suspect Brown either got the relationship wrong or misspoke. WH could perhaps descend from the grandmother's uncle or something . . . either way the DNA doesn't seem easy to explain.

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1818401971159683092

 

[Onlyguessing23]

Am I misinterpreting this quote? All I see available is the written quote, not a recording of Brown speaking… but I’m reading his reference to “my client’s grandmother’s uncle’s neighbor and therefore it’s tied to my client” as sarcasm. Not literal. As if to say: “so far removed, yet the DA is still connecting it to my client!”
——————————————————-

Clip:
Brown continues to assert that there are other suspects in the case, discussing an unnamed suspect from Massapequa Park with the initials “WH,” and another suspect he claims to have seen pole camera footage of.

A belt with the initials “WH” or “HM” was found on victim Maureen Brainard-Barnes, whose murder Heuermann was charged with in January. Rex Heuermann’s grandfather’s name was William Heuermann.

“The former DA in this county was prepared to move forward with an arrest of this suspect who now is so significant because that’s the belt,” Brown said. “It’s my client’s grandmother’s uncle’s neighbor and therefore it’s tied to my client. There were a solid 30 points of evidence against WH. The sole reason that they decided not to charge WH is because there’s an overlap in phone calls – who has personal phone and this burner phone. So because people can’t have two phones on at the same time, WH has been eliminated as a suspect.”

Suspected Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Rex Heuermann May Seek Separate Trials For Multiple Murders

Suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann may seek separate trials for the six murders he is currently charged with, according to his defense attorney.

www.longislandpress.com

 

[iamshadow21]

Am I misinterpreting this quote? All I see available is the written quote, not a recording of Brown speaking… but I’m reading his reference to “my client’s grandmother’s uncle’s neighbor and therefore it’s tied to my client” as sarcasm. As if to say: “so far removed, yet the DA is still connecting it to my client!”
——————————————————-

Clip:
Brown continues to assert that there are other suspects in the case, discussing an unnamed suspect from Massapequa Park with the initials “WH,” and another suspect he claims to have seen pole camera footage of.

A belt with the initials “WH” or “HM” was found on victim Maureen Brainard-Barnes, whose murder Heuermann was charged with in January. Rex Heuermann’s grandfather’s name was William Heuermann.

“The former DA in this county was prepared to move forward with an arrest of this suspect who now is so significant because that’s the belt,” Brown said. “It’s my client’s grandmother’s uncle’s neighbor and therefore it’s tied to my client. There were a solid 30 points of evidence against WH. The sole reason that they decided not to charge WH is because there’s an overlap in phone calls – who has personal phone and this burner phone. So because people can’t have two phones on at the same time, WH has been eliminated as a suspect.”

Suspected Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Rex Heuermann May Seek Separate Trials For Multiple Murders

Suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann may seek separate trials for the six murders he is currently charged with, according to his defense attorney.

www.longislandpress.com

Well, I think the fact that we have strong evidence of multiple kinds linking RH to the crimes shows that this other guy wasn't the right guy.

Also, Brown seems to think DNA advances are (sarcastic air quotes) "magic". Yes, Brown, we can get reliable nuclear DNA from rootless hair now. For over half a decade. They didn't invent a fairy story just to jail your client.

Successful nuclear DNA profiling of rootless hair shafts: a novel approach - PubMed

Historically, rootless hair shaft samples submitted to a forensic laboratory for DNA analysis are reserved for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis due to the presence of highly degraded as well as insufficient amounts of nuclear DNA. Although mtDNA has been very successful in obtaining results...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

MOO

 

[CuriousCricket]

It would seem like it, but if there were first families, a death, then remarriage and a much younger child once or even twice in the line, it might be possible. I have uncles a couple of years older than me and an aunt younger.

But for the brother of a great-grandparent to still be living? . . .doesn't look like it does it?

I suspect Brown either got the relationship wrong or misspoke. WH could perhaps descend from the grandmother's uncle or something . . . either way the DNA doesn't seem easy to explain.

apparently it was a NEIGHBOR of the uncle -- so the age would not be a factor!

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Wasnt RH charged for having those illegal guns?

That's what I was asking. I don't know. TIA

 

[GoBuckeyes]

I think the privacy concerns are for the un-convicted, innocent-until-proven-guilty person. Would LE in Las Vegas take the time to jump through all the hoops to inquire about DNA left at other crime scenes across the nation?

Now as I type that, I'm wondering why crime scene DNA is not entered into a national data base for comparison by LE in other jurisdictions. That way, if crimes are linked, it could be known before any arrests are even made.

I thought that was standard practice?? Is it not?

 

[Ruminations]

OOPS -- Michael Brown is going to have a real problem with WH as an alternate suspect. IF WH is related to RH, and it had been Rex's mtDNA, it would be a confusing line for a jury to get back to RH's grandmother's uncle. HOWEVER, the DNA on the belt matches Asa!

"Through a forensic analysis of a hair found on the belt buckle used to restrain victim Maureen Brainard-Barnes’s body, detectives obtained nuclear DNA results that they said are nearly identical to Asa Ellerup, Heuermann’s wife," quoting from a Chanel 12, the Bronx article.

https://bronx.news12.com/court-reco...-wife-daughter-recovered-from-victims- bodies

Of course, if there's proof WH was in the home of RH and AE, it could still be transfer. But on all the victims? with such differences of time? Separating the cases seems to be very advantageous for RH.

Supposedly, per Brown, Spota's suspect WH is caught on pole cameras. I presume this means he was in the area of Rex's house in the time the task force had ID Rex as a suspect. If WH was there in 2023, I suppose Brown could claim he was there in 2008, picking up hairs. (But bringing his own belt.)

I'm sure it gets more convoluted as victims and hairs are added. WH would have to have been a long term visiting great uncle.

MOO

 

[Passeridae]

I think Brown is smart to be discussing separate trials for each crime. That way the juries may not learn of DNA matching his family members in each case. The fact of hair from multiple people in his household in all the crimes is very compelling. Separating the crimes might lessen the impact.

Suspected Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Rex Heuermann May Seek Separate Trials For Multiple Murders

Suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann may seek separate trials for the six murders he is currently charged with, according to his defense attorney.

www.longislandpress.com

It's smart, but I don't think it will matter for most of the cases. I very much doubt that what we've seen from his burner phones and computer is everything and that's pretty damning. It's a good move by Brown but I think he will still get convicted in most of the cases on their own merits.

It could be beneficial to the task force, though, since prosecutors would likely want to try the strongest cases first and be able to try them more quickly, and if that leads to convictions, then they can drop his DNA in CODIS.