Gilgo Beach LISK Serial Killer, Rex Heuermann, charged with 3 murders, July 2023

[imstilla.grandma]

Who knows, there may be a scrapbook of hair mementos

*Y’all think ‘hair’ is his tell?

…The trouble for detectives, or anyone else seeking to figure out whom a strand of hair belonged to, is that unless it contains a root, which only a tiny percentage do, it’s about as helpful as a nearby rock.

These limitations emerge at trials, where forensic scientists have to explain to juries why, contrary to what’s seen on TV, they can’t get sufficient DNA out of a hair plucked from a sweater, and when amateur family historians stumble upon a deceased relative’s hairbrush. Without a root, labs will tell them, there’s no hopeof generating a DNA profile for a genealogy site.

Until now. Ed Green, a paleogeneticist at the University of California, Santa Cruz known in the scientific community for his work on the Neanderthal genome, has developed a technique that makes it possible to recover and sequence DNA from hair without the root.

And over the past 18 months, he has been quietly cooperating with several law enforcement agencies, using this method to extract genetic profiles from the hairs of killers and victims in long unsolved crimes.

“It was kind of written in stone that you can’t do it, and now he’s doing it,” said Deputy Pete Headley of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in California, who was involved in a case in New Hampshire that Dr. Green’s technique helped crack.

Justin Loe, the chief executive of Full Genomes, a genetics services company, called the technique “a game-changer.”

“Criminals think of wearing gloves or wiping down blood,” he said, “but fewer think to shave their head.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/16/science/hair-dna-murder.html

 

[FromGermany1]

I also think so.
After all it was INSIDE the house.
Do ppl need permit to do changes inside?
IDK.

RH would have to have cared about ventilation of the space. I can't imagine, that was done without permit.

 

[Emilie D]

I read they took the Iceland trip yearly.

Just a theory but, I think they are going to find that he had multiple killing sites. Some he did at home while his family was away, and some at other locations. I'm not sure his family was away often enough to keep up with is appetite. That may have been when he went on business trips out of town. =(

 

[TootsieFootsie]

No, unless you specified that you were growing some 'special' tomatoes along side your regular ones...

I love different kinds of plants, and fruit and veg varieties.
If someone said they had special tomatoes, I wouldn't think of drug plants, I'd think of something like black tomatoes or some other rare kind.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Y’all think ‘hair’ is his tell?

Who knows ?

 

[LadyL]

I think potted plants, as in plant in pots. jmo

oh ok I can stop scouring every picture now ty

 

[iamshadow21]

Y’all think ‘hair’ is his tell?

I think hair is pretty durable, can be concealed places without odours or other unpleasant problems, and, as of the wonderful new world we live in as of the last few years - they can get DNA from unrooted/cut hair. If he didn't keep body parts, I hope he kept hair, preferably in nice little moisture and bug-proof baggies, labelled with names, or at least dates. He was obliging with his series of burner phones; let's hope he's just as methodical with trophies.

MOO

 

[Ruminations]

Maybe O/T but one interesting thing about BTK is that there was no evidence that he physically (uhmm... himself) penetrated any of his victims, however, semen was found near some victims. I wonder how many other sexual sadist killers have this "performance" problem. *Sorry, I'm not trying to be humorous but I'm having trouble with vocabulary. I mean, I know the words but I'm not sure if I can use them here.

I tend to assume it's a matter of not wanting to leave evidence- I addition to the part some would think is the fun part not being all that to these murderers. I am hardly an authority on "satisfaction," however.

No one is questioning your vocabulary; I enjoyed reading your post.

MOO

 

[iamshadow21]

I love different kinds of plants, and fruit and veg varieties.
If someone said they had special tomatoes, I wouldn't think of drug plants, I'd think of something like black tomatoes or some other rare kind.

When I wrote my comment I mentally visualised the person doing the airquotes with their fingers and emphasising 'special'.

<modsnip - off topic>

 

[TootsieFootsie]

That's what I was thinking re if he did keep hairs and they were in good enough condition, it could lead to who knows how many more victims being discovered.

 

[NyxNY]

I think at minimum he might have hired off-the-books dayworkers, if not some rental equipment too.

So many details to keep track of. I hope the investigative team has expert database people (I'm sure they do) to organize all this.

jmo

Very likely off-the-books dayworkers, IMO. Very easy to find here on Long Island. Just drive up to any Home Depot or Lowe's any given morning, and you can pick them up in the parking lot.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

If he "don't know nothing", then he must know something...

 

[LadyL]

Yes, potted plants, not marijuana.

Is 'pot plants' an Australianism? I mean, we call marijuana, pot, too, but if I said pot plants when having a conversation about gardening, then unless I'd already talked about drugs, most people would assume geraniums, not Mary Jane.

MOO

yeah no it means marijuana plants here in Canada (and I think U.S. too) lol
and we say potted plants

 

[LadyL]

If he "don't know nothing", then he must know something...

who?

 

[citizen_sleuth]

I also think so.
After all it was INSIDE the house.
Do ppl need permit to do changes inside?
IDK.

If indeed it is a concrete-encased room with a vault door rather than a freestanding safe, yes, a permit is requires per AJ301.5 of the New York State Residential Building Code (pg 854):

Level 2 alterations include the reconfiguration of space, the addition or elimination of any door or window, the reconfiguration or extension of any system, or the installation of any additional equipment. Level 2 alterations shall comply with the provisions of Section AJ501 for Level 1 alterations as well as the provisions of Section AJ601 [NOTE: Section AJ601 requires obtaining a permit].

I found no record of RH obtaining permits for any work done in the basement, so I'm pretty sure it was done off-the-books. I did find a sketch of the property on the Nassau County Land Records Viewer which shows the dimensions of the house:

I am also attaching a copy of the Property Card from 1/12/2006 which includes detailed information about the house such as materials and structural elements

 

[303gmf]

pot plants? what? how did I miss that I've been reading every post

Potted I believe is the term

 

[mst]

If his wife and family did travel every year to Iceland, I would think he continued his hunting. I searched Namus and there were 2 on there that caught my eye. Corinna Slusser being one of them. She's 19 and blonde last seen with her pimp. She's less petite than the known victims however and reported missing late September. There was one other, Shelly Ann Hart. 24 and only 5 foot 125 lbs. Last seen 8/5/05 in Brooklyn. Very little is known about her.

If he did have other victims, could it be that they weren't necessarily sex workers? The reason I ask that is the story from the young lady that was walking/jogging in the park when he popped out of the bushes. Pure speculation of course. Just makes you think

 

[TootsieFootsie]

who?

I tried to quote the post but failed. It was when he was arrested he said he "don't know nothing"

 

[Justice101]

Hope the police/FBI find the evidence they are looking for

 

[303gmf]

Yes pot plants is a very common term here in Australia for plants in pots.
No one would think it's to do with drugs if you said pot plants.

Example of why the botanical name cannabis is preferred to lessen confusion