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

[Izzylizzy]

I know it's a little gauche to reply to myself. But there are some changes in my perspective.

1) I've now seen the 50 cent production. It feels no less dirty to me that it was made before trial and that the family and those sleazy attorneys were paid millions for it. But...

2) It was good, IMO. It was a good history and it managed to stick to facts, not personalities. It is so common in this case to discuss the credibility of the players rather than the case. It didn't happen in this production.

3) The history indicated how the pieces were in place to ID a suspect during the early investigation. How when there were political changes, the investigation stalled. And when the task force was assembled, those investigative pieces that were in place pre-Burke-as-chief were quickly assembled post Burke-as-chief.

4) The production was more about Asa, VH, C, and others surrounding Rex than the victims, and it paid many of those people very well, while the victims apparently got nothing but some air time. Tthe air time seemed respectful to me. (I'm open to hearing I'm wrong about this. I have the privilege of NOT having lost someone to this monster, which might cloud my perception.) But still...it continues to feel wrong and yucky.

5) Asa verbalized that her believing that Rex did this means she is a flawed person. Not sure how she came to that conclusion, but it is convenient for the defendant.

6) Macedonia totally threw Asa under the humiliation bus; unlike his public scenes where he was saying she is the real victim here, and has mental health issues, he dropped the former, and almost implied she was delusional on camera. He explicitly said something to the effect of, "You have to understand that if the prosecutor alleges this in the charging document, they think they can prove it in court." He was distancing himself from her position that she would have to see the evidence herself.


MOO

Good post.
Did the victims actually sit for this documentary or was it old footage of them that was used?

 

[Betty P]

Macedonia claimed John Ray was just inserting himself for attention. But I never believed that. It seemed that Macedonia just didn't like his own greed and corruption exposed by John Ray. Also, Macedonio was taking actions and making statements that were discrediting LE's investigation. He appeared to be defending the actual murder suspect more than looking out for his clients interests. It does appear to have made good TV to paint the suspect as possibly innocent, or at least innocent in AE's eyes. Is it possible that Macedonia manipulated AE into this payday. It's possible she entered this business venture with more agency.

Whatever the truth is, John Ray did not enter into profiting from these horrific murders. He entered into attempting to solve them, sometimes representing families of victims, but never appearing to come out ahead

After Rex's arrest, I think Macedonio clearly helped the defense and discredited the investigation from the time he popped on the scene as if by magic. And who paid him?

It also felt like he was nearly calling Asa crazy to provide a plan B if she talked in the beginning. She's calling her husband a murderer? Pfft. She has mental health issues.

The .50 production showed Macedonio accept the charging documents as likely provable in court. Any of the rants we have seen from him did not make it into the Final Cut. It could be the editing, but he was different in this production. As condescending to Asa as ever, but otherwise more reasonable and not appearing to work for the defense.

How he's getting paid is more clear now. And sleazier than ever. Are law schools going to have mini-concentrations in book deals and series productions?

MOO

Very interesting how Macedonio has changed his POV since the early days after Rex’s arrest. It explains why he doesn’t talk to the news media as much as before.

 

[FromGermany1]

In the beginning of Episode #2 - is this the first photo we get of Heuermann’s mother? I blocked her face so I don’t get deleted.

Looks like a fit, athletic woman (not a "mommy type").
Full dark hair and curls - aha.
At this moment, he's not enjoying the physical closeness (it seems).
She has him firmly in her grip.
He's sucking his thumb?
His hairstyle is the same as it is today.
MOO

 

[FromGermany1]

Ever since AE said she picked RH up every day from the train station, i can't get this song out of my head!

Exclusive | Wife of accused Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann says he’s her ‘hero’ — and reveals creepy take on first jailhouse visit

“I know what bad men are capable of doing,” Asa Ellerup told the show, which begins airing Tuesday. “I’ve seen it, and I’ve heard it from other men. Not my husband. You have the wrong man.”…

nypost.com

June 9 2025 rbbm.
“I’m trying to keep myself sane,” she said. “At the same time, people are saying, ‘How could you not know that your husband was a serial killer?’ Wait a minute, I picked him up from the train station every single day. He was home here on the weekends. He smoked a cigar in the garage.”
''She did have one issue with her embattled husband — she doesn’t like his new haircut.''

The blue bolded might also express: I on a daily base was always with my husband (except at his business) and I have to know his doings (ie. working in his "furniture"-workshop, sitting in his car by night, swinger parties and the guests, from which milieu ever, etc.). MOO

 

[Klclevi]

Following from Aus here - would so appreciate if someone could explain the DNA issue (as if its admissable evidence) Hair is hair no? were they not able to determine DNA from the accepted methods? I am fascinated by this. Thankyou so much

 

[dotr]

Following from Aus here - would so appreciate if someone could explain the DNA issue (as if its admissable evidence) Hair is hair no? were they not able to determine DNA from the accepted methods? I am fascinated by this. Thankyou so much

by Jared Hatcliffe | Mar 31, 2025

The Gilgo Beach Murders – The Defense’s Attempt to Preclude DNA Evidence | The Advocate's Advantage

See the chart below for a summary of the DNA results.​

VICTIM	DESIGNATION IN BAIL LETTER	APPROX. LOCATION OF HAIR RECOVERY	MITOCHONDRIAL DNA RESULTS	NUCLEAR (SNP) DNA RESULTS
SANDRA COSTILLA	MALE HAIR ON COSTILLA	TAPE-LIFT OF STRIPED SHIRT ABOVE VICTIM’S HEAD	99.96% of North American population can be excluded, but not REX HEUERMANN	4.347 x 10332 Times More Likely to Come From An Individual with the Identical Genetic Profile as REX HEUERMANN
SANDRA COSTILLA	FEMALE HAIR ON COSTILLA	VICTIM’S RIGHT ARM	99.98% of North American population can be excluded but not WITNESS 3	4.578 x 101040 Times More Likely to Come From An Individual with the Identical Genetic Profile as WITNESS 3
VALERIE MACK	FEMALE HAIR ON MACK	INSIDE GARBAGE BAGS CONTAINING VICTIM, NEAR VICTIM’S LEFT WRIST	99.65% of the North American population can be excluded but not ASA ELLERUP or VICTORIA HEUERMANN	1.31 x 10356 Times More Likely to Come From An Individual with the Identical Genetic Profile as VICTORIA HEUERMANN6
JESSICA TAYLOR	MALE HAIR UNDERNEATH TAYLOR	ON SURGICAL DRAPE UNDERNEATH VICTIM	99.96% of North American population can be excluded, but not REX HEUERMANN	1.837 x 10603 Times More Likely to Come From An Individual with the Identical Genetic Profile as REX HEUERMANN
MAUREEN BRAINARD BARNES	FEMALE HAIR ON BARNES	BUCKLE OF BELT RESTRAINING LOWER BODY	N/A	7.9 Trillion Times More Likely to Come From An Individual with the Identical Genetic Profile as ASA ELLERUP
MEGAN WATERMAN	[FIRST OF] TWO FEMALE HAIRS ON WATERMAN	OUTSIDE HEAD AREA	99.69% of North American population can be excluded but not ASA ELLERUP or VICTORIA HEUERMANN	2.374 x 1048 Times More Likely to Come From An Individual with the Identical Genetic Profile as ASA ELLERUP
MEGAN WATERMAN	[SECOND OF] TWO FEMALE HAIRS ON WATERMAN	TAPE IN THE AREA OF THE HEAD	N/A	2.778 x 10480 Times More Likely to Come From An Individual with the Identical Genetic Profile as ASA ELLERUP
MEGAN WATERMAN	MALE HAIR ON WATERMAN	BOTTOM PORTION OF BURLAP	99.96% of North American population can be excluded, but not REX HEUERMANN	1.408 x 10169 Times More Likely to Come From An Individual with the Identical Genetic Profile as REX HEUERMANN
AMBER COSTELLO	FEMALE HAIR ON COSTELLO	TAPE IN THE AREA OF THE HEAD	99.98% of North American population can be excluded but not ASA ELLERUP or VICTORIA HEUERMANN	4.654 x 1063 Times More Likely to Come From An Individual with the Identical Genetic Profile as VICTORIA HEUERMANN

​

April 15, 2025

Lab founder defends new DNA technology ahead of Gilgo Beach murders trial

The founder of a lab that used new DNA technology to link hairs found on Gilgo Beach victims to accused serial killer Rex Heuermann testified in court Tuesday.

www.cbsnews.com

If nuclear DNA evidence is allowed in the trial of accused Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann, it would be a first for New York.
A lab used the new technology to link hairs on several victims to Heuermann. That lab's founder, University of California scientist Dr. Richard Green, testified in court Tuesday.

Apr 15, 2025
'If nuclear DNA evidence is allowed in the trial of accused Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann, it would be a first for New York. A lab used the new technology to link hairs on several victims to Heuermann.'

Apr 10, 2025 #CourtTV
Attorney Michael Brown, representing accused serial killer Rex Heuermann, discusses their ongoing battle over DNA evidence in the case.

Gilgo Beach: 'Cutting edge' DNA evidence helped link suspect to 4th victim, DA says

Some of the new evidence released against alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann is "cutting edge" DNA evidence, the district attorney told ABC News.

abcnews.go.com

''Investigators found DNA belonging to Heuermann's now estranged wife, Asa Ellerup, in hair recovered from a belt used to restrain Brainard-Barnes, according to the indictment. Heuermann's family was out of state when Brainard-Barnes was killed, prosecutors said, and Ellerup is not suspected to be involved.
"The DNA itself was extracted from the hair back in 2010," Tierney said. "At that time, there was no method to obtain nuclear DNA profile from hair -- that has since changed. So we're on the cutting edge with regard to using this DNA analysis."

 

[Ruminations]

when Victoria says she's not going to kink shame her father.

lets just unpack that shall we? he was searching for videos and pictures of children. he was searching for torture and snuff content. but she's not going to be judgy about it.

the fact that she said this gives me deep misgivings. and it's one of many little comments that pulled my interest in the documentary. mOO

lol, right? Nobody's bringing a kink to trial. There is a difference between a kink and a crime.

In fairness, I don't think VH thinks crimes are acceptable. I think she's seen stuff, and expresses it artistically. But that is not the same as thinking all stuff is okay.

MOO

 

[Ruminations]

Good post.
Did the victims actually sit for this documentary or was it old footage of them that was used?

Good question! I don't know the answer and I wasn't asking myself that question while watching. I am certain there was old footage, such as of Shannan's deceased mother and GB4 surviving families in that same era, shortly before and after finding Shannan's body. But there was footage I had never seen. I can't be sure it was all old.

I hope anyone who knows answers the question about victims' surviving families. It would be nice if, being that we are depraved enough to pay to make this kind of art, the murder victims got a piece of the action.

MOO

 

[Betty P]

by Jared Hatcliffe | Mar 31, 2025

The Gilgo Beach Murders – The Defense’s Attempt to Preclude DNA Evidence | The Advocate's Advantage

See the chart below for a summary of the DNA results.​

VICTIM	DESIGNATION IN BAIL LETTER	APPROX. LOCATION OF HAIR RECOVERY	MITOCHONDRIAL DNA RESULTS	NUCLEAR (SNP) DNA RESULTS
SANDRA COSTILLA	MALE HAIR ON COSTILLA	TAPE-LIFT OF STRIPED SHIRT ABOVE VICTIM’S HEAD	99.96% of North American population can be excluded, but not REX HEUERMANN	4.347 x 10332 Times More Likely to Come From An Individual with the Identical Genetic Profile as REX HEUERMANN
SANDRA COSTILLA	FEMALE HAIR ON COSTILLA	VICTIM’S RIGHT ARM	99.98% of North American population can be excluded but not WITNESS 3	4.578 x 101040 Times More Likely to Come From An Individual with the Identical Genetic Profile as WITNESS 3
VALERIE MACK	FEMALE HAIR ON MACK	INSIDE GARBAGE BAGS CONTAINING VICTIM, NEAR VICTIM’S LEFT WRIST	99.65% of the North American population can be excluded but not ASA ELLERUP or VICTORIA HEUERMANN	1.31 x 10356 Times More Likely to Come From An Individual with the Identical Genetic Profile as VICTORIA HEUERMANN6
JESSICA TAYLOR	MALE HAIR UNDERNEATH TAYLOR	ON SURGICAL DRAPE UNDERNEATH VICTIM	99.96% of North American population can be excluded, but not REX HEUERMANN	1.837 x 10603 Times More Likely to Come From An Individual with the Identical Genetic Profile as REX HEUERMANN
MAUREEN BRAINARD BARNES	FEMALE HAIR ON BARNES	BUCKLE OF BELT RESTRAINING LOWER BODY	N/A	7.9 Trillion Times More Likely to Come From An Individual with the Identical Genetic Profile as ASA ELLERUP
MEGAN WATERMAN	[FIRST OF] TWO FEMALE HAIRS ON WATERMAN	OUTSIDE HEAD AREA	99.69% of North American population can be excluded but not ASA ELLERUP or VICTORIA HEUERMANN	2.374 x 1048 Times More Likely to Come From An Individual with the Identical Genetic Profile as ASA ELLERUP
MEGAN WATERMAN	[SECOND OF] TWO FEMALE HAIRS ON WATERMAN	TAPE IN THE AREA OF THE HEAD	N/A	2.778 x 10480 Times More Likely to Come From An Individual with the Identical Genetic Profile as ASA ELLERUP
MEGAN WATERMAN	MALE HAIR ON WATERMAN	BOTTOM PORTION OF BURLAP	99.96% of North American population can be excluded, but not REX HEUERMANN	1.408 x 10169 Times More Likely to Come From An Individual with the Identical Genetic Profile as REX HEUERMANN
AMBER COSTELLO	FEMALE HAIR ON COSTELLO	TAPE IN THE AREA OF THE HEAD	99.98% of North American population can be excluded but not ASA ELLERUP or VICTORIA HEUERMANN	4.654 x 1063 Times More Likely to Come From An Individual with the Identical Genetic Profile as VICTORIA HEUERMANN

​

​

April 15, 2025

Lab founder defends new DNA technology ahead of Gilgo Beach murders trial

The founder of a lab that used new DNA technology to link hairs found on Gilgo Beach victims to accused serial killer Rex Heuermann testified in court Tuesday.

www.cbsnews.com

If nuclear DNA evidence is allowed in the trial of accused Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann, it would be a first for New York.
A lab used the new technology to link hairs on several victims to Heuermann. That lab's founder, University of California scientist Dr. Richard Green, testified in court Tuesday.

Apr 15, 2025
'If nuclear DNA evidence is allowed in the trial of accused Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann, it would be a first for New York. A lab used the new technology to link hairs on several victims to Heuermann.'

Apr 10, 2025 #CourtTV
Attorney Michael Brown, representing accused serial killer Rex Heuermann, discusses their ongoing battle over DNA evidence in the case.

Gilgo Beach: 'Cutting edge' DNA evidence helped link suspect to 4th victim, DA says

Some of the new evidence released against alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann is "cutting edge" DNA evidence, the district attorney told ABC News.

abcnews.go.com

''Investigators found DNA belonging to Heuermann's now estranged wife, Asa Ellerup, in hair recovered from a belt used to restrain Brainard-Barnes, according to the indictment. Heuermann's family was out of state when Brainard-Barnes was killed, prosecutors said, and Ellerup is not suspected to be involved.
"The DNA itself was extracted from the hair back in 2010," Tierney said. "At that time, there was no method to obtain nuclear DNA profile from hair -- that has since changed. So we're on the cutting edge with regard to using this DNA analysis."

Thanks for that link!

 

[Izzylizzy]

"He has pleaded not guilty and is due back in Riverhead court June 17 as a judge continues to weigh whether to allow key DNA evidence into the trial."

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-york/articles/2025-06-10/daughter-of-accused-gilgo-beach-killer-believes-her-father-most-likely-did-it-new-film-says

 

[Izzylizzy]

Accused Gilgo Killer Back In Court As Critical DNA Hearings Commence Again​

The defense is expected to call their first witness Tuesday, officials say.​

Accused Gilgo Killer Back In Court As Critical DNA Hearings Commence Again

The defense is expected to call their first witness Tuesday, officials say.

patch.com

 

[Izzylizzy]

Laura Ingle

@lauraingle
Follow


GILGO BEACH UPDATEAccused serial killer Rex Heuermann back in court today for his Frye hearing — first time seen since that bombshell Peacock doc dropped which featured inside access to his Massapequa Park home which investigators believe could have been a kill site in the Long Island Serial Killer case.
Pool Photo by James Carbone/NewsdayStay tuned — the hearing continues… #GilgoBeach #RexHeuermann #LISK #TrueCrime









Joseph L. Giacalone and 3 others

11:32 AM · Jun 17, 2025
·

 

[Teche]

Laura Ingle
@lauraingle
Follow


GILGO BEACH UPDATEAccused serial killer Rex Heuermann back in court today for his Frye hearing — first time seen since that bombshell Peacock doc dropped which featured inside access to his Massapequa Park home which investigators believe could have been a kill site in the Long Island Serial Killer case.
Pool Photo by James Carbone/NewsdayStay tuned — the hearing continues… #GilgoBeach #RexHeuermann #LISK #TrueCrime





Joseph L. Giacalone and 3 others

11:32 AM · Jun 17, 2025
·

I wonder if Peacock and the family are present.

 

[minazoe]

what if this whole time there has been another kill site besides the basement? what could we learn?
I don't trust him not to.

mOO

 

[Megnut]

Laura Ingle
@lauraingle
Follow


GILGO BEACH UPDATEAccused serial killer Rex Heuermann back in court today for his Frye hearing — first time seen since that bombshell Peacock doc dropped which featured inside access to his Massapequa Park home which investigators believe could have been a kill site in the Long Island Serial Killer case.
Pool Photo by James Carbone/NewsdayStay tuned — the hearing continues… #GilgoBeach #RexHeuermann #LISK #TrueCrime





Joseph L. Giacalone and 3 others

11:32 AM · Jun 17, 2025
·

The commissary has been good to him.

JMO

 

[Izzylizzy]

The commissary has been good to him.

JMO

He can thank Peacock.
imo

 

[minazoe]

I can imagine him as a trail stalker as he has been reported for doing exactly that.
so there is one kind of murder...he could have done that would be a variation. Murders where
he would stalk a victim on a trail and murder the victim outdoors in heavily wooded areas.

Rex is also tall enough to navigate all kinds of terrains and he is strong enough to kill with his bare hands...although we have all heard about his hammer, Rex can trudge right through the tall grasses and reeds and areas that might intimidate others.

also, we have heard the story from the young woman who says she escaped from Rex, where she
went to a townhome with him, an empty townhome with lawn chairs. interesting. Could Ray have
taken women to real estate locations or project locations?

whomever murdered the Atlantic City 4, really went out of their way to leave the victims outside in a very overgrown area behind a motel. watching some footage of the actual hotel, it seems like you would have to go through that hotel to get back to that area. If I remember it was a two level building with rooms at the back where you wouldn't have to drag a victim far to be out of sight.

and then he has his property in SC, where not too many people know him and yet he was identified by the daughter of a missing woman.

so he didn't drag her to his house in LI, no..so he likely has a variety of MO's just as he has a variety of victims and interests. mOO

Adding, that the taxi driver story about Rex waving a gun around, lines up with his interest in guns.

 

[Izzylizzy]

Whoa Nellie!
A year ago Bob Macedonio tells Vinnie that AE's marriage was troubled long before his arrest and they had discussed divorce.

 

[sds71]

The practices of the California-based lab whose novel DNA analysis techniques have been used to link accused Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex A. Heuermann to the killings of several young women, and its processes to ensure the accuracy of its software IBDGem, are "unreliable," a systems engineer at a forensic biology consulting company testified Tuesday.

Nathaniel Adams, a systems engineer at Ohio-based Forensic Bioinformatic Services Inc., testifying during a pre-trial hearing to determine whether DNA evidence that prosecutors say links Heuermann to six of the seven killings he's charged with will be admitted into evidence at trial, said that Astrea Forensics failed to follow some 21 nationally accepted verification and validation standards to ensure the software was performing accurately."It's unreliable," Adams said.

Under questioning by Heuermann defense attorney Danielle Coysh, Adams testified that the developers of the software have identified several defects, including data errors.The fix for one such error was released after the testing in Heuermann's case had concluded, Adams said, leaving open the possibility that it had negatively impacted the testing done on the rootless hairs in Heuermann's case.

Gilgo Beach killings: DNA analysis techniques used to link accused killer Rex Heuermann to several young women are 'unreliable,' witness testifies

Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney performed a bruising cross-examination.

www.newsday.com

 

[Izzylizzy]

Here we go.

But Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney scoffed at Adams’ qualifications as an expert on DNA — maintaining his testimony in about 30 other court cases have often been deemed “inadmissible.”

“You’ve been in school for 10 years and have only obtained a bachelor’s degree in all this time?” Tierney said as he grilled Adams on the stand. “You’re supposed to be an expert, but you don’t even know who your adviser was or if you graduated summa laude or not.”

Gilgo Beach murders tied to Rex Heuermann by ‘unreliable’ DNA software that needed ‘updates’ due to glitches, expert testifies

An expert for the accused Long Island serial killer questioned the DNA evidence — but Suffolk County prosecutors said it’s the expert who is unreliable and faulty.

nypost.com