Gilgo Beach LISK Serial Killer, Rex Heuermann, charged with 7 murders, July 2023 #15

[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.

 

[Passeridae]

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 in six murders. Only five were found on Gilgo Beach. Sandra Costilla was found in North Sea, with no remains elsewhere. Jessica Taylor was initially found in Manorville, but had been partially dismembered and her partial remains were found on Gilgo Beach.

 

[Passeridae]

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

I think I've said this before, but my own opinion/theory is that miss-leaders was his cutesy (gross) name for drivers, pimps, etc. - people who "lead" the "misses" around. I think he was reminding himself to be careful not to choose victims who worked with others, as those others might have details about him that could be shared with law enforcement, and would notice when his victims went missing. No real evidence I can point to, it just seems like the sort of smug not joke he would use based on that one interview. I thought he was just a bad speller, but someone else pointed out that his spelling of organized/disorganized might come from Taxi Driver and it got me thinking.

I actually kind of think Amber Costello was not a planned victim, but he decided to target her because he was angry. He made a lot of mistakes in her abduction, and frankly if law enforcement had been doing their job and following up on the description of him and his truck, they might have caught him then. Maybe not, it's impossible to know how/if things would play out differently, but he was pretty careful most of the time, but left so many clues in Amber's case.

 

[Passeridae]

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.

mtDNA is passed from mother to child only, aside from like one single family in China, so unless WH is his mother's mother's mother's brother, that still wouldn't work. But yeah, this throws a big wrench in that theory.

 

[snarast]

mtDNA is passed from mother to child only, aside from like one single family in China, so unless WH is his mother's mother's mother's brother, that still wouldn't work. But yeah, this throws a big wrench in that theory.

And even that is disputed:

Nuclear-mitochondrial DNA segments resemble paternally inherited mitochondrial DNA in humans - Nature Communications

Recent evidence has questioned the dogma of strict maternal transmission of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in humans. Wei et al. saw no evidence of paternal transmission of mtDNA in 11,035 human trios, and show that nuclear-mitochondrial segments (NUMTs) can give the impression of paternal mtDNA...

www.nature.com

There’s been transfer of mtDNA into the nucleus through evolution, so the distinction between what is mt and what is nuclear can be nontrivial.

 

[CuriousCricket]

mtDNA is passed from mother to child only, aside from like one single family in China, so unless WH is his mother's mother's mother's brother, that still wouldn't work. But yeah, this throws a big wrench in that theory.

Let's guess for a moment that WH and Rex may be longtime friends and WH has always been in and out of the home in order to pick up the transfer hairs of the DNA. Don't you suspect that LE has already collected WH's DNA from public discards and there's nary a trace of WH on any of the victims? That would further disprove the defense's "Hail Mary" of accusing someone else.

Of course there is that one unexplained, unidentified hair on, I believe, Sandra Costilla. Wonder if they will ever know who that hair might belong to?

 

[CuriousCricket]

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.

Absolutely. Plus with a conviction or two RH might start talking. Who knows? Since it's behind a pay wall I haven't shared the Newsday story that says the Prosecution turned over 60,000 pages of documents taken from RH home and office -- SIXTY THOUSAND.

"60,000 pages of documents seized from Heuermann's home and office in July 2023" (Newsday is worth the quarter I paid for a few months full access)

Gilgo Beach killings: Cases against suspect Rex Heuermann should be tried separately, defense says

The defense for Massapequa Park resident Rex A. Heuermann also said it is exploring the possibility of a change of venue.

www.newsday.com

 

[Henry2326]

Mazzei said the additional discovery that must be turned over following the most recent indictment means "it would not be fruitful" to conference the case again until mid-October. Mazzei set Heuermann's next court appearance for Oct. 16.

Tierney declined to say if Heuermann might face more charges before then, but prompted by a reporter, said he remains a suspect in the killing of Valerie Mack, whose remains were found near Taylor's in Manorville and near Gilgo Beach.

Gilgo Beach killings: Cases against suspect Rex Heuermann should be tried separately, defense says

The defense for Massapequa Park resident Rex A. Heuermann also said it is exploring the possibility of a change of venue.

www.newsday.com

 

[Eaglette]

The $1million documentary deal signed by the wife of Gilgo Beach murder suspect Rex Heuermann still going ahead ?

New outfits (tick)
New haircuts (tick)
New haircolour (tick)
Add a "click bait" dog (tick)
New Navy suit (tick)
New Tie (tick)
New shirt (tick)
New shoes (tick)
Keep shaking head during Courtroom (tick)

TV Circus started with the Lawyer interview (poor woman has cancer) .... (tick)

 

[Forest_Wood]

The $1million documentary deal signed by the wife of Gilgo Beach murder suspect Rex Heuermann still going ahead ?

New outfits (tick)
New haircuts (tick)
New haircolour (tick)
Add a "click bait" dog (tick)
New Navy suit (tick)
New Tie (tick)
New shirt (tick)
New shoes (tick)
Keep shaking head during Courtroom (tick)

TV Circus started with the Lawyer interview (poor woman has cancer) .... (tick)

I noticed each of those things too! All decked out for the courts.
MOO

 

[Henry2326]

For those needing a good review of the case, this one does a great job.
Eyewitness News ABC7NY

 

[Passeridae]

And even that is disputed:

Nuclear-mitochondrial DNA segments resemble paternally inherited mitochondrial DNA in humans - Nature Communications

Recent evidence has questioned the dogma of strict maternal transmission of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in humans. Wei et al. saw no evidence of paternal transmission of mtDNA in 11,035 human trios, and show that nuclear-mitochondrial segments (NUMTs) can give the impression of paternal mtDNA...

www.nature.com

There’s been transfer of mtDNA into the nucleus through evolution, so the distinction between what is mt and what is nuclear can be nontrivial.

Thank you for the update on that, I hadn't heard about the disputation.

 

[scapa]

For those needing a good review of the case, this one does a great job.
Eyewitness News ABC7NY

That was definitely a useful catchup -- thanks for posting.

 

[wcasewatch]

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

Missleaders were listed under problems. He was likely talking about sex workers who failed to show up for pick-ups that had been scheduled in person (I'll meet you later for an overnight call) or possibly via phone. This was pre-Internet victims, so it probably wasn't anything to do with misleading photos.

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

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

Interesting Ruminations…… trying to understand if I am reading this correctly.

So RH attorney / public defender is apparently referring to WH as another potential suspect? Making the link between the belt found with one of the victims IIRC. And possibly even some association to an individual possibly related to RH?

Sounds like IMO an attempt to simply muddy the water. And by analogy might be a high long tight rope to walk? Is the defense certain that it would not instead be a belt from an individual with initials HM?

And yes, if that approach is being taken or suggested, then all the better reason to sever the cases. Try them individually. Then this matter IIUC might only be relevant in the case with the belt? IANAL

I think I am making spaghetti for dinner. And no, I will not be throwing any at the wall to see whether it sticks or is done. MOO

 

[wcasewatch]

Missleaders were listed under problems. He was likely talking about sex workers who failed to show up for pick-ups that had been scheduled in person (I'll meet you later for an overnight call) or possibly via phone. This was pre-Internet victims, so it probably wasn't anything to do with misleading photos.

I didn't have the time to elaborate on this yesterday. A common bugbear among johns is that a sizeable minority of girls are unreliable when it comes to scheduled meet-ups. They will agree to meet at a certain time, string you along, and then suddenly go silent. In the 1993-2003 days, Rex would have had to approach girls on the street and enquire about price, overnight stays, whether they were OK with going to Long Island, etc. He may have also asked them for their phone numbers so that he could contact them closer to the pickup time. It's almost a certainty that he encountered girls who agreed to meet him, but then ghosted him. Either because they were picked up by another client, off getting high, or busy with another matter.

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

We have two different things:

1. Match sample to suspect. Ok privacy is an issue.
2. Match unsub samples from different victims.

In 2 you don’t invade someone’s privacy because a name isn’t attached to the sample. But it might still match many other crime scenes.

And naturally you want to include metadata (info of location etc). Especially with touch DNA.

Interesting thoughts here snarast…… and that second point brings something to my recollection.

Some years back there was a criminal case, and not murder IIRC. Prosecutors had IIRC DNA evidence or a profile for the offender but no identity. I believe there were multiple cases tied to this individual’s profile.

With worry about the statute of limitations, IIRC prosecutors and the district attorney filed a case for the crime against essentially ‘John Doe #123 with DNA profile contained herein’….. or something to that effect. And that was filed before the statute for the crime had expired. Somewhat IIRC to preserve the window for the case. (IANAL… and can’t recall the outcome but I think they did eventually identify the suspect and the individual was ultimately convicted for the crimes. I believe the original charges were updated to identify the individual that had that earlier unknown profile.)

Not saying of any use in the Rex H GILGO / LISK case but just found it interesting. MOO

And as I write this, thinking and wondering if perhaps this suspect might have DNA associated with other crimes that did not result in the murder of a victim? Guess that won’t be known until the results are examined. MOO

 

[DS2021]

Why Rex Isn’t Ruled Out in 1982 Tina Foglia Murder

One of the enduring, cold case mysteries on Long Island concerns the 1982 dismemberment of 19 year old Tina Foglia...

www.marymurphyofficial.com

“The M.O. is very similar to Rex,” a law enforcement source told me. “Multiple agencies in Suffolk County are looking at that (Foglia’s) case.”

There’s evidence Tina had sexual relations the night of her murder, but that doesn’t necessarily prove who the killer is. “We have a lot of cold cases where women had sex and had genetic material in their bodies,” the source noted.



So investigators are looking at a theory that Tina Foglia might have had consensual or forced sex the night she visited Hammerheads, before hitching a ride home and meeting a killer. This was long before surveillance cameras were in general use. Her body was found in North Bayshore, which would be on the route home to her mother’s house on Lloyd Drive in Brentwood, Long Island.

The presence of seminal fluids in Tina Foglia’s body may not prove who killed her.

 

[DS2021]

Do we know where RH was living in 1982?

 

[dotr]

Why Rex Isn’t Ruled Out in 1982 Tina Foglia Murder

One of the enduring, cold case mysteries on Long Island concerns the 1982 dismemberment of 19 year old Tina Foglia...

www.marymurphyofficial.com

Ws thread

NY - NY - Tina Foglia, 19, West Islip, 1 Feb 1982

I'm hoping there might be some movement in this case soon. With LISK being caught, you never know. Any info on where Tina went to school? Maybe RH and her were peers in high school

www.websleuths.com