In April 1996, Heuermann met with Karen Vergata. After picking up Ms. Vergata, the defendant subsequently strangled her, causing her death. Following her death, Ms. Vergata was dismembered by Heuermann, who then transported her remains to various locations. On April 20, 1996, the severed legs of Ms. Vergata were discovered on Blue Point Beach in the Town of Brookhaven, in Suffolk County. Almost 15 years later, on April 12, 2011, as part of the expanded search of the Gilgo Beach area, Ms. Vergata’s skull was recovered on Ocean Parkway, in the vicinity of Tobay Beach. Prior to her identification in 2023 via genetic genealogy, Ms. Vergata had been referred to as “Fire Island Jane Doe.” At the time of her death, Ms. Vergata was just 34 years old and left behind two sons.