Rex Heuermann, a 60-year-old architect from Massapequa Park, New York, has been charged with two more murders in connection with the infamous Gilgo Beach serial killer case. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office revealed on Thursday, June 6 that a grand jury has charged Heuermann with the murders of Sandra Costilla in 1993 and Jessica Taylor in 2003.
Heuermann was already facing charges for the murders of four women: Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Costello, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes. These women, who worked as online escorts, disappeared between 2007 and 2010. Their remains were discovered at Gilgo Beach, Long Island in December 2010.
A deleted planning document found on one of Heuermann’s laptops has become crucial evidence. Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney characterized the document as indicative of Heuermann’s intent to “hunt, capture, and kill females.”
The document, which was found on March 7, 2024, categorized potential challenges such as “hair & fiber, fingerprints in gloves, and blood stains, packaging” of bodies for transport, steps to avoid apprehension, and the removal of trace DNA evidence. A section on “body prep” detailed steps to clean, dismember and move bodies. “Post-event” listed tasks to avoid apprehension, including having a story set. Also included were supplies needed for the murders like “saw/cutting tools, lye/acid, burn can, and a police scanner”, and a section on “Things to Remember”.
In addition to the planning document, investigators have uncovered a vast amount of electronic evidence, including 27 computers, 58 internal hard drives, 22 external drives, 15 types of cameras, and numerous memory cards, USB devices, SIM cards, CDs, and VHS cassettes. This evidence has been crucial in piecing together the timeline of the murders. Investigators also found violent pornography dating back to 1994 on Heuermann’s devices.
The remains of Jessica Taylor were discovered on July 26, 2003, by a witness walking their dog. The indictment states that she was discovered lying on her back with her legs tucked beneath her. A tattoo on her torso had been brutally defaced with a sharp object, and her arms had been severed. Her skull and additional remains were located in 2011. Elizabeth Baczkiel, the mother of Jessica Taylor, remembered her daughter as compassionate and humorous. “It’s heartbreaking that she never had children. Jessica would have been a wonderful mother. She adored kids and enjoyed working with them,” Baczkiel said.
Sandra Costilla’s remains were found on November 20, 1993, by two hunters in a wooded area. She was found lying on her back with her arms stretched above her head and her legs spread apart. The indictment states that she had several sharp force injuries across her body.
Heuermann’s arrest in July 2023 was linked to the murders of Waterman, Barthelemy, Brainard-Barnes, and Costello through burner phones and DNA evidence found on the victims. He was also traced to a Chevrolet Avalanche registered to him, allegedly seen at the time of Costello’s disappearance. Authorities found evidence that Heuermann was obsessed with the case, searching for articles about the task force formed to investigate the murders.
Investigators also found hundreds of internet searches related to raping and torturing women, child sexual abuse material, and searches involving rape. He allegedly searched online for information about his alleged victims and their families.
Heuermann’s estranged wife and children were away from home during the time of the murders, allowing him to execute his plans without fear of being discovered by his family. The investigation has uncovered evidence that Heuermann meticulously planned the murders, detailing steps for selecting, killing, and disposing of his victims in a “blueprint” document.
The new charges against Heuermann expand the timeline of the Gilgo Beach case by a decade, highlighting the meticulous and calculated nature of the suspect’s alleged crimes. The families of the victims remain determined to seek justice for their loved ones.