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Rex Andrew Heuermann (born September 13, 1963) is an American architect and convicted serial killer responsible for the murders of at least eight women on Gilgo Beach and elsewhere on Long Island between 1993 and 2010. His crimes became known collectively as the Gilgo Beach serial killings, one of the longest-running unsolved homicide investigations in New York history. He was arrested in July 2023 after investigators linked him to several victims through DNA evidence, cellphone records, witness statements, and years of forensic investigation. In April 2026, Heuermann pleaded guilty to seven murders and admitted responsibility for an eighth killing. He was later sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Rex Andrew Heuermann was born on September 13, 1963, in Massapequa Park, New York. He was raised in the same suburban neighborhood where he would later spend nearly his entire adult life. Friends and former classmates later described him as a quiet, socially awkward individual who generally kept to himself. His father died when Heuermann was twelve years old, after which he remained especially close to his mother.

He graduated from Berner High School in 1981 before studying architecture at the New York Institute of Technology. After completing his education, he began working for architectural firms in New York City and established himself as a licensed consultant specializing in commercial buildings and code compliance.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Heuermann developed a successful career as an architect. He eventually founded RH Consultants & Associates, an architectural consulting firm based in Manhattan. His work primarily involved building permits, code compliance, accessibility standards, and renovation projects throughout New York City.

Clients generally regarded him as knowledgeable and experienced, and he frequently appeared in media interviews discussing zoning regulations and building codes. Those professional appearances contrasted sharply with the crimes prosecutors later alleged he committed over nearly two decades.

Heuermann married his first wife in 1990, and the marriage ended in divorce four years later. In 1996 he married Asa Ellerup, with whom he had two children. The family lived in the modest house where Heuermann had grown up in Massapequa Park.

Following his arrest in 2023, Ellerup publicly stated she had no knowledge of the murders and later filed for divorce. Investigators concluded that several killings occurred while his wife and children were traveling outside New York, a pattern prosecutors argued demonstrated careful planning.

Authorities determined that Heuermann murdered at least eight women between 1993 and 2010. Most of the victims worked as escorts and were contacted through online advertisements. Prosecutors said he selected vulnerable women, arranged meetings using burner phones, killed them by strangulation in most cases, and disposed of their remains in remote areas along Long Island.

Four victims—Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Lynn Costello, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes—became widely known as the "Gilgo Four" after their remains were discovered close together in December 2010. Additional victims later linked to Heuermann included Jessica Taylor, Valerie Mack, Sandra Costilla, and Karen Vergata.

The murders remained unsolved for more than a decade and generated intense national attention because of both their brutality and the length of time investigators were unable to identify a suspect.

The investigation was substantially reinvigorated in 2022 after the formation of a multi-agency task force. Detectives re-examined witness testimony, cellphone records, DNA evidence, financial records, and surveillance footage.

Investigators identified a first-generation Chevrolet Avalanche matching a witness description and traced it to Heuermann. They also connected burner phones used to contact several victims to locations associated with his residence, office, and daily commute.

One of the most significant breakthroughs came after investigators recovered DNA from a discarded pizza crust that Heuermann threw into a public trash can while under surveillance. Laboratory analysis matched his DNA to hair recovered from evidence associated with multiple victims. Additional forensic testing also linked hairs belonging to members of his household to several crime scenes. Prosecutors further alleged that internet searches recovered from electronic devices showed Heuermann had repeatedly searched for information about the murders, victims, and investigative efforts.

On July 13, 2023, Heuermann was arrested in Manhattan and initially charged with the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello. He pleaded not guilty.

As investigators continued reviewing evidence, additional indictments followed. In January 2024 he was charged with the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes. Later that year prosecutors announced charges relating to the deaths of Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costilla, followed by charges involving Valerie Mack.

On April 8, 2026, Heuermann pleaded guilty to seven murder charges and admitted responsibility for the killing of Karen Vergata, bringing the total number of murders he acknowledged to eight. Prosecutors stated that the plea spared victims' families from enduring a lengthy trial while ensuring a sentence of life imprisonment without parole.

On June 17, 2026, Heuermann was sentenced to multiple consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. During the sentencing hearing, family members of the victims delivered emotional victim impact statements describing the lasting effects of the murders.

The sentencing effectively concluded one of the most notorious serial murder investigations in New York history, ending more than three decades of uncertainty for many victims' relatives.

He is currently incarcerated at Green Haven Correctional Facility in Stormville, New York

According to prosecutors, Heuermann carefully planned his crimes over many years. He allegedly targeted women advertising escort services, used prepaid "burner" phones to arrange meetings, and took steps to conceal his identity before and after the murders.

Authorities said he frequently chose periods when his family was away from home, reducing the likelihood of witnesses. Several victims were wrapped in burlap before their bodies were abandoned along isolated stretches of Ocean Parkway and surrounding areas. Investigators described his methods as highly organized and evolving over time, which contributed to the case remaining unsolved for many years.