g like this, it breaks my heart,” Asa Ellerup said in an emotional interview with ABC News.
Ms Ellerup, who is in the process of divorcing Mr Heuermann, expressed shock and disbelief at the allegations against her husband. She described him as a loving father and husband, and said she never suspected him of being involved in any criminal activity.
“I never saw any signs. He was always there for us, always taking care of us,” she said.
Ms Ellerup also expressed concern for the families of the victims, saying that her heart goes out to them and that she hopes they can find some closure.
The search of Mr Heuermann’s home in Massapequa yielded a “massive amount” of evidence, according to authorities. The chaotic scene inside the house, as described by Ms Ellerup’s attorney, included emptied dresser drawers, ripped-up floors, and removed couches and mattresses.
The discovery of this evidence has raised questions about how Mr Heuermann was able to go undetected for so long. For over a decade, he continued to live a seemingly normal life, going to work and taking care of his family.
Authorities have not yet revealed what specific evidence was found in the search, but it is expected to be a key part of the prosecution’s case against Mr Heuermann.
The next court conference regarding the case is scheduled for 27 August, where further details about the discovery process will be discussed.
As the investigation into the Gilgo Beach murders continues, the community remains on edge. Residents are hopeful that the arrest of Mr Heuermann will bring an end to the years of fear and uncertainty that have plagued the area.
Meanwhile, the families of the victims are still grappling with the loss of their loved ones. They are seeking justice and closure, and are hopeful that the trial of Mr Heuermann will provide them with the answers they have been searching for.
The trial is expected to be a lengthy and complex process, given the amount of evidence and the number of victims involved. As the case moves forward, the focus will be on ensuring a fair trial for both the accused and the victims’ families.
For now, the community waits anxiously for more information to come to light, hoping that the search for justice will finally come to an end.Search of alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer’s home ends
Gilgo Beach suspected serial killer Rex Heuermann appeared in court on Tuesday afternoon for the first time since he pleaded not guilty in the bombshell case two weeks ago.
Mr Heuermann joined his attorneys and the Suffolk County district attorney for a conference at the Suffolk County Court regarding the schedule for handling the massive amounts of discovery.
“This is a 13-year case, so as you saw we have a great deal of information, evidence photographs, reports to provide to the defense counsel,” district attorney Ray Tierney told reporters.
Authorities revealed that a “massive amount” of evidence had been recovered from Mr Heuermann’s home in Massapequa – and after his estranged wife Asa Ellerup pleaded for privacy.
The 59-year-old suspect was arrested on 13 July and charged with six counts of murder in the deaths of Amber Castello, Megan Waterman, and Melissa Barthelemy. He is also the main suspect in Maureen Brainard-Barnes’ killing.
The women, all sex workers in their 20s, went missing in 2009 and 2010. Their remains were later found along a stretch of roadway in the Long Island shoreline community of Gilgo Beach.
Mr Heuermann pleaded not guilty in his first court appearance on 14 July.
Recap: Tuesday’s court conference was related to discovery
Rex Heuermann and his attorneys met with the Suffolk County District Attorney and a judge to discuss the timing of discovery being handed over to defense counsel.
District attorney Ray Tierney told reporters that prosecutors have a “tremendous” amount of evidence related to the case as investigators first began collecting it 13 years ago.
Tuesday’s court conference regarded how the prosecution will hand over discovery, starting with an 8-gigabit file of photos, reports, physical evidence, and more.
Another court conference is planned for 27 August.
Rex Heuermann’s wife says investigators turned their house ‘upside down’
An attorney for Asa Ellerup, the wife of Rex Heuermann, described a chaotic scene inside the house that she shared with the accused killer.
“Everything in the house was turned upside down,” Bob Macedonio, Ms. Ellerup’s attorney told CNN.
“Dresser drawers were emptied out. The bathroom tub – which was a vinyl tub – was actually cut open. The floors were ripped up. The couches and the mattresses have been removed,” Mr. Macedonio said.
Investigators in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office said that law enforcement found “massive amounts” of material when they investigated the suspect’s home.
How Long Island police tied Rex Heuermann to the Gilgo Beach murders
For more than a decade, the accused killer continued to go about his day-to-day life – going to work at his architecture firm in Manhattan and coming home to his wife and two children.
He seemed just as baffled by his lack of arrest as the local residents and victims’ families who questioned why police had not been able to catch the killer.
Rachel Sharp reports:
Rex Heuermann is ‘traumatized’ by Gilgo Beach murders arrest, attorney says
Rex Heuermann’s attorney has said that the suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer is “traumatized” by his sudden arrest – as he claims that the 59-year-old married father-of-two has already been “convicted by the media”.
Attorney Michael Brown told ABC News that he met the accused serial killer for the first time on Friday when he was arraigned on charges for murdering three women and dumping their bodies along the shores of Long Island.
He said that Mr. Heuermann seemed normal in the meeting but was “traumatized” by the fact he had been taken into custody over the unsolved killings.
“Nothing struck me as unusual about him. He was articulate, he was intelligent, he was soft-spoken,” he said.
Timeline of events in Giligo Beach murders
1 May 2010
Shannan Gilbert, 24, disappears after working a job as an escort in Oak Beach, Long Island.
December 2010
Suffolk County police find four bodies along Ocean Parkway between Gilgo Beach and Cedar Beach while searching for Ms. Gilbert.
January 2011
Victims identified as Megan Waterman, 22, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, Melissa Barthelemy, 24, and Amber Lynn Costello, 27. All four women were escorts.
Ms. Waterman was last seen in the spring of 2010. Ms. Brainard-Barnes was last seen on 9 July 2007. Ms. Barthelemy was last seen on 12 July 2009. Ms. Costello was last seen on 2 September 2010.
April 2011
By April, eight other bodies were found in a several-mile stretch along the Long Island Shore. Among those were a toddler and one man.
13 December 2011
Remains of Ms. Gilbert are found.
January 2020
Police release a photo of a black leather belt embossed with the letters “WH” or “HM” and ask for the public’s help in identifying what it could mean or who it could belong to.
February 2022
Suffolk County Police Department, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, and the FBI form a task force to investigate the Gilgo Beach killings
What specific evidence was recovered from Rex Heuermann’s home that led authorities to suspect his involvement in the Gilgo Beach murders?
Rex Heuermann, the alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer, appeared in court for the first time since pleading not guilty two weeks ago. During the court conference, authorities revealed that a “massive amount” of evidence was recovered from Heuermann’s home. His estranged wife, Asa Ellerup, described the chaotic scene inside the house, with emptied dresser drawers, ripped-up floors, and removed furniture. The discovery of this evidence raises questions about how Heuermann was able to go undetected for so long. The community remains on edge as the trial is expected to be lengthy and complex. The focus will be on providing a fair trial for both the accused and the victims’ families. In the meantime, the community hopes for more information to come to light in the search for justice.
