After nearly three years of maintaining her virginity, Rex Heuermann confessed to being the Gilgo Beach killer – admitting to strangling eight women whose bodies he dumped on a Long Island freeway over a 17-year period. The guilty plea is reshaping the Suffolk County District Attorney’s case Ray Tierney it has been called one of the most important criminal investigations in the county’s history.
Heuermann, 62, a former architect, changed his plea on April 8, 2026, inside a Riverhead courthouse as his ex-wife and daughter watched in the gallery.
Everything you need to know about the case, including his sentencing, below.
What Does Rex Heuermann Plead Guilty To?
Heuermann admitted to killing eight women between 1993 and 2010. Their bodies were found dumped near Gilgo Beach. The victims were Valerie Mack24, Jessica Taylor20, Megan Waterman22, Melissa Barthelemy24, Maureen Brainard-Barnes25, Sandra Costilla28, Amber Lynn Costello,27, and Karen Vergata34.
Under questioning by Tierney, Heuermann admitted to strangling his victims in the basement of his Massapequa home. He also agreed to dissect some of them. When asked how he killed the eight women, he gave one word: “Strangulation.” An eye witness inside the court confirmed this Us Weekly he showed no emotion.
As part of his plea deal, Heuermann agreed to cooperate with the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit.
How was Rex Heuermann caught?
Heuermann was arrested in July 2023 outside his Manhattan office. Prosecutors say they used DNA from his discarded pizza crust to link him to the 2007 slaying of Brainard-Barnes and six other deaths.
His defense team argued that taking the DNA violated his constitutional right to privacy. “We’ve all heard of them going into our trash, taking pizza crusts,” the defense attorney said Danielle Coysh said. “Rex Heuermann may have left the pizza crust behind, but he never left all the details of the person who is now in our DNA.”
The judge ruled that advanced DNA testing could be used.
Prosecutors also revealed Heuermann’s extensive online activity in court filings obtained by ABC New York. He is alleged to have registered hotlines and a Tinder account under the aliases “Andrew Roberts” and “Thomas Hawk” to contact prostitutes hundreds of times. The Gmail account was used for “thousands” of searches related to violent content and more than 100 searches about the Gilgo Beach murders — including “Why the long island killer hasn’t been caught.”
Prosecutors argued evidence showed Heuermann was a “sexist” and that his contact with prostitutes on hot phones showed “a consistent pattern spanning 15 years.”
What Happened Inside the Riverhead Courthouse?
Heuermann jumped onto the court and smiled with his ex-wife, Asa Ellerupand a daughter Victoria Heuermann. The women were accompanied by a human rights lawyer Gloria Allred.
“The court has been informed that the accused may plead guilty today, which may have been a secret that was kept very secret in this building,” the Judge. Timothy P. Mazzi He said sitting on the bench.
News of the settlement came weeks ago when relatives of some of the victims told the Long Island Daily Newsday that a hearing is scheduled for April 8. Both Tierney and the defense attorney Michael J. Brown declined to comment at the time.
Rex Heuermann Sentenced to Multiple Life Sentences
Two months after Heuermann pleaded guilty, he was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences without parole, plus 25 years to life in prison for four additional murders. All of his sentences will run consecutively.
During the sentencing hearing, many of the families of Heuermann’s victims spoke about the effect the killing had on their lives. Meanwhile, Heuermann got another chance to speak in court.
“There are no words that I can say. I am responsible for everything that is said in this room today. The words that I will say do not make sense,” he said, on CNN.
Judge Timothy Mazzei also didn’t hold back when he spoke to the killer, telling Heuermann, “He’s a disgusting and petty man, if you’re a man. He’s a coward.”
What is Rex Heuermann’s Family?
Ellerup filed for divorce a few weeks after Heuermann’s arrest. In the Peacock documentary released earlier this year called Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secretsan executive produced by the rapper 50 CentHe expressed disbelief at these allegations.
“No one deserves what they got, but Rex didn’t see it [sex workers]. He is a family man. He didn’t do this,” said Ellerup.” “I will need to hear from Rex face to face that he killed these girls for me to believe. My husband has never stopped me from doing anything.”
After the April 8 hearing, reporters followed Ellerup and Victoria into the courthouse parking lot. It is reported that Ellerup told reporters that he felt bad for the victims but did not comment beyond that.
The man suspected of being the infamous Long Island Serial Killer is dealing with undisclosed health issues, Us Weekly can confirm. Rex Heuermann was a no-show Tuesday, March 17, for his ongoing criminal trial on Long Island. The hearing continued as scheduled, and afterward, Heuermann’s attorney, Michael Brown, told reporters […]
What Happens Next in the Gilgo Beach Case?
April 6, 2026, attorney John Ray they filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Heuermann, Ellerup and their children Benjamin TorresMack’s only child. The trial of Mack’s death deprived Torres of “his mother’s care, guidance, protection, care, community and economic support.”
Investigators spent weeks going through Heuermann’s home after his arrest, collecting evidence and finding dozens of guns in the basement. They are still trying to link Heuermann to the other two bodies found at Gilgo Beach.
