Gilgo Beach killings: Suffolk DA Ray Tierney visits suspected killer's house amid extensive search
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney leaving Rex Heuermann's home Thursday where police are involved in an extensive search. Credit: John Roca
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney visited the Massapequa Park home of suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex A. Heuermann on Thursday as an extensive search of the property reached a fourth day.
The prosecutor, who had not previously been seen at the architect’s house all week, spent 20 minutes inside the home before leaving without speaking to reporters gathered down the street. He later declined to comment on a text message.
Crime scene personnel could be seen photographing Heuermann’s front porch, where they removed paint chips and a piece of rope and placed them in evidence bags, before returning other items to the garage late Thursday afternoon. A large-format architect’s printer was among the items taken out of the house, only to be returned hours later.
Tierney was flanked by Chief Assistant District Attorney Allen Bode and Trial Division Chief James Chalifoux, who entered the front door with him. Three additional prosecutors who will try the case with Tierney were spotted at the house throughout the week.
Prosecutors have not said what brought about the second extensive search of the home, which had investigators removing items throughout the interior of the house, basement and garage. Dozens of evidence boxes were logged and loaded on trucks parked in front of the house each day.
The execution of the search warrant, which came at a time when Heuermann’s wife, Asa Ellerup, was visiting South Carolina, caught the family by surprise following an extensive search after his arrest in July, her attorney, Robert Macedonio, said Wednesday.
“We’re anticipating [the search warrant] and looking forward to seeing the affidavit to determine what additional probable cause they obtained to get back into the residence,” said Macedonio, of Islip Terrace.
Heuermann’s attorney, Michael J. Brown, of Central Islip, declined to comment on the search.
Heuermann, 60, was arrested in New York City July 13. The following afternoon he pleaded not guilty to first- and second-degree murder charges in the killings of Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy and Amber Lynn Costello, whose remains were found near Gilgo Beach more than 13 years ago.
He again pleaded not guilty in January to the superseding indictment, which added a fourth count of second-degree murder in the slaying of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, whose remains were found near the other victims. All four women — the first of 10 sets of remains found along Ocean Parkway that are believed to be the work of one or more serial killers — worked as escorts.
The initial search of Heuermann’s home in July — which coincided with warrants executed for storage space he rented, the Manhattan office of his architecture firm and a vehicle kept at his brother’s home in South Carolina — lasted 12 days.
During the July search, police used scanning technology to identify “disturbances” in the ground outside Heuermann’s property, Tierney said at the time. An excavator dug up the yard, and investigators with shovels could be seen scraping freshly upturned earth, but did not yield any “large items of evidence,” the district attorney said.
Heuermann is due to appear next before Suffolk Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei in criminal court in Riverhead June 18. Mazzei previously told prosecutors he would like to see discovery in the case against Heuermann completed by the end of July.
The newest search of the property will resume Friday, sources said.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney visited the Massapequa Park home of suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex A. Heuermann on Thursday as an extensive search of the property reached a fourth day.
The prosecutor, who had not previously been seen at the architect’s house all week, spent 20 minutes inside the home before leaving without speaking to reporters gathered down the street. He later declined to comment on a text message.
Crime scene personnel could be seen photographing Heuermann’s front porch, where they removed paint chips and a piece of rope and placed them in evidence bags, before returning other items to the garage late Thursday afternoon. A large-format architect’s printer was among the items taken out of the house, only to be returned hours later.
Tierney was flanked by Chief Assistant District Attorney Allen Bode and Trial Division Chief James Chalifoux, who entered the front door with him. Three additional prosecutors who will try the case with Tierney were spotted at the house throughout the week.
Prosecutors have not said what brought about the second extensive search of the home, which had investigators removing items throughout the interior of the house, basement and garage. Dozens of evidence boxes were logged and loaded on trucks parked in front of the house each day.
The execution of the search warrant, which came at a time when Heuermann’s wife, Asa Ellerup, was visiting South Carolina, caught the family by surprise following an extensive search after his arrest in July, her attorney, Robert Macedonio, said Wednesday.
“We’re anticipating [the search warrant] and looking forward to seeing the affidavit to determine what additional probable cause they obtained to get back into the residence,” said Macedonio, of Islip Terrace.
Heuermann’s attorney, Michael J. Brown, of Central Islip, declined to comment on the search.
Alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex A. Heuermann appears in a Riverhead courtroom on Feb. 6. Credit: James Carbone
Heuermann, 60, was arrested in New York City July 13. The following afternoon he pleaded not guilty to first- and second-degree murder charges in the killings of Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy and Amber Lynn Costello, whose remains were found near Gilgo Beach more than 13 years ago.
He again pleaded not guilty in January to the superseding indictment, which added a fourth count of second-degree murder in the slaying of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, whose remains were found near the other victims. All four women — the first of 10 sets of remains found along Ocean Parkway that are believed to be the work of one or more serial killers — worked as escorts.
The initial search of Heuermann’s home in July — which coincided with warrants executed for storage space he rented, the Manhattan office of his architecture firm and a vehicle kept at his brother’s home in South Carolina — lasted 12 days.
During the July search, police used scanning technology to identify “disturbances” in the ground outside Heuermann’s property, Tierney said at the time. An excavator dug up the yard, and investigators with shovels could be seen scraping freshly upturned earth, but did not yield any “large items of evidence,” the district attorney said.
An investigator works outside alleged Gilgo Beach killer Rex Heuermann's house in Massapequa Park on Thursday. Credit: John Roca
Heuermann is due to appear next before Suffolk Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei in criminal court in Riverhead June 18. Mazzei previously told prosecutors he would like to see discovery in the case against Heuermann completed by the end of July.
The newest search of the property will resume Friday, sources said.
Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. A Long Island native, he joined Newsday in 2022.
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