LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK: Rex Heuermann, the married father-of-two has left his family "shocked" following his arrest in connection with the Gilgo Beach murders case. The FBI has assisted in raiding the suspect's relatives' home from Long Island to South Carolina.
The family of the New York-based architect is "embarrassed" and "disgusted" at the "animal" he is alleged of being. He lived with his two children and second wife, Asa Ellerup in Massapequa Park, according to New York Post.
Did Rex Heuermann's family know about his crimes?
According to authorities, Ellerup and their children were away from home at the time of the serial killings Heuermann is allegedly involved in. "When we initially informed them about him, they were shocked. They were disgusted, they were embarrassed," said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison.
"So, if you ask me, I don’t believe they knew about this double life that Mr Heuermann was living. They have been cooperative — there hasn’t been any resistance," he said of the family. The alleged killer was taken into custody last Thursday, July 13. "It’s a very good thing that we got this animal off the streets," said Harrison.
Rex Heuermann pleaded not guilty to murder charges
Heuermann, who runs his own firm RH Consultants and Associates founded in 1994, was busted after he was accused of killing Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Costello, and Megan Waterman. He is also considered a prime suspect in the death of another of the 'Gilgo Four' who is identified as Maureen Brainard-Barnes. All the victims were sex workers and were strangled to death. The architect pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder in the first degree and three counts of murder in the second degree.
Investigators continue searching Heuermann's home
The suspect's home in Long Island continues to be investigated by the Gilgo Beach task force. The residence is just across South Oyster Bay from where the victim's dead bodies were discovered in December 2010. A storage unit in Amityville has also been searched along with other property searches, including the four lots of land in Chester County which was bought by Heuermann in 2021.
Heuermann's lawyer Michael Brown said that his client "insisted he did not commit these crimes," and described him as a "hardworking" licensed architect who has no prior criminal past. "He is a loving husband to his wife of over 25 years and an involved and dedicated father to his daughter and stepson... there is nothing about Mr Heuermann that would suggest that he is involved in these incidents," said Brown.