Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK: A former classmate described Gilgo Beach murder suspect Rex Heuermann as very quiet and polite during their time in high school. The Suffolk County District Attorney's office released charging documents on Friday, July 14, confirming that Heuermann, 59, is the suspected serial killer who targeted women working as sex workers and dumped their bodies along a Long Island beach.
Heuermann appeared in court in handcuffs and pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder in relation to the deaths of Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, and Amber Lynn Costello. He is being detained without the possibility of bail.
Who is Maureen Holpit?
Maureen Holpit is a 59-year-old Florida woman who attended Berner High School in Massapequa with Heuermann. Holpit described him as a reserved teenager who would often leave "love notes" in her locker and characterized their interactions as pleasant and polite. "I was always nice and friendly to him, you know. Seemed like he kind of got picked on and people would maybe portray him as a little nerdy. He was very quiet, mild-mannered. So I was nice and would say, 'Hey, Rex, how are you?'," Holpit told The Independent. "I was getting these notes in my locker. As I’m remembering, there were multiple little love notes but they were not signed," she added, continuing, "Then, one day I did see him put it in my locker and so I knew they were from him. I may have said to him that I had a boyfriend or I just liked him as a friend."
What evidence did investigators find against Rex Heuermann?
Heuermann is the primary suspect in the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, who is believed to be one of the victims referred to as the "Gilgo Four." The other three victims were Barthelemy, 24, Waterman, 22, and Costello, 27. The bodies of the four women were found bound in a similar fashion using belts or tape and dumped on the Gilgo Beach of Long Island. The Suffolk County Police Department, the New York State Police, the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office, and the FBI revived the investigation for the killings in 2022, ultimately leading to the surprising arrest of Heuermann outside his Midtown office.
According to court documents, one piece of evidence linking Heuermann to the murders was a hair found on the camouflage burlap material used to wrap the body of Waterman. In the early stages of the investigation, DNA analysis was not possible, however, advancements in technology allowed for testing in July 2020, which provided valuable evidence. Authorities issued over 300 subpoenas and search warrants, leading to the discovery of cellphone records related to burner phones. The records revealed that the phones were used to arrange meetings with three of the victims from the "Gilgo Four" prior to their disappearances. Additionally, investigators claim that further analysis connected Heuermann to harassing phone calls made to the family members of the victims. These calls were reportedly traced to the Midtown Manhattan area, where Heuermann's architecture business offices are situated.