New documentary series Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer has launched on Netflix examining the grisly case of the Gilgo Beach murders.
The three-part series, which dropped on the streaming service on Monday 31 March, is a detailed account of how authorities brought charges against Rex Heuermann, a New York architect.
He is currently facing seven murder charges for women, all of which he has denied.
And at the heart of the story is the victims’ families, who have campaigned for justice.
Liz Garbus, who directed the series, said: “These family members were never going to give up.
“These women knew that there was a need to shake [up] the establishment to get attention for this case.
“Of course, they shouldn’t have [had] to work so hard.
“The system should work to protect them and should’ve protected their family members.
“But at the end of the day, their voices really mattered.”
The hunt for missing Shannan Gilbert led to the discovery of more bodies (Photo: Netflix)What were the Gilgo Beach serial killings?
The Gilgo Beach serial killings refer to a series of bodies which have been found along the beach and nearby on Long Island in the United States.
The remains of four, known as “The Gilgo Four”, were found within a quarter of a mile of each other near Gilgo Beach in December 2010.
The hunt for escort worker Shannan Gilbert, who disappeared from Long Island’s South Shore on 1 May, 2010, triggered the discovery. Police found her remains in a marsh on Long Island, along with three others all about 500 feet from each other.
They were:
Melissa Barthelemy, a 24-year-old escort, who had disappeared after visiting a client on Long Island on 10 July 2009. She was found on 11 December 2010. Maureen Brainard-Barnes, a 25-year-old escort and single mum, who disappeared on 9 July, 2007 after working in New York city. Her remains were found on 13 December, 2010. Megan Waterman, a 22-year-old escort and single mum, who disappeared on 6 June, 2010 after leaving the Holiday Inn Express at 1.15am on 6 June 2010. Her body was found on 13 December 2010. Amber Lynn Costello, a 27-year-old escort, who left home in West Babylon, Long Island on 2 September 2010 to meet a client. Her remains were found on 13 December 2010.In 2011, more remains were found along Ocean Parkway at Gilgo Beach:
Jessica Taylor, a 20-year-old escort, who went missing in 2003. Parts of her remains were found in July 2003 in Manorville, Long Island and the rest in March 2011 at Gilgo Beach. Valerie Mack, a 24-year-old escort, who disappeared in 2000. Partial remains for her were found in Manorville in 2000 and the rest at Gilgo Beach in April 2011. An unnamed toddler, the skeleton of a female toddler was found at Gilgo beach on 4 April, 2011. An Asian male, the remains of a biologically male person, aged 17-23, wearing women’s clothing was found at Gilgo Beach on 4 April, 2011.Two sets of remains were also found a few miles away from Gilgo Beach:
Karen Vergata, a 34-year-old escort, went missing in 1996. Some of her remains were found in Fire Island, off Long Island in 1996, the rest at Gilgo Beach on 11 April, 2011. Mother of the unnamed toddler, known as “Peaches” due to a tattoo. Her dismembered torso was found in 1997 at Hempstead Lake State Park but more of her remains were then discovered near Jones Beach State Park, Long Island on 11 April 2011.In November 1993, 28-year-old Sandra Costilla went missing and was found later the same month in a wooded area of Southampton, Long Island. Mr Heuerman has subsequently been charged with her murder.
The remains were found near Gilgo Beach, Long island (Photo: Netflix)The cause of death for all four women was determined as “homicidal violence”.
Rex Heuerman is a New York architect, whose business RH Consultants & Associates, is based in Manhattan.
The 61-year-old grew up in Massapequa on Long Island and attended Berner High School.
After graduation, he went on to college at New York Institute of Technology on Long Island to study architectural technology.
He then started his own business in New York as an architectural consultant.
Briefly married to Elizabeth Ryan from 1990-91, he is separated from his second wife Elsa Ellerup. The couple have two grown-up children.
Where is Rex Heuermann now?
Rex Heuerman was originally arrested on 13 July, 2023 outside his offices in Manhattan and charged with the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello.
He was later charged with the murders of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costilla.
And in December 2024, he was charged with the death of a seventh woman Valeria Mack.
He has pleaded not guilty to all seven killings and is currently being held without bail at the Riverhead Correctional Facility in Suffolk County, New York.
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