By Hank Russell
A man from Massapequa Park was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences plus 100 years after pleading guilty to admitting publicly, as part of his allocution, to killing an eighth victim.
Between November 19, 1993 and November 20, 1993, Rex Heuermann met with Sandra Costilla. After picking up Costilla, the defendant subsequently strangled her, causing her death.
Subsequently, Heuermann transported and left Costilla’s remains in the vicinity of Fish Cove Road, in North Sea, until she was ultimately discovered by hunters on November 20, 1993. At the time of her death, Costilla was just 28 years old and survived by her son, who was approximately five years old.
In April 1996, Heuermann met with Karen Vergata. After picking up Vergata, the defendant strangled her, causing her death. Following her death, Heuermann dismembered her body, and then transported her remains to various locations. On April 20, 1996, Vergata’s severed legs were discovered on Blue Point Beach. Almost 15 years later, on April 12, 2011, as part of the expanded search of the Gilgo Beach area, Vergata’s skull was recovered on Ocean Parkway, in the vicinity of Tobay Beach.
Prior to her identification in 2023 via genetic genealogy, Vergata had been referred to as “Fire Island Jane Doe.” At the time of her death, she was just 34 years old and left behind two sons.
Between September 1, 2000 and November 19, 2000, Heuermann met with Valerie Mack. After picking up Mack, the defendant strangled her, causing her death. Following her death, Mack was dismembered by Heuermann, who then transported her remains to two locations, Manorville and Ocean Parkway, Gilgo Beach.
On November 19, 2000, three hunters discovered a black plastic bag approximately one mile west of Halsey Manor Road and north of Mill Road in Manorville. Inside, they observed a decapitated set of human remains, which were later identified as those of Mack. Over 10 years later, on April 4, 2011, as part of the expanded search of the Gilgo Beach area, Mack’s skull, hands, and right foot were discovered along Ocean Parkway, just east of Gilgo Beach. Prior to her identification in 2020 via genetic genealogy, Mack had been referred to as “Jane Doe #6.” At the time of her death, she was just 24 years old and survived by her adoptive parents and her son, whose name was tattooed near her right ankle.
Between July 21, 2003 and July 26, 2003, Heuermann met with Jessica Taylor. After picking up Taylor, the defendant subsequently strangled her, causing her death.
Following her death, Taylor was dismembered by Heuermann, who then transported her remains to Manorville and Ocean Parkway. On July 26, 2003, Taylor’s remains were discovered just west of Halsey Manor Road in Manorville. Notably, the victim’s arms, hands, and head had been severed from her body and were missing from the remains recovered at the scene.
Nearly eight years later, on March 29, 2011, as part of the expanded search of the Gilgo Beach area, the victim’s skull, hands, and forearm were discovered along Ocean Parkway, just east of Gilgo Beach. At the time of her death, she was just 20 years old and was survived by her mother.
In July 2007, after seeing an online advertisement, Heuermann utilized a “burner phone” to arrange to meet with Maureen Brainard-Barnes. On the night of July 9, 2007, Heuermann picked up Brainard-Barnes and subsequently strangled her, causing her death. Following her death, Heuermann secured Brainard-Barnes’ remains with three belts and transported the victim to Ocean Parkway.
Over three years later, on December 13, 2010, Ms. Brainard-Barnes’ remains were discovered on the north side of Ocean Parkway. At the time of her death, she was just 25 years old and survived by her two children, her sister and brother, as well as her mother.
On July 10, 2009, after seeing an online advertisement for her services, Heuermann utilized a “burner phone” to arrange to meet with Melissa Barthelemy. That evening, Heuermann picked up Barthelemy and ultimately strangled her, causing her death. Following her death, Heuermann tied up Barthelemy’s remains with tape and burlap. Subsequently, the defendant transported the victim’s remains to Ocean Parkway.
Over a year later, on December 11, 2010, Barthelemy’s remains were discovered on the north side of Ocean Parkway. At the time of her death, she was just 24 years old and survived by her sister, her mother, and stepfather.
On June 6, 2010, Heuermann utilized a “burner phone” to arrange to meet with Megan Waterman. That evening, Heuermann picked up Waterman from the Holiday Inn in Hauppauge and subsequently strangled the victim, causing her death.
Following her death, Heuermann tied up Waterman’s remains with tape and burlap and then transported the victim’s remains to Ocean Parkway. Just over six months later, on December 13, 2010, Waterman’s remains were discovered on the north side of Ocean Parkway, near Gilgo Beach. At the time of her death, she was just 22 years old and survived by her daughter, mother, and grandmother.
Finally, on September 2, 2010, after a “ruse” that occurred the night before had disrupted Heuermann’s encounter with Costello, Heuermann utilized a “burner phone” to arrange to once again meet with Costello. That evening, Heuermann picked up Costello from her residence in West Babylon and subsequently strangled her, causing her death. Following her death, Heuermann tied up Costello’s remains with tape and burlap and then transported her remains to Ocean Parkway. On December 13, 2010, Ms. Costello’s remains were discovered on the north side of Ocean Parkway. At the time of her death, she was just 27 years old and survived by her sister.
Following a long-term investigation, the defendant was arrested on July 13, 2023.
On April 8, 2026, Heuermann pleaded guilty before Supreme Court Justice Timothy P. Mazzei to three counts of Murder in the First Degree, and four counts of murder in the Second Degree, all Class A felonies. As part of his allocution, he also admitted to the murder of Karen Vergata.
On June 17, 2026, Mazzei ordered Heuermann, 62, sentenced to three consecutive sentences of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for killing Barthelemy, Waterman, and Costello. Heuermann was also sentenced to a consecutive sentence of 100 years to life imprisonment for killing Brainard-Barnes, Taylor, Costilla and Mack. In exchange for Heuermann’s admission to Vergata’s murder, this additional murder is covered by Heuermann’s plea to the murders of the seven charged victims.
“For the families of these eight young women who have waited decades for this day, your voices have been heard,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “Rex Heuermann will now serve the rest of his life in prison for taking the lives of your loved ones. None of the success of the Gilgo Beach Task Force would have been possible without your relentless dedication and assistance. You are the reason we do what we do. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to all the talented investigators from the partner agencies in our task force for their amazing work.”
The trial presented challenges to the prosecution. As previously reported in Long Island Life & Politics, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office fended off a challenge by Heuermann’s defense team, which doubted the authenticity of nuclear DNA test results linking Heuermann to the slayings of six women. LILP also reported that two outside forensics laboratories analyzed a hair sample found on Mack. Using DNA techniques and direct genome sequencing, as well as mitochondrial analysis, all of the seven victims, except Barthelemy, were tied to Heuermann. The DNA results were later allowed.
LILP also reported that the defense had argued for separate trials, claiming that the modus operandi of the last four murders differed from the first six. In his decision, Mazzei said that, despite “minor inconsistencies” in the way Heuermann allegedly carried out the last four murders, there will be no separate trials.
The Long Island Press reported that, when asked by Mazzei if he was sorry for what he did to those women, Heuermann replied, “Yes, I am.”
“I do think there’s a [sincere] expression of some remorse,” Heuermann’s defense attorney Michael Brown said. “I’ve seen that there’s two parts of Rex Heuermann. The one part of Rex Heuermann is what we know about. Unfortunately, or fortunately, you haven’t seen the graphics that I’ve seen in terms of the discovery. These acts were horrific, truly, they were horrific. That’s the Rex that is responsible for the eight murders.”