Alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann had a torn, stained shirt and handcuff keys stored in a garage at his Long Island home, can exclusively reveal.
A fleet of forensic investigators are combing the 59-year-old architect’s “dungeon-like” home in Massapequa Park for the sixth day.
spotted an investigator carrying a note detailing some of the evidence found in it. Items on the list included a rope stored in a safe, a torn man’s shirt with a stain in a pocket, and handcuff keys on a shelf under a workbench.
It’s unclear when those specific items were cleared from the home or if they were related to the investigation, but officers have searched the property for “trophies” that may be related to the victims.
Police removed a huge shipment of more than 200 guns from the home on Sunday. And a number of items have been pulled out in recent days, including a child-sized blonde doll kept in a wooden box, a cat and Playboy magazines.
Investigators also searched two storage units linked to Heuermann and several boxes were sighted outside one of them on Wednesday. Blue tarps and white tents were set up in front of the unit to shield the crime scene.
A fleet of forensic investigators are combing the 59-year-old architect’s “dungeon-like” home in Massapequa Park for the sixth day
Suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann kept a torn, stained shirt and handcuff keys in a garage at his Long Island home
Items on the list included a rope stored in a safe, a torn man’s shirt with a stain in a pocket, and handcuff keys on a shelf under a workbench
Boxes belonging to Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect Rex Heuermann were spotted outside one of his storage units
Investigators searched the units for days and set up tarps and tents to seal off the crime scene
Heuermann was arrested in dramatic fashion Thursday night in midtown Manhattan outside his Fifth Avenue company, 13 years after four bodies, all wrapped in camouflage canvas bags, were discovered on Gilgo Beach. In total, the bodies of 11 people, including an infant, were found on the same route.
He is accused of murdering three of Gilgo Beach’s victims – Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello. He has pleaded not guilty.
He is also considered the prime suspect in the death of a fourth woman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, whose body was tied up and hidden in thick undergrowth along a secluded beach road, and authorities have not ruled out the possibility of him being charged with further murders.
At a news conference following his arrest on Friday, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said Heuermann said police, who had been investigating him for a year, cited a number of red flags and said Heuermann “continued to patronize sex workers.” and used fake IDs and burner cell phones and had permits on an astounding 92 firearms.
Neighbors have previously said the suspected serial killer has always been scary, prompting some adults to tell their children to avoid the suburban home.
A neighbour, Etienne Devilliers, said on Wednesday that Heuermann looked over the fence when he first moved in and saw his wife sunbathing.
He said that he initially thought Heuermann was “just friendly”, a conversation between the two men afterwards was “awkward”, although he had always been “friendly and pleasant” after the incident.
“He stopped, he didn’t argue with me.” In the middle of the conversation he said: “I’m 1.80 m tall and weigh 90 kg”. “The guy was weird but never violent,” he said.
He described Heuermann’s wife as “equally odd” and “very isolated” and mostly reserved.
Devilliers said Friday morning after Heuermann’s arrest he was woken up by police officers who told him to put away his cars.
“I really feel sorry for the kids,” he said.
Heuermann, 59, was arrested in dramatic fashion around 8:30 p.m. Thursday night on suspicion of some of the most horrifying and unsolved murders in upstate New York
Melissa Barthelemy, top left, Amber Costello, top right, Megan Waterman, bottom left, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes. Long Island authorities have vowed to continue investigating the Gilgo Beach murders after blaming an architect for the deaths of three of the 11 victims
He added that he knew Heuermann had guns and had spoken about it often. And while he supports the Second Amendment, “some people get carried away and this guy was over the top.”
Devilliers also recalled once seeing a couple of men carrying a heavy object that turned out to be a secure door to the house.
“He told me at the time that ‘this is to protect my guns.'”
The retired firefighter said most of the residents were police officers.
“That something like this is happening right under our noses is very shocking.”
Another Massapequa resident, who lives three blocks away, said Heuermann was often seen riding the Long Island Rail into town.
“I saw him on the train, he has a special look – he’s not a little guy,” said Ricky Tavella.
“It’s extremely sad.” “I can’t stand that this guy’s home is in my neighborhood.”
Tavella said that Massapequa Park is mostly made up of police officers and firefighters and “it’s all workers here.”
Bob Robert, whose brother-in-law went to school with Heuermann, described him as “very shy”.
“He thinks it’s crazy, he saw him around the neighborhood,” he said.
New York State Troopers removed hundreds of guns from a “walled vault” at Heuermann’s home over the weekend
Evidence seized from Heuermann’s home earlier this week included what appeared to be a grenade
Old issues of Playboy were removed from the house this week and placed in evidence vans
A guitar was among the other items removed from the home on Tuesday
The investigation into Heuermann now spans at least three states, including South Carolina, where he owns real estate, and Nevada, where he owned a condo in Sin City.
Last week, police seized a rare first-generation Chevy Avalanche from his younger brother Craig’s home in rural Chester. Exclusive images show the truck being inspected by New York State investigators before it begins its journey north on Tuesday.
Police linked the avalanche to the murder of Amber Costello, one of the sex workers whose body was found in December 2010. She had disappeared three months earlier.
A witness had seen the vehicle in Costello’s driveway.
understands Heuermann sold the vehicle to his brother, who regularly drives it on the roads around his 18-acre site in Chester, South Carolina.
Land registry documents show that Rex Heuermann bought land in Chester for $154,000 in 2021. Neighbors said he was planning to set up a “settlement” with his brother, who lives on the maximum-security property.
Etienne Devilliers said on Wednesday that Heuermann looked over the fence to watch his wife sunbathe when they moved in. He said he initially thought Heuermann was “just being friendly” but a conversation between the two men afterwards was “awkward”. , although he was always “friendly” but “odd” after the incident
Forensic investigators continue to search Heuermann’s property
Neighbors told that Craig was often seen driving the vehicle around, filling the back with wood and other objects to plug holes in his property.
One added that he would brag about “how soon he could get to New York.”
Neighbors described Craig, 57, as “insane” and “insane”. One of them expressed concern that “corpses could be buried” on the property. The property is posted with “No Trespassing” signs – one of which warns: “No Search Warrant, No Trespassing”. .
They said, “You hear all sorts of things, shots in the middle of the night and heavy machinery.” It’s amazing.
“No one knows why they actually bought the land.” They were trying to make a military-style connection out of what Craig was saying. He also hunts on his land.’
The Chevrolet avalanche that led police to Heuermann was pictured on Bing and Google Earth images outside his Long Island home. A similar car was described by witnesses to Amber Costello’s disappearance
Heuermann’s rare first generation Chevy Avalanche was impounded by police in rural South Carolina and is now on its way back to New York
understands Heuermann sold the vehicle to his brother, who regularly drives it on the roads around his 18-acre site in Chester, South Carolina
Craig Heuermann was evicted from his home on Tuesday
received exclusive pictures of Craig Heuermann leaving his estate on Tuesday morning, although it is unclear where he went.
He was seen getting into a black vehicle and exiting the property, giving up his cover as his brother pleaded not guilty to the murders on Friday.
The construction worker left New York for the Carolinas after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Housing Authority Police Commissioner Winnion Buskey, 51.
He crashed through the median of a local freeway near Rex’s Long Island home in 1988 at a speed of over 60 miles per hour.
Buskey was pronounced dead at the scene, while Craig Heuermann was taken to hospital with facial injuries before being taken into custody.
The judge in the case cited police files that said Heuermann was “intoxicated and ‘coked’ at the time.”
Craig Heuermann pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and drink driving and was jailed for a while.
Neighbors confirmed that the vehicle seized by police was regularly driven by Craig, as court documents showed Rex was the vehicle’s registered owner at the time of the murders.