A Long Island woman has spoken out after claiming she had a disturbing encounter with suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann two weeks before his arrest.
The 25-year-old, who only wanted to give her first name, Ally, said that on July 3 she was going for a bike ride at Brady Park, just a short drive from Heuermann’s home in Massapequa, where he was arrested on July 14.
“He came up behind me and asked me what time it was,” Ally said, describing Heuermann as “popping right out of the woods.” He added that the more he asked her questions, the more creepy his advances became.
“He wanted to compliment me. Ask me if I come here often. “I’m asking my name,” Ally added, becoming yet another neighbor to recall a repulsive encounter with Heuermann.
Ally described Heuermann “wearing very dirty clothes” and approached her on at least two occasions during her bike ride.
A Long Island woman has spoken out after claiming she had a disturbing encounter with suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann two weeks before his arrest
The 25-year-old, who only wanted to give her first name, Ally, said she was planning to go for a bike ride in Brady Park, just a short drive from Heuermann’s home in Massapequa, where he was arrested on Friday
“When he first came up behind me, I felt like I was breathing behind me. Then he asked me what time it was and saw the picture of me and my boyfriend on my phone. “So he was just asking me questions,” she said.
She was so upset by Heuermann’s harassment that she called her sister to pick her up from the park, even though she had her bike with her.
Ally said she filed a police report shortly after, but was shocked two weeks later to see a photo of Heuermann being arrested in connection with the Gilgo Beach killings.
“My mother showed me the picture and I started screaming. “I got so nervous because I realized it was him,” Ally told the New York Post.
It’s unclear if Long Island Police contacted Ally after she filed a complaint.
Heuermann, 59, was arrested in dramatic fashion in midtown Manhattan Thursday night outside his Fifth Avenue architectural office, 13 years after the victims’ bodies were found on a remote Long Island beach.
On the Friday after Heuermann’s arrest, the Chevy, which appeared to be in pristine condition, was seen being towed away by police.
Dominique Vidal, an interior designer who was in a networking organization with Rex Heuermann, said he once asked her if she knew about the Gilgo Beach murders
On Sunday, State Police, FBI and Crime Lab officials were seen removing evidence from Heuermann’s Long Island home — what appears to have included a clear plastic bag containing stuffed animals.
Since his arrest, many of Heuermann’s neighbors and associates like Ally have come forward to share their experiences with him – including interior designer Dominique Vidal, who revealed the creepy voicemail message he left on her phone in February.
Vidal said she was previously in the same network organization as Heuermann, who asked her if she knew about the Gilgo Beach killings.
Heuermann was charged with the murders of three Gilgo Beach victims: Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello. He has pleaded not guilty.
He is also a 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, authorities said.
A fleet of forensic investigators continue to comb Heuermann’s home in hopes of finding more evidence in the serial murder case that has baffled investigators for over a decade.
At a news conference 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, saying Heuermann “continued to patronize sex workers” and false IDs and torch phones and held a staggering 92 firearm permits.
Police, FBI and Crime Lab officers retrieve what appear to be toys and stuffed animals from Rex Heuermann’s home in Massapequa Park, NY on Sunday afternoon, July 16, 2023
Police, FBI and Crime Lab officers were seen entering and exiting Rex Heuermann’s home in Massapequa Park, NY on Sunday afternoon, July 16, 2023
Police officers take evidence from Rex Heuermann’s home in Massapequa Park, NY on Sunday afternoon, July 16, 2023
About Rex Heuermann’s home in Massapequa Park, NY on Sunday July 16, 2023
New York State Police have removed a huge shipment of guns from the Long Island home of suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann a day after searching the property to determine if he left any “trophies” of his three victims
On Saturday, police officers were seen carrying a child-sized blonde doll, which was kept in a large wooden and glass box decorated with flowers.
The creepy doll with a red bow on its head and a red outfit was just one of several items that officers in hazmat suits, gloves and masks took from the house and loaded into a truck.
“We’re going through his house right now and see if there’s any evidence,” a police source told the New York Post. “If he has any trophies” from the victims whose bodies he dumped at Gilgo Beach.
Neighbors have previously said the suspected serial killer has always been scary, prompting some adults to tell their children to avoid the suburban home.
Now, a criminal profiler who dubbed the serial killer “average Joe” in 2011 says it’s “gratifying” to see he got it spot on.
“When I heard the news yesterday, I kind of had to chuckle because it was pretty much exactly what I predicted,” said Scott Bonn, a criminologist, author, and serial killer researcher who has spoken about the Gilgo Beach murders.
A fleet of forensic investigators continue to comb Heuermann’s home in hopes of finding more evidence in the serial murder case that has baffled investigators for over a decade
On Sunday, an officer was seen removing two more firearms from the home
Officers combing the property loaded several blue plastic cases of guns into a waiting truck
The firearms removal comes days after it was revealed Rex Heuermann had permits for a staggering 92 guns
Back in 2011 – when the investigation into a possible serial killer began – he predicted that the killer would be “someone who can walk into a room and come across as your average Joe.”
Bonn added that the man will be well organized and meticulous in his work.
In addition, the killer was “persuasive enough and rational enough” to convince his victims to meet him on his terms, he said.
“Who is more organized, who is more meticulous than someone who has studied engineering and architecture?”
Scott Bonn, a criminologist, author, and serial killer researcher who spoke about the Gilgo Beach murders, predicted that the serial killer was an “average Joe.”
Others told the New York Times that the suspect is likely either married or in a long-term relationship, is well educated, financially secure, has a steady job, owns an expensive car or truck, and lives near where the bodies were found.
At the time of the murders, Heuermann owned a Chevrolet Avalanche, according to police.
“The thing about serial killers — at least the ones that are more prolific — is that they’re often extraordinarily ordinary,” said James Alan Fox, a Northeastern University professor who has studied serial killers for more than 40 years.
He added that they tend to be extremely careful and don’t leave any evidence behind.
“They generally have jobs and families and they kill part-time,” Fox explained. “It’s not her only activity in life.”
Investigators were seen removing various items outside Heuermann’s home in Massapequa on Saturday to determine if he had left any “trophies” of his alleged victims
The photo shows New York State Police loading a truck with items from Heuermann’s suburban home on Saturday
Investigators filled blue bins with items from the home before loading them into a truck
A New York State police officer moved a slab of wood as police searched the home
One item police were carrying was so large that two men had to carry it
New York state police officers place a metal cabinet in front of the house
The suspect’s home is just north of Gilgo Beach across from South Oyster Bay
Those who have worked with Heuermann say he was exacting and impressed some of his clients while annoyed others with his attention to detail.
“[He’s]a gem to deal with, extremely competent,” said Steve Kramberg, a Brooklyn real estate manager who has worked with Heuermann for 30 years.
He described him as a “big goofy dude” who was “a bit nerdy,” which manifested as a dedicated worker who was more than detailed in his work.
According to its website, Heuermann counted American Airlines and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection among its lucrative clients.
But while Kramberg said his 24/7 availability and attention to detail were a bonus, others were irked by his antics.
Paul Tietelbaun, former president of a building authority that hired Heuermann to do renovations, said he had shown the attitude: “I’m the expert, you’re lucky to have me.”
“[He was]a really cold and distant person, kind of creepy,” he added.
Another board member, Kelly Parisi, echoed this as she recalled how building managers eventually fired Heuermann for being “overly picky” and “hostile to everyone.”
But the neighbors saw him differently: Nicholas Ferchaw said that as children we “crossed the street” and called Heuermann “someone you don’t want to approach”.
A crime lab officer retrieved evidence in a small envelope from Heuermann’s home
All items were packed in blue boxes and loaded onto a truck
Drone footage of Heuermann’s home shows police in front of the one-story building
Others told they were not surprised to learn of Heuermann’s alleged crimes.
Mike Schmidt, who has lived in the Massapequa Park neighborhood for a decade, said he often visits his friend, whose property borders Heuermann’s property.
He said when they drank beer in the backyard, they’d look at the house and remark, “He probably has dead bodies in there.”
Schmidt recalled that kids often avoid the spooky home on Halloween, but last year he and his friend took their kids there — just to satisfy their curiosity and peek inside.
He said they were greeted at the door by Heuermann, who surprised them by handing out full pumpkins full of candy to the children.
However, Schmidt told the Times that his wife was horrified when she found out where the candy came from and forced him to throw it away.
Another resident, Tara Alonzo, revealed that she had a disturbing encounter with Heuermann at Whole Foods, where she works on Long Island.
She told that he stole oranges from the store’s kids’ club, where parents leave their children to shop. When confronted about it by staff, she said he replied, “If I were wearing a suit like I wear most days, you wouldn’t be talking to me like that.”
She said he then sauntered out of the store with five or six oranges in hand, leaving staff confused at the “odd” customer.
Rex Heuermann can be seen in one of his Tinder profile pictures. Police traced the fictional email account he used for the profile and his burner’s phone number to the case
Those who knew Heuermann have given mixed descriptions, with some seeing him as a successful but lumbering Manhattan architect, while others saw him as a sinister loner
Heuermann’s yearbook photo
Police have released a long list of “red flags” that they say have led them to Heuermann as a suspect. The first piece of evidence is a Chevrolet Avalanche that he owned and which a witness linked to the murder of Costello.
According to documents filed with the Suffolk County Court, investigators were then able to link that car to Heuermann’s cellphone records, which linked him to locations connected to the murders, eventually leading to a DNA sample.
Police say Heuermann used Melissa Barthelemy’s phone to make taunting calls to her family from the victim’s phone, calls made just steps from his swanky Manhattan office.
After Heuermann was identified as the owner of the Chevrolet, police officers issued over 300 subpoenas, search warrants and other legal actions to obtain more evidence.
After the decades-long hunt for the killer appeared to end this week, dramatic aerial footage showed forensic searches of his property were being conducted as authorities continue to try to link him to more unsolved murders.