Massapequa Park Resident Arrested In Gilgo Beach Murders

Suffolk County DA releases evidence that led to arrest

BY JENNIFER CORR, AMANDA OLSEN AND JANET BURNS editors@antonnews.com

On July 14, reporters and camera operators packed the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office in Yaphank amid a press conference that would discuss the details of an investigation by the Gilgo Beach Homicide Investigation Task Force that led to the July 13 arrest of Massapequa Park resident Rex Heuermann, 59.

He is charged in the first degree and second degree for the 2009 murder of 24-yearold Melissa Barthelemy, the 2010 murder of 22-year-old Megan Waterman and the 2009 murder of 27-year-old Amber Lynn Costello. While the defendant is not yet charged with any crimes related to the 2007 disappearance and murder of 25-year-old Maureen Brainard-Barnes, he is the prime suspect in her death and the investigation, which is continuing and is expected to be resolved soon.

Present at the press conference was Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney, Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison, Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr., as well as representatives from the New York State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder was also present, as well as members of the victim’s families.

“I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the family members of Amber Costello, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman,” Harrison said. “I could only imagine what you had to endure over the last decade regarding knowing that your killer was still loose. God bless you.”

He then hugged each of the family members present.

Tierney explained that when he took office in January of 2022, he sought to make the Gilgo investigation his priority, and he met with the victim’s families, some of whom were at the press conference. The Gilgo Beach Homicide Task Force of investigators, analysts, prosecutors and law enforcement were formed, utilizing the Grand Jury for its power and reach in obtaining documents, interviewing witnesses and keeping secrecy.

“We knew that when we were investigating this case and when we were dealing with the media... we were playing before a party of one,” Tierney said. “We knew that the person responsible for these murders would be looking at us. We were very careful how we handled the investigation.”

Gilgo Beach Becomes a Crime Scene

On Dec. 11, 2010, according to a Bail Application Form provided by the Suffolk

County District Attorney’s Office, Suffolk County Police Officer John Malia was conducting a training exercise with his K9 partner along Ocean Parkway in Gilgo Beach when the K9 located a set of human remains that were identified to be those of Barthelemy’s.

On Dec. 13, 2010, the Suffolk County Police Department continued to search in the proximity, and found three additional sets of human remains, identified to be those of Waterman’s, Costello’s and Brainard-Barnes’ within one quarter mile of the first discovery. They each appeared to have been placed in close proximity of each other, 22 to 33 feet off the parkway.

According to the Suffolk County Police Department’s website about the case, the initial search took place eight months after the search began for 23-year-old Shannan

Gilbert, who was last seen running through the community of Oak Beach after leaving a client’s house. She had made a haunting call to a 911 dispatcher which is now available to the public, stating “somebody’s after me,” asking the dispatcher to trace where she was and speaking in a frightful tone to her driver and client. Two residents also called the police after she knocked on their door.

Gilbert’s remains were found on Dec. 13, 2011 in a marshland near Oak Beach. The Suffolk County Police Department currently believes her death is an unfortunate accident, but is still evaluating any information the public may have.

Additional remains of victims found along Ocean Parkway were Jessica Taylor (partial remains were also discovered in a wooded area of Manorville in 2003), Valerie

Mack (partial remains were also discovered in a wooded area of Manorville in 2000), an unidentified person and an unidentified toddler which DNA analysis confirmed to be the child of an unidentified woman whose remains were found in Nassau County.

“And then there was nothing, absolutely nothing,” Tierney said. “For the next 13 years, their cases went unsolved until today.”

Currently, the focus of the investigation is on the “Gilgo Four,” Barthelemy, Waterman, Costello and Brainard-Barnes. All of the women had advertised as escorts in the New York City area on Craigslist and other websites.

The Victims

An obituary for Waterman, born in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine, described her as a loving and devoted mother, daughter, granddaughter and sister.

“She loved music, dancing, beaches and spending time with the love of her life, her daughter Lily with whom she spent time doing things with such as reading stories together, watching movies, playing games and just snuggling,” the obituary read. “Megan put family first and all else next.”

Melissa Barthelemy, as described in a Newsday article covering her memorial service in West Seneca, was remembered as a smiling young woman whose life came to an incomprehensible end. More than 200 friends and family had gathered to pay their respects. She really cared about people, one family member had said.

Costello’s sister told Newsday in 2011 that she was born in Charlotte and raised in Wilmington, N.C., Costello was twice married and divorced, battled drug addiction and found faith later in life. She had four nieces she doted on, and Christmas was her favorite time because she enjoyed giving presents. Rev. Wayne Griffiths, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Babylon, said she had understanding and empathy, and used those characteristics to help people.

Brainard-Barnes, of Connecticut, was described as a wonderful mother, a beautiful daughter and a caring sister.

A friend of Brainard-Barnes told The Bulletin, a newspaper that covers Eastern Connecticut, that she “had a lot of energy” and “thought everyone was her friend.”

News Coverage and Delays in the Investigation

At the time of the victim’s disappearance, page 10