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Rex Heuermann, age 59, of Massapequa Park, was taken into custody on Thursday, July 13 around 8:30 p.m., for at least some of the murder victims, nine of whom were women, found on the south shore of Long Island known as Gilgo Beach, The New York Times reported.
According to CBS News, Heuermann founded RH Consultants and Associates, based in Manhattan in 1994. The architecture and interior design firm's clients included Target and Foot Locker, the company's website says.
The website lists its as being on Fifth Avenue.
During an impromptu news conference on Friday, July 14, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison said the Gilgo Beach murders task force “did place an individual under arrest," reported NBC News.
“We anticipate an indictment later on this afternoon,” the commissioner said.
In addition to a search of Heuermann's home in Massapequa Park, officials were also seen searching his Manhattan offices, officials said.
Actor Billy Baldwin, a Long Island native, said he went to school with Heuermann at Berner High School in Massapequa.
"Woke up this morning to learn that the Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect was my high school classmate Rex Heuermann," Baldwin wrote on Twitter. "Married, two kids, architect. Average guy… quiet, family man. Mind-boggling… Massapequa is in shock."
The beginning:
It has been more than 12 years since Suffolk County police officers, searching for missing person Shannan Gilbert, discovered the body of Melissa Barthelemy along Ocean Parkway on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010.
The search for additional bodies, known as the Gilgo Beach victims, were discovered two days later including the bodies of Amber Lynn Costello, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, and Megan Waterman.
Three more sets of remains were discovered on Monday, April 4, 2011—Valerie Mack, whose partial remains were located in Manorville in November 2000; an unidentified female toddler, who, through DNA testing was subsequently identified as the daughter of a woman whose remains were later found in Nassau County; and an unidentified Asian male, who was wearing women’s clothing.
A week later, the remains of two other victims, including the toddler’s mother, were found in Nassau County.
Police continued to search the area and on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011, Shannan Gilbert’s remains were located.
Despite thousands of man-hours spent on the case, it wasn't until a new task force was formed last year under Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison which included special homicide investigators from the Suffolk County Police Department and the FBI, as well as the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office and the Suffolk Sheriff’s Office, that new information began to flow.
A detailed press conference in which more info is expected to be released is set for 4 p.m., Friday.
This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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