Full timeline of terror in Long Island serial killer case after man is charged
The news of a man being charged in connection with the Gilgo Beach murders is just the latest turn in a mystery stretching back decades.
Rex Heuermann, 59, an architect, was arrested outside his Manhattan office last night and has been charged with murder in the deaths of three of the 11 victims in a long-unsolved string of killings known as the Gilgo Beach murders.
The 59-year-old has lived for decades across a bay from where the remains were found.
He is charged with first and second degree murder in connection with the deaths of three victims, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello. Authorities say he is also the "prime suspect" in another killing.
Map shows where the bodies were found (Suffolk County Police Department)The case made national headlines with the perpetrator named by the media as the "Long Island Serial Killer" or "LISK."
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But the story as is currently known started much further back.
April 20 1996 - The first remains are found
Two female legs were found wrapped in a plastic bag on the bayside shore of Fire Island, a mile west of Davis Park Beach. This victim was given the name 'Fire Island Jane Doe'.
Multiple potentially identifying scars were found on the victim's legs. Her right lower leg had a three-and-a-half inch scar, along with a one-inch scar on the mid to lower leg and a half inch scar on the ankle. Her left leg had a two inch surgical scar with suture scars on the ankle - indicating she may have had surgery on that ankle.
Long Island Serial Killer victims. Top row, L to R: Molly Jean Dilts, Shannan Gilbert and Tracy Ann Roberts. Middle row, L to R: Melissa Barthelemy, Barbara Breidor and Kim Raffo. Bottom row, L to R: Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello (Handout)Her skull was found later on April 11, 2011, west of Tobay Beach in Nassau County, where she was initially identified as Jane Doe 7. She has still not been identified.
November 19 2000 - Valerie Mack's remains found
Valerie Mack was last seen by her family in the spring/summer of 2000 in the Port Republic area of New Jersey.
She was never listed as a missing person, with her last known address in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area where she had been working as a sex worker using the name 'Melissa Taylor'.
Gilgo Serial murders suspect Rex Heuermann calls himself 'trouble shooter' in chilling interview (Bonjour Realty/Youtube)On November 19, 2000, the body of a woman was discovered by hikers in the Long Island PIne Barrens in Manorville having been cut into pieces and put in plastic bags.
Although the remains went unidentified for years, they were eventually identified as belonging to Valerie.
July 20 2003 - Remains of Jessica Taylor are found
Jessica R Taylor, from Poughkeepsie, New York, left home as a teen and moved to Brooklyn where she spent about three years under control of a pimp, Khalil White, known as 'Remy'. During a trip to Washington DC, Jessica decided to return home.
She left on July 15, 2003, and White reported her missing later that day. Her vehicle had apparently broken down en route, but she hitchhiked back to Brooklyn.
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A makeshift memorial for a victim in the Gilgo Beach murders stands along Ocean Parkway in Gilgo Beach (Newsday via Getty Images)Jessica was reportedly seen a few days later, between July 18 and 23, 2003, at the Port Authority bus terminal in Manhattan, according to the detective who investigated her case. On July 20, 2003, her torso was found on a sheet of plastic in Manorville, New York, at the end of an access road just north of the Long Island Expressway.
May 1 2010 - Shannan Gilbert disappears
Although, somewhat controversially, police say Shannan Gilbert wasn't murdered, her disappearing turned the previous seemingly unconnected incidents into a serial killer conspiracy.
On May 1, 2010, Shannan, an out-of-town sex worker, and her driver, Michael Pak left for a client's house in Oak Beach.
At 4.51am, Shannan made a frantic call to 9111, telling dispatchers people were trying to kill her. She was last seen alive by neighbours, including Gus Coletti and Barbara Brennan.
December 11 2010 - The remains of Melissa Barthelemy found
The search for Shannan among the brambles on Ocean Parkway led to the discovery of Melissa Barthelemy.
She had last been seen on July 12, 2009 outside her apartment in the Bronx. Later that day, a bank security camera captured her depositing $1,000. Her boyfriend and pimp John 'Blaze' Terry said she'd arranged another $1,000 date the next night on Long Island.
Melissa Mary Barthelemy was an aspiring hairstylist (MELISSA MARY BARTHELEMY)
Megan Waterman's body was found on December 13, 2010 (MEGAN AMELIA WATERMAN)Not long after her disappearance, her sister received a series of calls from a man using Melissa's phone, claiming to be her killer, between July 16 and August 27. The calls came from busy New York City locations including Madison Square Garden and Times Square, Melissa's voicemail was also accessed in July from Massapequa, New York.
December 13 2010 - Further bodies found
The bodies of Amber Lynn Costello, 27, from Wilmington, North Carolina, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, from Groton, Connecticut and Melissa Barthelemy, 24, from Buffalo, New York, all found within 150m of Megan's body.
Maureen Brainard-Barnes was last seen after leaving her home to meet a client she had booked through Craigslist (MAUREEN BRAINARD-BARNES)These first four became known as the Gilgo Beach Four.
March 29 2011 - Further remains of Jessica Taylor found
Further remains of Jessica Taylor are found alongside Ocean Parkway. this concluded the search that began in January 26 2003.
Amber Lynn Costello left without her phone, wearing a pink hoodie and jeans (AMBER LYNN COSTELLO)April 4 2011 - Remains of a new victim and even a toddler found
On April 4, 2011, an unidentified toddler was found along Ocean Parkway. The child's sex is undetermined but believed to be female, and she is referred to as 'Baby Doe'.
Police estimate she's around two years old, she was found wrapped in a blanket with no apparent signs of trauma. DNA analysis later identified Jane Doe 3, who was to be discovered on April 11, as the mother of 'Baby Doe', and it's believed both were killed at the same time. They were both found wearing similar jewellery.
On the same day the body of an unidentified young Asian person was found along Ocean Parkway. They were estimated to be between 17 and 23-years-old, 5' 6" in height and missing four teeth.
Biologically, the victim was male, but was found wearing women's clothing. It's believed they may have had a musculoskeletal disorder which impacted how they walked. Their cause of death was determined as blunt-force trauma to the head.
Further remains of Valerie were also found, connecting her to this new scene.
April 11 2011 - Even more remains discovered
On April 11, 2011, police in Nassau County discovered dismembered skeletal human remains inside a plastic bag near Jones Beach State Park, identified at the time as Jane Doe 3.
A suspect has reportedly been arrested for the Gilgo Beach murders (AFP via Getty Images)She was IDed as the toddler's mum.
The skull of Jane Doe 7 is also found.
December 13 2011 - Shannan Gilbert's remains found
On December 13, 2011, Shannan's remains were found in a marsh at Oak Beach, around a quarter of a mile from where she was last seen. A week earlier her pocketbook, ID, cell phone, jeans, and shoes were found in the marsh close to where she was last seen with police believing she accidentally drowned after heading into the marsh in drug-induced panic.
The desolate stretch of highway where the bodies were found (Getty Images)July 13 2023 - Suspect arrested
Rex Heuermann, 59, an architect, was arrested outside his Manhattan office last night. His arrest is tied to the so-called “Gilgo Four,” the four women found wrapped in burlap in the opening days of the search in 2010.
The following day he was charged with first and second degree murder in connection with the deaths of three victims, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello. Authorities say he is also the "prime suspect" in another killing.
Rex Heuermann founded his own well-respected architecture firm (RH Consultants & Associates, Inc)Read more similar news:
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