Authorities in Long Island, New York, reported conducting a search for ‘trace evidence, blood, DNA,’ and ‘trophies’ to establish stronger connections between the suspect, Rex Heuermann, and the murders of three women, and potentially other victims in the Gilgo Beach vicinity.
‘Normally people keep mementoes of significant times in their life, so that’s what we’re looking for,’ the Suffolk county district attorney, Ray Tierney, told Newsday, describing as ‘painstaking’ the search of Heuermann’s home in Massapequa Park, storage lockers and vehicle.
After police confirmed their ongoing investigation into a potential correlation between the Long Island murders and unsolved killings, notably those of four women near Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 2006, which preceded the Gilgo Beach murders by two years, Tierney spoke about the matter.
The accused, Heuermann, has pleaded not guilty to the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello. Law enforcement authorities have labeled him as the ‘prime suspect’ in the murder of a fourth woman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes
According to a neighbor residing next to Heuermann, the 59-year-old architect, for 15 years, there were instances of odd behavior, including burning garbage, digging holes in the backyard, and arguments over a parking spot.
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‘It seemed to be like once every few weeks, I would smell garbage burning at his house,’ Dominick Cancellieri informed Newsnation, also explaining sounds of digging in Heuermann’s backyard.
‘I really wanted to go and check out what it was and look through the fence, but something stopped myself from doing it,’ Cancellieri added. ‘Now, with everything coming to fruition, it doesn’t surprise me in the slightest bit.’
Long Island police received a dark green 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche, which was previously owned by Heuermann and located in South Carolina, where he owns another residence. A search warrant reveals that authorities suspect the vehicle may hold evidence related to murder, patronising a person for prostitution, and conspiracy.
‘Telephones, articles of clothing, jewelry, identification, notebooks, ledgers, Bibles, personal effects and/or photographs or recordings depicting the victims,’ could be found, the warrant said.
Items listed include ‘cellular phones, condoms, cut distal ends of black leather belts, devices utilized to stamp letters onto leather goods such as belts, as well as knives, scissors, cutting instruments, Bounty paper towels’ and burlap used to camouflage bodies.
It has been about three years since Suffolk police released images of a black leather belt with a buckle stamped ‘WH’ or ‘HM,’ which was found in the vicinity of one of the Gilgo Beach victims.