2010 Suspect Arrested in 'Gilgo Beach Murder Case'
DNA Match Found on Discarded Pizza Crust
A serial killer who murdered four women has been indicted after 13 years. The decisive evidence that led to the capture of the suspect, who was almost left as an unsolved case, was a leftover slice of pizza.
On the 14th (local time), US broadcasters CBS and NBC, as well as The New York Times (NYT), reported that Rex Huerman (59) was arrested on the 13th in Manhattan, New York, and indicted on the same day on charges of first- and second-degree murder for killing three women whose bodies were found in 2010. Huerman is also under investigation for the murder of another woman who went missing in 2007.
At the time, the victims were found near the beach in the South Shore of Long Island, New York. They were buried in similar ways, with their bodies tied with belts or tape and wrapped in hunting camouflage fabric.
Initially, the police authorities were lukewarm about the investigation, but after the victims were discovered, they began combing through Long Island, and the number of bodies found in the area eventually rose to 16. It has not been confirmed whether all were the work of the same perpetrator, and the identities of five victims could not be determined.
However, at least 10 female bodies are presumed to be victims of the serial killings, most of whom engaged in prostitution through online platforms. Some were also found wrapped in burlap.
This case, known as the "Long Island Beach Murders," caused a nationwide stir in the US but remained unsolved for over a decade as the perpetrator was not found.
The case was turned into a bestselling novel titled "Lost Girls" by Robert Kolker, and later, a film of the same name was released on Netflix in 2020.
The "Long Island Beach Murders," which were almost destined to remain unsolved forever, gained momentum in the investigation after new witness testimony emerged. The witness stated, "I saw Huerman's vehicle near the area shortly before one of the murdered women went missing."
Huerman, a Long Island native, lived near the Long Island beach and had worked as a construction consultant in Manhattan since 1987. Investigators confirmed that Huerman contacted the victims via disposable prepaid phones from his home and Manhattan office just hours before they disappeared.
They also discovered that he searched for sadistic pornographic videos using an email account created under an alias and repeatedly looked up photos and related articles about the Long Island Beach serial murder victims.
Authorities monitored Huerman to gather evidence and, in January of this year, observed him throwing away pizza boxes in a trash bin outside his Manhattan office. The collected boxes contained leftover pizza slices.
The Suffolk County Forensic Laboratory analyzed the DNA from the pizza and concluded that it matched the DNA from male hair found on the burlap wrapping the victims' bodies.
Huerman appeared in court on the 14th and pleaded not guilty, but the judge ordered him to be held without bail. Investigators stated, "If convicted, he will face life imprisonment without parole."
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