Photo: M0tty | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Wikimedia Commons
Rex Heuermann Pleads Guilty to Seven Gilgo Beach–Linked Murders, Admits Eighth Killing and Faces Life Without Parole
Rex Heuermann, 62, pleaded guilty in a packed Suffolk County courtroom to seven murders tied to the Gilgo Beach killings and publicly admitted to killing an eighth woman in a series of slayings investigators say spanned roughly 1993 to 2010–2011. Heuermann, whose identification was aided by vehicle-registration records, cellphone data and DNA from a discarded pizza crust, faces life in prison without parole at sentencing in June and has agreed to cooperate with the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit.
📌 Key Facts
- Rex Heuermann, 62, appeared in Suffolk County Court in Riverhead on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to murdering seven women in the Gilgo Beach–linked killings; he also publicly admitted to killing an eighth woman.
- Heuermann pleaded to three counts of first‑degree murder and four counts of intentional murder for killings that prosecutors say span roughly 17 years, with victims dating back to the 1990s (reports list the timeframe as roughly 1993 through 2010–2011).
- Named victims and recovery locations reported: Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Lynn Costello, Maureen Brainard‑Barnes, Megan Waterman, Jessica Taylor and Valerie Mack were found along Ocean Parkway at Gilgo Beach; Sandra Costilla’s remains were recovered in the Hamptons (about 60 miles away); Karen Vergata’s remains were tied to the broader case (reported as found on Fire Island and later near Gilgo Beach), though Heuermann has not been formally charged in Vergata’s death despite admitting he killed her in court.
- Prosecutors say investigators linked Heuermann to the crimes using vehicle‑registration records (he was identified as a suspect in 2022 after a pickup truck was tied to a disappearance), cellphone data and DNA recovered from a discarded pizza crust; Heuermann detailed his crimes in court as part of his plea.
- As part of the plea agreement Heuermann agreed to cooperate with the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit and other investigators to help profile and investigate other serial‑killer leads.
- Sentencing is scheduled for June; Heuermann faces life in prison without the possibility of parole (news reports characterize that he will spend the rest of his life behind bars).
- Wednesday’s courtroom was packed with reporters and victims’ relatives—some of whom wept—and Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney planned a news conference with family members and the Gilgo Beach Homicide Investigation Task Force.
📊 Relevant Data
From 2000 to 2009, prostitutes accounted for 48% of serial murder victims in the United States.
Prostitutes as Victims of Serial Homicide: Trends and Case Characteristics, 1970-2009 — Homicide Studies
White serial killers overwhelmingly target victims of their own race, with 81.9% killing only White individuals.
Serial Killers By Race — Serial Killers Info
Serial killers exploit the vulnerability and social isolation of sex workers, leading to delayed reporting of disappearances and slower police responses.
The investigative challenges of serial homicide — The Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles
📰 Source Timeline (7)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
April 09, 2026
3:46 PM
3 things to know about the Gilgo Beach killings case after Rex Heuermann pleads guilty
New information:
- Heuermann pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and four counts of intentional murder in the killings of seven women between 1993 and 2010.
- In court he admitted strangling eight female victims, including Karen Vergata in 1996, although he has not been charged in her death.
- Suffolk County DA Ray Tierney described how investigators used a vehicle-registration database, cellphone data, and DNA taken from a discarded pizza crust to link Heuermann to the crimes.
- As part of the plea, Heuermann agreed to fully cooperate with the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit to help profile and catch other serial killers.
- Sentencing is scheduled for June, when he is expected to receive life in prison without the possibility of parole.
April 08, 2026
11:27 PM
Gilgo Beach serial killer pleads guilty to 8 murders
New information:
- CBS reports that Rex Heuermann has now formally pleaded guilty to eight murders, not just seven, tied to the Gilgo Beach case.
- The report states that Heuermann will spend the rest of his life in prison, indicating that sentencing has been imposed and clarifying there is no possibility of release.
- The CBS segment characterizes the killings as occurring over a 17-year span ending in 2010, tightening the timeline of the murders.
6:04 PM
What to know as Gilgo Beach serial killer pleads guilty to 7 murders, admits 8th killing
New information:
- This CBS item confirms the timing of the plea — that Heuermann entered his guilty pleas on Wednesday and admitted an eighth killing in court.
- It reiterates that the murders span from 1993 to 2011 and are collectively known as the Gilgo Beach serial killings.
- The piece is essentially a short video hit without additional case-detail beyond the already reported plea and admission.
3:58 PM
Architect Accused in Gilgo Beach Killings Pleads Guilty to Murder
New information:
- Confirms that during a Wednesday court appearance, Rex Heuermann pleaded guilty to murdering seven women in the Gilgo Beach case.
- States that Heuermann publicly admitted to killing an eighth woman, beyond the seven charged murders.
- Reiterates that Heuermann, age 62, now faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.
3:48 PM
Rex Heuermann pleads guilty to murdering 7 women and admits he killed another
New information:
- Confirms the pleas were entered in a packed Suffolk County courtroom in Riverhead, New York, with reporters and victims’ relatives present, some of whom wept.
- States that Heuermann detailed his crimes for the court as part of entering his pleas.
- Adds that Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney scheduled a news conference later Wednesday with victims’ family members and members of the Gilgo Beach Homicide Investigation Task Force.
- Reiterates that DNA from a discarded pizza crust was among the clues that helped crack the case, tying the resolution directly to that evidence.
3:25 PM
Alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann pleads guilty in decades-long string of murders
New information:
- Rex Heuermann, 62, appeared in Suffolk County Court at 11 a.m. Wednesday and pleaded guilty to killing seven women in a series of murders spanning roughly 17 years, admitting to killings dating back to 1993.
- The article specifies the geographic spread of the victims’ remains: six women (Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Lynn Costello, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Megan Waterman, Jessica Taylor and Valerie Mack) along Ocean Parkway in Gilgo Beach, Sandra Costilla in the Hamptons about 60 miles away, and Karen Vergata on Fire Island and later near Gilgo Beach.
- The piece reiterates that Heuermann has not been charged with Karen Vergata’s killing, despite her remains being tied to the broader case, and recounts that he was first identified as a suspect in 2022 via vehicle registration records linking him to a pickup truck seen when one victim disappeared.