Gilgo Beach Victim’s Son Sues Rex Heuermann and Family Over Killing and Documentary Profits
A wrongful death lawsuit filed Monday in New York by Benjamin Torres, the son of Gilgo Beach victim Valerie Mack, accuses alleged serial killer Rex Heuermann of torturing, murdering, and dismembering Mack and seeks damages for the loss of her care and support. The suit also names Heuermann’s ex‑wife, Asa Ellerup, and daughter, Victoria Heuermann, alleging they knew of, concealed, or deliberately avoided learning key facts about the killing and later profited from the Peacock documentary "Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets," which reportedly paid the family more than $1 million. Torres is asking for compensation not only for his mother’s death but for the terror and mutilation she allegedly endured and for the alleged concealment and mutilation of her remains. The complaint further argues New York’s two‑year wrongful‑death deadline should be waived because Mack was unidentified for years and Torres was a child when she vanished in 2000. Heuermann, who was charged with Mack’s murder in late 2024 as the seventh alleged victim, is expected to plead guilty to all seven murder counts in Suffolk County court on Wednesday under a plea deal with District Attorney Ray Tierney, a pivotal turn in a case that has drawn intense national scrutiny.
📌 Key Facts
- Attorney John Ray filed the wrongful death lawsuit Monday on behalf of Benjamin Torres, son of victim Valerie Mack.
- The suit targets Rex Heuermann and also seeks to recover more than $1 million in alleged payments to Asa Ellerup and Victoria Heuermann from Peacock’s 'Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets.'
- Heuermann is expected to plead guilty Wednesday to seven murder counts tied to the Gilgo Beach killings under a plea deal with Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney.
📊 Relevant Data
In 2020, the homicide rate among Black women was 11.6 per 100,000, compared with 3 per 100,000 among White women.
Black people account for approximately 42% of adult prostitution arrests in the US, more than any other racial group, while comprising about 13% of the population.
Crime in the United States 2019 — Federal Bureau of Investigation
From 2012 to 2020, there were 321 sex work-related homicides identified in the US, with 94% of female victims being sex workers and transgender victims mostly non-Hispanic Black (89%).
Sex work-related homicides: Insights from the National Violent Death Reporting System, 2012-2020 — Journal of Forensic Sciences
New York's statute of limitations for wrongful death lawsuits is two years from the date of death, but it can be tolled if the sole beneficiary is a minor until they reach the age of majority.
Statute of Limitations for New York Wrongful Death Claims — NY Accident Lawyer
New York's Son of Sam law prevents criminals from profiting from their crimes but does not currently extend to family members, though amendments to include them have been proposed since 2023.
The 'Son of Sam' Law Tried to Stop David Berkowitz's Profits — A&E
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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