RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (AP) — Accused of the murders of three Long Island sex workers and suspected in a fourth killing, Rex Heuermann is expected to appear in Suffolk County Supreme Court next week. The 60-year-old has already pleaded not guilty to the murder of three women whose remains were found more than a decade ago on Long Island. He was named by police as a suspect in the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, whose body was found in December 2010 along with the other three women.
Speculation arises as to why the disgraced architect is facing a new court date, with prosecutors previously stating that a special grand jury was being asked to consider an indictment into Brainard-Barnes’ killing. Heuermann is scheduled to appear at the Suffolk County Supreme Court before Justice Timothy Mazzei on Tuesday morning.
The married father-of-two has been held without bail since his arrest for the murders of Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, and Amber Lynn Costello, all of whom were found on the desolate stretch of coastline close to Heuermann’s Long Island Home between 2010 and 2011. All of the victims worked as escorts who advertised themselves on Craigslist.
Heuermann was linked to the killings by DNA found on the burlap used to transport the bodies, with samples boasting a 99.96 percent match to items discarded outside his Manhattan architectural firm. Prior to testing the DNA, Heuermann was identified as a potential suspect after a witness linked his car to one of the victim’s murder. Prosecutors also accused Heuermann of using different burner phones to contact each of his victims, as well as using one victim’s phone to make taunting phone calls to her family.
Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, Heuermann is already being probed over the slaying of two additional sex workers, Valerie Mack and Karen Vergata. His ex-wife filed for divorce less than a week after his arrest, and his son and daughter are also part of the ongoing investigation. An illegal weapons stash has also been uncovered, with at least 50 illegal weapons, including unregistered handguns and assault weapons, being found. Heuermann has previously been placed on suicide watch but has been described as “emotionless”.