What alleged Gilgo killer Rex Heuermann is really like according to closest pal: ‘methodical' with ‘self-control'
Alleged Gilgo beach serial killer Rex Heuermann was 'very methodical' and had a great deal of 'self control,' according to his closest pal.
Heuermann, 61, is said to have waited until his wife and two children were out of town before allegedly killing seven sex workers and dumping their bodies by the side of the road on Long Island between 1993 and his arrest in 2023.
The first four bodies were found in 2010, but Heuermann wasn't in police's sights for a decade and so far prosecutors have revealed little physical evidence against him for his forthcoming trial.
Advertisement
8 Alleged serial killer Rex Heuermann with his wife Asa Ellerup in a picture from their wedding day in 1995.
Peacock
8 Heuermann's friend David Jimenez credits him with being 'very methodical' and having a great deal of 'self control' which enabled him to shield his true nature from family and friends.
Courtesy of David Jimenez
'I see how, if he did do it, he got away with it for so long.
Advertisement
'He's very smart, he's very methodical, he's very, meticulous, pays attention to detail,' said his pal, David Jimenez, who is one of the people who appears in new documentary 'The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets.'
He also told The Post such skills are virtues in the profession they were both engaged in.
'That's part of the architecture business … I never saw him angry. He [is the kind of person who] would just keep things in and kind of make mental notes,' Jimenez, 63, told The Post in an exclusive interview.
'I found out later that he was very litigious and he was suing a lot of people. I didn't know that, so he was keeping that from me.'
Advertisement
8 Rex Heuermann in his police booking photo on July 14, 2023, shortly after his arrest.
Getty Images
8 Promo poster for Peacock docuseries 'The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets.'
Peacock
8 Heuermann is charged with murdering (top row L-R): Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, and Amber Lynn Costello; (bottom row L-R ): Sandra Costilla, Jessica Taylor and Valerie Mack
Suffolk County Police Department
Heuermann and Jimenez, who became friends in 2006, used to hunt together, smoke cigars and regularly socialize. But Jimenez had no idea of his friend's double life as an alleged sexual sadist killer.
Advertisement
Jimenez said because of his former pal's 'self-control' and penchant for planning, he didn't think he'd struck in Las Vegas, where he previously owned a timeshare apartment, because he didn't know the terrain or authorities in the way he did on Long Island.
However, there are aspects of Heuermann's alleged crimes — which he has pleaded not guilty to — which led to his capture and will be key evidence at trial, such as sloppily wiped hard drives with apparent plans to murder on them, which were recovered by police.
8 Heuermann's wife, Asa Ellerup, has said she doesn't believe her husband can be the Gilgo beach murderer.
Peacock
8 Jimenez says that for all his planning, Heuermann appears to have made some elementary mistakes when it comes to the murders he is alleged to have committed.
Peacock
8 Rex Heuermann pictured during one of the many appearances he has made over the last two years as prosecutors have gathered evidence and charged him with more crimes.
via REUTERS
'I'm surprised a little by the stupidity of leaving the bodies near the road.
'That's like serial killer classroom 101, don't put the bodies near the road.
'And the hard drive — any modern business person who uses computers knows if you delete something, somebody's going to undelete it.
Advertisement
'As smart as he was with the tech and the cell phones, you didn't delete [the hard drive] fully. So, as smart as he is, that's really dumb.'
Relatives of some of victims Heuermann is accused of murdering said the received creepy and taunting phone calls after their loved ones disappeared, from burner phones which police say they have traced back to Heuermann.
'The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets' premieres today on Peacock.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
5 hours ago
- New York Post
Anti-ICE protests erupt across 19 states, with 200 rioters busted in LA for ignoring newly enforced curfew
The chaos is spreading. Anti-ICE riots have erupted in Atlanta, Chicago and Seattle — as hundreds of protesters were arrested in Los Angeles Tuesday after the city imposed a curfew to curb five straight days of mayhem sparked by federal immigration raids. Thousands have stormed the streets in 35 cities across 19 states, both in solidarity with the unrest in Los Angeles and to protest the wave of mass detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 7 Anti-ICE riots have erupted across the country, with hundreds of protesters arrested in Los Angeles, California, on Tuesday. Getty Images While no other city has matched the scale of the volatile demonstrations in the City of Angels — where 700 Marines and 4,000 National Guard troops have been deployed — clashes with police intensified Tuesday during the latest round of protests, according to local reports. About six agitators were cuffed in Atlanta after police ordered a curfew to control a rowdy crowd — which set off fireworks and hurled rocks at officers, resulting in tear gas being used to end the chaos, Fox 5 Atlanta reported. A demonstration in Chicago turned violent when thousands gathered outside the Chicago Police Department headquarters, accusing cops of helping ICE with crowd control during raids in the Windy City, something the department denies, ABC7 reported. Some members of the crowd vandalized patrol cars and others faced off with cops, as a motorist plowed through the mob of demonstrators after ignoring police orders to stop, according to Fox News. No injuries were reported in the frightening incident. In Seattle, a few dozen protesters gathered outside Seattle's Henry M. Jackson Federal Building to show support for the civil disobedience taking place in LA. 7 Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass imposed a curfew across the city to limit the civil unrest from the ongoing protests. Getty Images The action followed another, larger protest the day before in which around 300 people marched to Seattle City Hall to oppose the arrest of local labor leader David Huerta, who was arrested during the ICE raids in California. Outside the federal building, protesters chanted profanity-laced anti-ICE slogans in both Spanish and English and tried to block vehicle access to the building with e-bikes and scooters, according to KUOW. More than 200 people were arrested in Los Angeles after they failed to leave the one-square-mile section of downtown where Mayor Karen Bass enforced an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew, NBC News reported. 7 Thousands of individuals have taken to the streets across the country to protest the ICE raids. Getty Images Agitators were charged with failure to disperse, as 17 others were arrested for curfew violation. Others were taken into custody for firearm possession, assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer and discharging a laser at a police airship, the outlet reported. Two officers were also injured when a standoff erupted between protesters, the LAPD and ICE agents as the 8 p.m. curfew neared. 7 Multiple demonstrations have led to violence and dozens of arrests across the country along with members of the Marines and the National Guard being called in to maintain order. Getty Images The disruption resulted in demonstrators fleeing into the parking garage of an upscale apartment high-rise where residents were reportedly sheltering them. One protester, who was hiding out in the 17th-floor stairwell of the building, told The Post he voted for President Trump and now regrets that decision. 'I've been hiding here. I'm just trying to get out,' he said. 'I was out here protesting because both of my parents are Mexican, and I want to support my community. Actually, I voted for Trump and regretted it. It was a huge mistake, and this is kind of my way of making up for that.' 7 Tuesday marked the fifth straight day of protests in Los Angeles against the mass deportation raids conducted by ICE. Matthew Hoen/Zuma / The city has been in turmoil since Friday, when protests-turned-riots erupted as federal agents raided numerous workplaces and hauled off suspected illegal immigrants. Demonstrations quickly turned violent, with busy highways blocked, rocks being thrown at police cars, and city streets left littered with burning cars by day and looters ransacking storefronts by night. Tensions escalated into a hotbed of unrest when Trump bypassed California Gov. Gavin Newsom and ordered the large military presence to the city to restore order — an 'unnecessary' decision Bass said has caused 'drastic and chaotic escalation.' 7 Tensions unfolded when President Trump ignored California Gov. Gavin Newsom and decided to send the military to the state to limit the ongoing violence. Getty Images 'A week ago, everything was peaceful in the city of Los Angeles,' she said during a news conference Wednesday. 'Things began to be difficult on Friday when raids took place, and it's important that I begin there because that is the cause of the problems that have happened in the city of Los Angeles and other cities. This was provoked by the White House.' The federal troops are largely being used to protect federal buildings and assist ICE officers. 7 Since the raids began, 330 immigrants have been taken into ICE custody. Getty Images Immigration raids in Los Angeles have since intensified, with 330 immigrants taken into custody since federal authorities entered the city last week, the White House confirmed to the Los Angeles Times. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the arrests included 113 individuals who had prior criminal convictions. ICE has targeted Home Depots and agricultural farms, including one in Ventura County early Tuesday morning, where videos posted online showed federal agents chasing after workers attempting to flee at an Oxnard farm. 'These actions are completely unjustified and harmful,' Oxnard Mayor Luis McArthur said. 'They create chaos and distress in our communities without contributing much to public safety. The individual affected by these operations, they're not criminals. They are hardworking families who make meaningful contributions to our local economy and to our greater community.'
New York Post
6 hours ago
- New York Post
Russia fired North Korean ballistic missiles at Ukraine in latest barrage, Zelensky says
Russia has been firing North Korean ballistic missiles against Kyiv in the deadly overnight barrages, the latest of which killed three people in Ukraine's second-largest city, officials said. The attack on Wednesday morning saw the Kremlin fire 85 drones and one missile across 14 locations over the border, with Kyiv identifying the rocket's origin as North Korean, similar to the ones fired during Monday's record-breaking airstrike. 'The Russians have once again used ballistic missiles from North Korea,' Ukrainian President Zelensky said of the attacks. Advertisement 4 A residential building in Kharkiv was hit by a Russian drone strike overnight. AP 4 A Ukrainian firefighter walks past a car destroyed by the Kremlin's attack on Wednesday. AFP via Getty Images 'We are also tracking evidence that Russian-Iranian drone technologies have spread to North Korea. This is extremely dangerous both for Europe and for East and Southeast Asia,' he added. Zelensky said that the longer the Russian invasion lasts, the more the Kremlin's war machine will evolve and prove to be a 'threat' to the West. Advertisement 'This must be addressed now — not when thousands of upgraded Shahed drones and ballistic missiles begin to threaten Seoul and Tokyo,' Zelensky warned North Korea's usual targets. The warning highlighted the growing military alliance between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, with UN officials finding that Pyongyang delivered as many as nine million rounds of artillery and rocket launcher ammunition to the Kremlin so far this year. 4 Officials said the overnight attack rocked Kharkiv with nine consecutive minutes of nonstop bombings. AP Advertisement 4 Ukraine warned that the military alliance between Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin is growing and could threaten Europe and Asia. AP Russia's plethora of drones and missiles have been used to relentlessly attack Ukraine, with more than 1,500 drones and missiles fired over the past week, the most intense airstrike campaign of the three-year war. Moscow's latest attack, significantly smaller than the ones of previous nights, was aimed at Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the attack killed at least three people in the northeast city, with another 56 injured in the assault, which allegedly included Iranian-designed Shahed drones. Advertisement The attack also saw more than 103 residential buildings damaged in what officials said was nine minutes of non-stop bombings, with Terekhov describing the destruction as 'enormous.' Moscow had vowed to retaliate hard against Kyiv over the humiliating attack earlier this month that saw Ukrainian drones damage and destroy dozens of Russia's heavy bombers in 'Operation Spider Web.' With Post wires
New York Post
7 hours ago
- New York Post
Ex-Long Island DA jailed for corruption resurfaces as part-time, 83-year-old law clerk
He went from Suffolk County's top prosecutor ruling with an iron-fist, to a felon, to a part-time paper pusher. Disgraced former Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota, who was canned on corruption charges and sentenced to five years for helping cover up the brutal beating of a handcuffed suspect — has quietly rebranded as a clerk for a Long Island law firm. Spota, now 83 and disbarred, is now working part-time under the supervision of Hauppauge-hotshot criminal defense attorney Anthony LaPinta, who previously defended him in court. Advertisement 3 Ex Suffolk County district attorney Thomas Spota walking out of the federal court building in Central Islip New York after his hearing in 2018. New York Post LaPinta's office confirmed to The Post that Spota has been working as an administrative clerk in the firm since last August, shortly after he was moved from federal prison in Danbury to community confinement. 'Mr. Spota has been under my direct supervision as an administrative clerk in my law office during his work-release designation and current supervised release sentence,' LaPinta told Newsday. Advertisement Spota does administrative work as a 'nonlawyer administrative clerk' for about 10 to 15 hours per week for the firm and will remain on its payroll until at least the end of his supervised release, according to LaPinta. In 2019, Spota and his former top anti-corruption deputy, Christopher McPartland, were both convicted of conspiracy, obstruction, witness tampering and helping to cover up the savage 2012 assault of burglary suspect Christopher Loeb inside a Suffolk precinct. 3 Mug shot of Christopher Loeb who was charged with Criminal Mischief 3rd Degree, Reckless Endangerment 2nd Degree, Unlawfully Fleeing a Police Officer, Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs, and multiple vehicle and traffic infractions. PIO Then-police Chief James Burke and three detectives were said to have carried out the beating. Advertisement Loeb was allegedly handcuffed and manically beaten by the four officers inside a Suffolk police station after the suspect broke into Burke's car and stole the police chief's dildo and porn stash to sell for drugs. Burke was sentenced to nearly four years for the beating in 2016. He now faces another stint in prison after he was busted for soliciting sex, and even masturbating in front of a plainclothes ranger at 10 a.m. in Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park in Farmingville back in 2023. 3 James Burke is arraigned in front of Judge Cheng in the Cohalan Court Complex located at 400 Carleton Ave., Central Islip, New York. Dennis A. Clark Spota's office was later convicted of trying to bury the beating to shield his long-time friend, and sentenced to four years after Burke's conviction. Advertisement In 2020, Spota was sentenced to five years in prison and disbarred. At his sentencing, he told the court he felt deep shame for the damage he caused. 'I've also left [my family] with a shattered legacy and the stain of being a convicted felon.'
