Lawyer for wife of accused Gilgo Beach killer Rex Heuermann says Netflix series raises ‘questions' about DNA
The lawyer for accused Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann's wife says a Netflix docuseries raises 'concerns and questions' about how investigators determined her and her daughter's hair were found on the victims' bodies.
The DNA evidence in the case against Heuermann has taken center stage in an ongoing hearing in Suffolk County Court. On Tuesday, Asa Ellerup, Heuermann's estranged wife, and her daughter, Victoria Heuermann, watched from the gallery as the co-founder of the California lab that tested the hair samples took the stand.
'After watching the Netflix series, which came out last week, it raises more concerns and questions about how this investigation was conducted and the procedures that were employed to extract that DNA,' Ellerup's lawyer, Bob Macedonio said.
He was referring to 'Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer,' a three-part Netflix series that aired allegations corrupt former Suffolk Police Chief James Burke compromised the investigation and blocked the FBI's involvement in the case.
'The extraction, how they obtained Asa's hair, Victoria's hair, allegedly, in light of that last Netflix series that came out, it brings us more concerns and questions,' Macedonio said. 'It's difficult because they are the people, the only people in that courtroom that their DNA is supposed to be on victims' bodies. … So it's very important for them to see and listen and hear it for themselves, instead of have somebody else tell them that it was your DNA. '
Heuermann, an architect who lived with his family in Massapequa Park on Long Island, is charged with killing the so-called Gilgo Four victims: Melissa Barthelemy, 24; Megan Waterman, 22; Amber Lynn Costello, 27; and Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 42.
He's also charged with killing three more women — Jessica Taylor, 20; Sandra Costilla, 28; and Valerie Mack, 24. He has pleaded not guilty.
On Tuesday, Richard Green, the co-founder of Astrea Forensics, the lab in California that did the nuclear DNA testing of the rootless hairs found at six of the seven crime scenes, took the stand. Astrea Forensics' DNA analysis linked Heuermann, Ellerup, and their daughter Victoria to the hairs.
Heuermann's lawyers have asked a judge to disqualify much of the DNA evidence, saying that the new DNA methodology employed by prosecutors has never been tested in New York courts.
On Tuesday, Green went over his background and the lab's history with assisting law enforcement agencies.
Assistant D.A. Nicholas Santomartino ask Green if the lab, which was founded in 2019 is accredited, and he said 'not currently,' though it started the process last summer.
Dr. Green explained they initiated the process to become accredited last summer. That process includes an internal on-site audit by the ANSI National Accreditation Board, which won't happen until winter 2026.
'We've been told they are backed up,' Green said of the audit scheduling.
Green testified that Suffolk County has paid the lab $190,000 total, which includes $130,000 for the Gilgo Beach case.
Heuermann's defense lawyer is expected to cross-examine Green when the hearing continues Wednesday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
10 minutes ago
- New York Post
Daughter of Gilgo Beach suspect accepts some of his alleged sex behavior, saying, ‘I'm not a kink shamer' — while revealing if she thinks he's serial killer
The daughter of accused Gilgo Beach murderer Rex Heuermann has dismissed at least some of the twisted sex claims against him, saying, 'I'm not a kink shamer' — while revealing if she thinks Dad is a serial killer. 'You know, everybody is into what they're into,' Victoria Heuermann, 28, told the new Peacock docu-series, 'The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets' — her first interview since her dad, a married father of two, was arrested nearly two years ago after allegedly sexually torturing sex workers and murdering seven of them on Long Island. 'At this point, like, after everything that has happened, I'm like, I'm not somebody to say, 'Hey, you shouldn't be into this,' or, 'You should,' ' Victoria told the show, which begins airing Tuesday. 7 Victoria Heuermann, 28, here with mother Asa Ellerup, says in a new docu-series she is 'on the fence' about whether her father Rex is the Gilgo Beach serial killer. Peacock 'I'm not a kink shamer,' she said. The accusations against her dad have included sexual attacks, and among the items reportedly found at the family's home after his arrest were a fair-haired, child-sized doll, an unnerving portrait of a blonde woman with blackened eyes and 'a lot of torture porn.' When asked if she thinks her 61-year-old architect dad is guilty of the murders, the daughter added, 'Whether or not I believe my dad did it or not, I'm on the fence about that. 'Half of me believes he didn't do it, but at the same time, he could have totally had a double life.' The self-proclaimed comic-book nut and gamer suggested she initially thought he might be guilty. 7 Ellerup and Victoria leave Suffolk County court after a hearing for Rex. Dennis A. Clark 'In the beginning, when this all first went down, I didn't know what to believe, whether he did it or not,' she said. 'But as the weeks progressed, a lot of it was coming back to me. 'I was in school, my dad came to every performance. I was in the school band. He came to every performance, every dance recital, and my mom picked him up every day from the train station. I would see him in the morning when he was going to work and I was going to school. 'And as I'm thinking about it, I'm like, I really don't know. 7 Rex Heuermann is accused sexually torturing women and killing seven sex workers. Rex Heuermann Consultants & Associates 'If he was guilty, it's gonna start to become like a love-hate relationship,' she said. 'This is my dad, and I love him as my dad. The hate is this other side of him that came out. … Both feelings, love and hate, can co-exist.' The show said that a week before the series was set to air, Victoria then amended her hedging on her father's potential guilt to say she now believes he is 'most likely' guilty. 7 Rex's alleged 'Gilgo Four' victims were (clockwise from top left): Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Lynn Costello and Megan Waterman. Suffolk County Police Department 7 Three more slain women — (from left) Sandra Costilla, Jessica Taylor and Valerie Mack — have been tied to Rex, too. Suffolk County Police Department The daughter, who was brought up in the family's Massapequa Park home, said the high-profile case has forced her to shy away from the public. 'I didn't start going out with my friends again until probably early September because we were at one point being followed around,' she said. 'Right now, I'm just safe here in this house. I kind of hide in my room a lot. … It's all open season on my family now.' Rex Heuermann was arrested July 13, 2023, outside his Midtown Manhattan office and charged with three cold-case murders of young sex workers — the first of what would be a tally of alleged victims that has since grown to seven. The suspect — whose daughter described him as a 'true-crime fan' — is now awaiting trial in the sensational case. 7 Ellerup and her son, Christopher, sit on their front porch after police raided their Massapequa Park home. Dennis A. Clark According to Rex's wife, Asa Ellerup, Victoria was conceived on the night she and her husband were married in Sweden in 1995 after a years-long friendship dating to their teen years. Their daughter, who has an older half-brother, Christopher, from Ellerup's first marriage, said she had a happy upbringing, which included trips to Disney World and Comic Con conventions in several states. 'I may have considered changing my name when this first all went down,' Victoria said. 'But as time passed and progressed and I've been coping with this,' she said she chose not to. 7 Ellerup wholeheartedly believes cops have the wrong guy, while their daughter isn't so sure. Peacock Her worst moments, she said, were when the FBI and local cops raided the family's home in 2023, just hours after Rex was taken into custody in Manhattan. The family was kicked out of its house for what would be the first of two extensive searches in a hunt for evidence to the grisly crimes. When the family returned, Victoria noted, her 'Magic the Gathering' cards and brand-new PlayStation 5 were gone and the house was so disheveled that it took time to find a place to sit down. 'I feel when I came home and seeing everything they took, I feel like as if they were trying to leave us for dead,' she said. 'It's almost as if they think that we're guilty of this as well.' Additional reporting by David DeTurris
New York Post
10 minutes ago
- New York Post
How to watch new ‘Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets' docuseries on Peacock
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change. A new documentary series is offering new and exclusive insights into the home life of Rex Heuermann, the suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer. 'Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets,' a three-part documentary series from 50 Cent's G-Unit Film & Television and New York Post Entertainment, is now streaming in full on Peacock. The doc features exclusive interviews with those close to Heuermann, 61, including a close friend who 'think[s] he did it,' and his wife, who is convinced police arrested the wrong man. Heuermann was arrested in July 2023 over the 2010 murders of the 'Gilgo Four,' women found wrapped in burlap within days of each other in late 2010. He was later charged with a fourth count of murder. 'Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets' release date: 'Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets' dropped on Peacock today, June 10. How to watch 'Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets': 'Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets' is exclusive to Peacock, so you'll need a subscription to tune in. Peacock currently offers two plans and multiple ways to subscribe. Premium (with ads): $7.99/month $7.99/month Premium Plus (ad-free): $13.99/month $13.99/month Annual options: $79.99 (ads) / $139.99 (no ads) — pay for 10 months, get 12. Does Peacock have a free trial? No, unfortunately, Peacock does not have a free trial. 'Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets' episode guide: All three episodes of 'Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets' are streaming now. Episode 1: 'Monster Among Us' – As a serial killer remains elusive, police believe that the monster may live among them. As a serial killer remains elusive, police believe that the monster may live among them. Episode 2: 'House of Secrets' – For the first time since his arrest, the family of the alleged Gilgo Beach killer speaks publicly. For the first time since his arrest, the family of the alleged Gilgo Beach killer speaks publicly. Episode 3: 'The Good Wife' – Rex's family struggles to believe he's the monstrous serial killer law enforcement claims he is. 'Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets' trailer: Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Writer/Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping and New York Post's streaming property, Decider. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she's also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews
Chicago Tribune
19 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
Judge strikes reference to Madigan's personal fortune of more than $40 million from sentencing record
A federal judge on Tuesday struck from the court record a reference to former Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan's personal net worth of more than $40 million, agreeing with his defense team that it should have been kept private, even as the attorneys acknowledged the move was 'hollow' given that it was already widely publicized. U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey said he didn't find any 'bad faith' on the part of the federal prosecutors who included the figure in a filing last week ahead of Madigan's highly anticipated sentencing on Friday, but found that common practice would be to file such personal information under seal. Blakey's ruling came before the attorneys delivered arguments over sentencing guidelines at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, technically kicking off the sentencing process. Blakey took the matter under advisement until Friday's hearing. Federal prosecutors made Madigan's net worth public for the first time in a response to a sentencing memorandum filed by his attorneys, arguing that the defendant's 'greed is even more appalling given his law firm's success.' Daniel Collins, an attorney for Madigan, called the inclusion of the former speaker's personal fortune improper and a 'gratuitous effort' to publicly identify his net worth. 'It is not necessary to include the number in order for the government to make an argument about greed,' Collins said. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Streicker countered to the judge that the defense left the door open by arguing in filings that Madigan was solely motivated by a desire to help people. She also said the figure is relevant as the government seeks a fine in the case. 'It's fair for the government to rebut that narrative and show the defendant was motivated by greed not need,' Streicker said. 'This is a defendant that enjoyed every advantage and significant financial wealth and still turned to bribery and fraud.' In February, Madigan was convicted of 10 of 23 counts, including marquee allegations that he agreed to squeeze lucrative, do-nothing contracts from ComEd for pals such as former Ald. Frank Olivo and Ald. Michael Zalewski and precinct captains Ray Nice and Edward Moody, all while the utility won a series of major legislation victories. Madigan was also convicted on six of seven counts — including wire fraud and Travel Act violations — regarding a plan to get former Ald. Daniel Solis, a key FBI mole who testified at length in the trial, appointed to a state board. Jurors deadlocked on all six counts related to Madigan's co-defendant former ComEd lobbyist Michael McClain.
