Gilgo Beach 'serial killer' pleads guilty to murdering eight women in New York
Rex Heuermann, 62, is expected to be sentenced to three consecutive sentences of life imprisonment after changing his plea.
An architect from New York has pleaded guilty to the murders of eight women before dumping their bodies on Gilgo Beach.
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Serial killer Rex Heuermann, 62, admitted to killing his victims in the Long Island area - with the first murder taking place more than 30 years ago.
Heuermann pleaded guilty to three counts of murder in the first degree and four counts of murder in the second degree. He also admitted to killing Karen Vergata, his eighth victim.
The cries of victims' families were heard in the courtroom in Riverhead, Long Island, today as Heuermann was asked how he murdered each victim.
The killer showed little emotion on his face as he was asked whether he murdered each of the eight women and left their bodies near the beach.
His ex-wife and his daughter were also present as he was questioned about the grim details of his murders - which involved strangulation and bounding.
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Heuermann is "expected to be sentenced to three consecutive sentences of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for killing Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello,” prosecutors say.
The killer is also expected to receive "a consecutive sentence of 100 years to life imprisonment for killing Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla, and Valerie Mack," the prosecution’s statement says.
It adds: "In exchange for Heuermann’s admission to the murder of Karen Vergata, this additional murder is covered by Heuermann’s plea to the murders of the seven charged victims."
His eight victims are Sandra Costilla, Valerie Mack, Jessica Taylor, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Lynn Costello and Karen Vergata.
Sandra Costilla was found dead in 1993, before Valerie Mack went missing in 2000. Jessica Taylor was his next victim to go missing in 2003.
Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Lynn Costello all vanished between 2007 to 2010. The group later became known as the Gilgo four.
Police later found the remains of Karen Vergata, his eighth victim, who disappeared in 1996. Many of the women, mainly sex workers, remained unidentified for years.
However, a break in the case came after police pieced together information from Heuermann’s car, his roommate, phone records and DNA.
He has been held in custody since he was arrested on a Manhattan street in July 2023 and initially pleaded not guilty.
Heuermann later changed his plea and agreed to several life sentences without the possibility of parole in exchange for pleading guilty.