December 17th 2024.
A well-known architect from New York found himself in a troublesome situation as he was charged with murder in connection to a series of deaths known as the Gilgo Beach killings. The latest charge was made after the discovery of a seventh victim, Valerie Mack. The remains of Mack, a 24-year-old escort from Philadelphia, were first discovered on Long Island back in 2000. The last time her family saw her was in New Jersey that same year.
Mack's skeletal remains were first found in Manorville, New York, but more were discovered 80km away in Gilgo Beach over a decade later. It wasn't until 2020 that her identity was finally revealed through genetic testing. The case took a shocking turn when it was revealed that a strand of human hair found with Mack's remains belonged to her killer's daughter. However, the daughter, who was only a toddler at the time of the murder, is not facing any charges.
The suspect, 61-year-old Rex Heuermann, has also been charged with the murder of six other women whose remains were found on Long Island. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges. The district attorney, Ray Tierney, expressed his empathy for the families of the victims, acknowledging the importance of their loved ones' lives. Mack's parents were present at the news conference, where they received roses and hugs from other victims' relatives.
The families of the victims were represented by Gloria Allred, who spoke on their behalf. She shared the sentiments of their loved ones, stating that they were loved and missed dearly by those who knew them closely. The suspect's lawyer, Michael Brown, argued against the evidence presented by the prosecutors. He questioned the reliability of the DNA technology used to connect his client to the victims, stating that it had not been deemed reliable in a New York case before.
The investigation into the Gilgo Beach killings began in 2010 when police found 10 sets of human remains while searching for a missing woman. Over the years, with the help of DNA analysis and other clues, the victims were identified. Many of them were sex workers, and some were connected to remains found in other parts of Long Island. The case has been ongoing for years, with doubts about whether there was a serial killer involved.
The suspect, Rex Heuermann, was arrested in 2023 and initially charged with murdering three victims. However, earlier this year, he was charged with the deaths of three more women. In a court filing, prosecutors revealed that they had found a file on his hard drive that detailed his killings and even had a checklist to follow. The document was created in the same year as Mack's murder and contained details that aligned with her case.
According to the prosecutors, the suspect's home was the scene of the killings, which mostly occurred when his family was out of town. They also found old magazines and newspapers with articles about the Gilgo Beach murders, which they believe the suspect kept as souvenirs or mementos. The evidence also suggests that the suspect contacted a plumbing company shortly after Mack's murder and even paid for a drain check the following month.
The investigation is still ongoing, with the authorities looking into the death of Karen Vergata, whose remains were discovered in 1996 but only identified in 2022 through new DNA analysis. In a recent development, new renderings of an unidentified victim were released, and it was revealed that the victim, who was previously thought to be male, may have presented as female and died in 2006.
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