Serial killer who murdered eight women in Long Island town imprisoned for life

Rex Heuermann was sentenced to life in prison without parole on June 19, 2024, for the murders of three women whose bodies were found in 2010 along Ocean Parkway in Gilgo Beach, Long Island. Justice Timothy J. Grathias imposed three consecutive life sentences for the first-degree murder of Melissa Barthelemy, the murder of Amber Lynn Costello, and the murder of Megan Waterman. Heuermann also received a sentence of 25 years to life for the murder of Jessica Taylor, with all sentences to be served consecutively. The judge described Heuermann as a "predator" and a "monster" during the sentencing hearing, which included victim impact statements from the families of the murdered women. Heuermann, an architect, was arrested in July 2023, nearly 13 years after the first victims were discovered, and has pleaded not guilty to the murders. Prosecutors presented DNA evidence and cell phone location data linking Heuermann to the victims and the crime scenes. The investigation into the Gilgo Beach murders, which has spanned over a decade, has also uncovered the remains of at least seven other individuals, and authorities continue to investigate potential connections to Heuermann for other unsolved cases.