(NewsNation) — Gilgo Beach serial murder suspect Rex Heuermann was back in court Wednesday, but all the media attention seemed to be outside the court, on his estranged wife, Asa Ellerup.
It was the first time she’s shown up in court since her husband was arrested in July and charged with the murder of three sex workers. Ellerup filed for divorce a few days after her husband’s arrest. So why was she in court? And does she think her husband is guilty?
Ellerup’s attorney, Bob Macedonio, told “Banfield” she it took her awhile to be emotionally ready to see him face charges in court.
“She would like to see for herself and hear for herself what are the allegations,” Macedonio said. “Nobody wants to believe that their spouse is capable of these crimes.”
Ellerup left the courtroom about five minutes after Heuermann arrived handcuffed for his conference. Three minutes in, Heuermann made eye contact with Ellerup and she appeared to smile ear to ear.
Macedonio, however, insisted that Ellerup was not smiling.
“I can assure you, Asa was not smiling. There’s nothing to smile about. She takes these allegations very seriously,” Macedonio said. “If there was any facial expression, it was out of nervousness.”
Heuermann is being held in a Suffolk County jail, having pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello. He is also a suspect in the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes but has not been charged with her death.