NewsNation

Suspect in Gilgo Beach killings says he’s reviewing evidence

(NewsNation) — Rex Heuermann, accused in the killings of three women whose bodies were found along New York’s Gilgo Beach, told a judge in court Wednesday that he’s been reviewing all the evidence prosecutors have given his team since his July 13 arrest.

Wearing a blazer and slacks, with his hair shaved around the ears and close cut in the back, Heuermann, a New York architect, told the judge he’s been averaging “two or three hours a day” looking at the information.


Wednesday was Heuermann’s third court appearance stemming from the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello. Heuermann is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, which he has pleaded not guilty to.

Barthelemy’s sister was in court Wednesday, as well as the sister of Maureen Brainard-Barnes. Heurmann is a prime suspect in Brainard-Barnes’ death as well, but has not yet been charged in connection to it.

At the court hearing, it was revealed Heuermann’s team received two more terabytes of data in August on a flash drive, which included, among other evidence, search warrants, phone records, documents and photos. This includes 5,000 pages of discovery from the time of Heuermann’s arrest including some from his home, office and a storage facility.

The prosecution also turned over DNA evidence taken from a pizza crust outside Heuermann’s Midtown office, NewsNation local affiliate PIX11 reports.

Prosecutors confirmed Wednesday the DNA on the pizza crust is consistent with the DNA profile of a hair follicle found on burlap material used to bind Waterman. However, WABC reports Heuermann’s attorney said this doesn’t mean the hair belongs to Heuermann, and there’s a “significant amount of people” it could be from instead.

Prosecutors had previously turned over eight terabytes of evidence to the defense, which also included thousands of pages and photos.