Official announcements from law enforcement or the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office

Rex Heuermann Charged with Seventh Murder of Valerie Mack in Gilgo Beach Serial Killings

Dec 17, 2024, 03:52 PM

Rex Heuermann, a New York architect accused in the Gilgo Beach serial killings, has been charged with the murder of a seventh woman, Valerie Mack. Mack, a 24-year-old from New Jersey who worked as an escort in Philadelphia, was last seen by her family in 2000. Her partial remains were discovered in Manorville, New York, that year, and additional remains were found on Gilgo Beach over a decade later. Genetic testing in 2020 identified Mack, and human hair found with her remains matched the genetic profile of Heuermann's daughter, who was three or four years old at the time of Mack's death. Heuermann pleaded not guilty to the new charge during a court appearance in Riverhead, New York. The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, alongside local and state law enforcement, announced this significant development. Heuermann is already charged with the murders of six other women, whose remains were also found on Long Island. The investigation into the Gilgo Beach killings began in 2010 after police found multiple sets of human remains, leading to fears of a serial killer. Over the years, DNA analysis and other clues have been used to identify victims, many of whom were sex workers. Prosecutors allege Heuermann used a document to methodically blueprint his killings, which included checklists and references to 'Mill Road' as a dump site, along with supplies like 'foam drain cleaner.' Searches of Heuermann's home and office revealed old magazines and newspapers about the Gilgo Beach killings, which prosecutors believe he kept as souvenirs.