Rex Heuermann Pleads Guilty to Seven Gilgo Beach Murders

Rex Heuermann pleaded guilty to charges that he murdered seven women and admitted to killing an eighth victim, though he was never charged in her death. The investigation began in 2010 when police searching for a missing woman found human remains along a barrier island parkway near New York’s Gilgo Beach. Over the following months, additional remains were recovered from the same area.

Two hunters discovered the body of Sandra Costilla, 28, in a wooded area of North Sea. April 20, 1996: Partial remains of Karen Vergata, 34, were found on Fire Island. June 28, 1997: Partial remains of a woman later identified as Tanya Jackson were recovered in West Hempstead.

September 2000: Partial remains of Valerie Mack, 24, were found in Manorville. July 26, 2003: Partial remains of Jessica Taylor, 20, were discovered in the same area.

Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, was last heard from after traveling from Connecticut for sex work. July 10, 2009: Melissa Barthelemy, 24, was last seen leaving her Bronx apartment. May 1, 2010: Shannan Gilbert disappeared in Oak Beach after fleeing a client’s house.

June 6, 2010: Megan Waterman, 22, was last seen at a Hauppauge motel. Sept. 2, 2010: Amber Lynn Costello, 27, was last seen leaving her West Babylon home.

A police dog found remains during a training exercise along Ocean Parkway. Dec. 13, 2010: The bodies of Costello, Brainard-Barnes and Waterman were located nearby. Dec. 14, 2010: Suffolk County Police Commissioner Richard Dormer announced the discoveries and said a serial killer might be responsible.

March 29, 2011: Additional remains of Taylor were found along the parkway. April 4, 2011: Additional remains of Mack and of Jackson’s 2-year-old daughter, Tatiana Dykes, were recovered. An unidentified Asian male’s remains were also found. Dec. 13, 2011: Gilbert’s skeletal remains were discovered in a tidal marsh near Oak Beach; police said she accidentally drowned.