Rex Heuermann.
An attorney representing the adult children of the allegedGilgo Beach serial killersays the children were caught up living in a “hellscape” and have been struggling since their father wastaken into custody last month.
Heuermann, 59, was arrested last month in connection with the Gilgo Beach serial killer case in Long Island, N.Y., which has been investigated for more than a decade with few developments until last month’s breakthrough.
Heuermann is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder in the deaths ofAmber Costello, 27,Melissa Barthelemy, 24, andMegan Waterman, 22. He has pleaded not guilty, but police say DNA evidence connects him to the killings.
Heuermann also remains the primary suspect in the killing of 25-year-oldMaureen Brainard-Barnes. All four women were sex workers who went missing and whose remains were later discovered on Gilgo Beach more than a decade ago.
Rex Heuermann.James Carbone-Pool/Getty Images
James Carbone-Pool/Getty Images
Police havetold PEOPLEthat Heuermann’s arrest last month in Manhattan “shocked, embarrassed, and disgusted” his family, including wife Asa Ellerup and his two adult children Christopher Sheridan and Victoria Heuermann.
Ellerup, 59, filed for a divorce soon after her husband’s arrest.
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Maureen Brainard-Barnes; Melissa Barthelemy; Megan Waterman; Amber Lynn Costello.Suffolk County Police Department; Barthelemy family; Suffolk County Police Department (2)
Suffolk County Police Department; Barthelemy family; Suffolk County Police Department (2)
“A lot of tears have been shed,” Mitev, the children’s attorney, told CNN on Tuesday.
“They’re emotionally, physically and mentally constantly having to reassess their position in life in real time,” Mitev said. “It has taken an incredible toll on them and they’re doing the best they can as a family unit.”
Heuermann appeared in court for the first time recently and was ordered to turn over a DNA sample to test against a sample detectives took from him during their investigation, according toABC News.
Prosecutors also said they’ve turned over other evidence — including hard drives, thousands of pages of documents, photographs, autopsy reports, and surveillance video — to Heuermann’s defense team in the runup to a trial, the outlet reported.
source: people.com
