'Thank God,' relatives of Gilgo homicide victims say of suspect's arrest

Relatives of some Gilgo Beach victims expressed gratitude and relief Friday after Suffolk law-enforcement officials announced the arrest of a suspect in the serial killings that have haunted Long Island for more than a decade – even though the accused killer has not been linked to their loved ones. 

“Thank God,” said an emotional Tricia Fulton Hazan of New Jersey, the half-sister of homicide victim Valerie Mack. “Thank the Long Island police, the media and everybody who did the investigation.

“Now the girls can rest in peace,” she added. “ I was just praying about this the other day.” 

Mack’s father, Ed Mack, said he had not been given any advance notice that an arrest would be made Friday. "It is a promising happening,” he said, “whether they have tied it to all cases involved, I would be curious."

Rex A. Heuermann, 59, was arrested Friday and charged with three counts each of first- and second-degree murder in the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello.  He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment.

Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney said in a court document that the Manhattan architect from Massapequa Park is also the prime suspect in the slaying of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, although he has not been charged in her killing.

The investigation into the death of Mack and other victims is ongoing, Tierney said. He declined to discuss that part of the investigation any further.

Mack had been previously identified as Jane Doe No. 6 before police identified her remains in 2020.

They were found in November 2000 near a Manorville sump discharge basin in a heavily wooded area a bout a half-mile west of Halsey Manor Road and north of the Long Island Expressway.

It wasn’t until police found other parts of her body off Ocean Parkway in April 2011 that the killing was linked to the 10 others. 

Relatives of Barthelemy, Waterman and Costello attended a press conference in Yaphank Friday afternoon announcing the charges filed against Heuermann but declined to identify themselves or speak to reporters. 

“I just want to say I’m grateful for the hard work that was done. I’m grateful that today is happening,” said Jasmine Robinson, the cousin of Gilgo Beach victim Jessica Taylor, outside Suffolk County criminal court in Riverhead after Heuermann's arraignment.

Taylor, a sex worker like most of the other Gilgo victims, went missing in 2003 when she was 20 years old. Her remains were found soon after her disappearance 40 miles east of Gilgo Beach, and other remains were discovered in 2011.

“I hope that she is remembered as the beautiful young woman, not what her occupation was at that time,” Robinson said, adding that she was “hopeful” her cousin’s killer will be brought to justice.

Attorney John Ray, who has represented the Taylor’s family as well as the family of Shannan Gilbert and attended the arraignment with Robinson, called the arrest “a bittersweet victory.”

The 10 sets of human remains, known collectively as the Gilgo Beach homicide victims, were found after December 2010 while Suffolk police searched for Jersey City-based sex worker Gilbert, who went missing on May 1 of that year in Oak Beach. 

Gilbert’s remains were not found until the following December and authorities have since said they don't believe Gilbert is a homicide victim. The Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the cause and manner of Gilbert’s death undetermined.

Ray said he had not heard of Heuermann before learning of his arrest. He said he is hopeful that more arrests will follow in connection with the other victims.

“It appears the police have been regenerated … to do the rest of the job and finish it,” Ray said