Rex Heuermann Pleads Guilty to Gilgo Beach Serial Killings

Rex Heuermann, 62, pleaded guilty on April 8, 2026, to the murders of seven women and admitted to killing an eighth as part of a series of long-unsolved crimes known as the Gilgo Beach serial killings. The proceedings took place in a New York courtroom attended by investigators and relatives of the victims.

As part of the plea agreement, Heuermann agreed to serve three consecutive life sentences followed by four consecutive sentences of 25 years-to-life. Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney stated that Heuermann will face no further prosecution regarding these eight victims, though he must cooperate with the FBI moving forward.

Victims and Method of Killing

Heuermann admitted to murdering Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello, whose bodies were discovered along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach. He also pleaded guilty to the strangulation of Sandra Costilla, Valerie Mack, Jessica Taylor, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes, whose remains were found near Gilgo Beach and other locations across Long Island.

During the hearing, Heuermann confirmed that he killed each of the victims through strangulation. The killings occurred over a 17-year period between 1993, and 2011.

Heuermann also admitted to intentionally causing the death of 34-year-old Karen Vergata. Although he was not formally charged with her murder, the admission was included as part of the plea agreement. Vergata was last heard from on Valentine’s Day 1996. Her legs and feet were discovered on Fire Island later that year, and her skull was found in 2011 near Tobay Beach in Nassau County.

Courtroom Proceedings

Heuermann appeared in court wearing a dark suit with his hands shackled behind his back. His ex-wife, Asa Ellerup, and their daughter were present in the back row of the courtroom, which was filled with investigators and weeping relatives of the victims.

Judge Timothy Mazzei asked Heuermann if he felt it was in his best interest to plead guilty rather than proceed to trial, to which Heuermann replied, Yes, your honor.

Legal expert Richard Schoenstein noted that Heuermann will likely spend the remainder of his life in prison without the possibility of parole due to the consecutive nature of the sentences.

He’s going to spend the rest of his life in jail. There’s no question about that.

Richard Schoenstein

Prior to the entry of the guilty pleas, the judge permitted cameras in the courtroom, during which Heuermann was observed answering preliminary questions in a loud and confident voice before the cameras were required to be turned off.

Heuermann was originally arrested in 2023 in connection with the murders of Barthelemy, Waterman, and Costello, before later being charged with the deaths of Brainard-Barnes, Costilla, Taylor, and Mack.