The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office announced on Tuesday that additional murder charges have been filed against Rex Heuermann, the man accused of killing several women over nearly two decades on Long Island, reported by AP News.
Ray Tierney, Suffolk County’s District Attorney, revealed during a press conference on December 17 that Heuermann has now been charged with a seventh count of murder for allegedly killing 24-year-old Valerie Mack. Mack’s remains were discovered in a wooded area on November 19, 2000. Heuermann is accused of killing Mack, whose body was found in parts along Halsey-Manor Road and Ocean Parkway.
DNA evidence played a crucial role in linking Heuermann to Mack’s death. According to Tierney, mitochondrial DNA found on a hair sample from Mack’s body was matched to DNA profiles from Heuermann’s wife and daughter. The DNA evidence was said to be “1.31 x 10 to the 356th power more likely” to match Heuermann’s family, which is reportedly “the most conservative estimate.” While Heuermann’s daughter has not been charged or implicated in the crime, the DNA link further strengthens the case against Heuermann.
Heuermann, who was arrested in July 2023 for allegedly murdering the so-called “Gilgo Beach Four” — Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Costello, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, and Megan Waterman — appeared in court on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to the charges. These four women are believed to have been murdered between 1993 and 2010. In June 2023, Tierney had also announced additional charges against Heuermann for the murders of Sandra Costilla and Jessica Taylor.
Mack, also known by the name Melissa Taylor, was last seen in mid-2000 in New Jersey. She worked as an escort in Philadelphia, and her remains were not identified until May 2020 through the use of genetic genealogy, marking a breakthrough in the case and the first time the technology was used in a New York law enforcement investigation.
The investigation into Heuermann’s alleged crimes continues as authorities work to bring closure to the victims and their families.