Suspected Gilgo Beach Murderer Rex Heuermann Appears in Court for Pre-Trial Conference

Riverhead, N.Y. – Rex Heuermann, the prime suspect in the Gilgo Beach murders, appeared in court Wednesday for a pre-trial conference. Heuermann, 59, was wearing a sports coat, white shirt, and tan pants, and had a new haircut.

During the five-minute court appearance, Heuermann told the judge he spends 2-3 hours a day reviewing evidence in the case. Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond said the case against Heuermann could grow to include other bodies found over the years along a stretch of Long Island beach.

The group of women has been referred to as the “Gilgo Four,” in reference to Gilgo Beach, where the bodies were found. Prosecutors have previously said Heuermann is a prime suspect in the disappearance of a fourth woman, 25-year-old Maureen Brainard-Barnes, who vanished in 2007.

Analysis of a buccal swab taken from Heuermann matches the DNA found on a pizza box allegedly discarded by Heuermann. The District Attorney said the buccal swab of the defendant matches from that of the abandonment sample of the pizza box.

Heuermann is currently being held without bail. The trial is scheduled to begin in April 2021. It is unclear what evidence Heuermann is reviewing, or what the outcome of the trial will be.