John Jefferson
A New York attorney claimed to have new “circumstantial evidence” in the Gilgo Beach murder case that he believes could prove accused serial killer Rex Heuermann was not living a double life.
John Ray, who represents the family of Shannan Gilbert, whose disappearance led to the discovery of the ‘Gilgo Four’ res, said at a press conference on Thursday that Heuermann’s daughter Victoria, 27, had previously posted to social media disturbing images.
“This appears to be the res of a human being that looks half-eaten,” Ray told reporters outside his Long Island office, as he presented images he said were found on her Tumblr blog.
Ray presented his “evidence” exactly a week after Heuermann, 60, was arraigned on murder charges in the 2003 dismemberment death of Jessica Taylor, 20, and the 1993 death of Sandra Costilla, 28. No members of his family have been charged with crimes in relation to the case.
Heuermann’s estranged wife Asa Ellerup and the couple’s two children were out of state at the time of the hearing, according to their attorney, Robert Macedonio. They still live in the Massapequa Park home, which has been searched twice.
Ellerup has previously claimed to know nothing about the suspected serial killer’s “double life.”
Heuermann’s adult children, Victoria Heuermann and Christopher Sheridan, have been “caught in the cross hairs of this deeply unfortunate case that they have nothing to do with other than they are related to Mr. Heuermann,” their attorney Vess Mitev has previously said.
The Manhattan architect has already been charged with the 2009 and 2010 murders of Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Lynn Costello and Maureen Brainard-Barnes — known as the “Gilgo Four.” He pleaded not guilty in all five murders.
Ray said the photos they allegedly found on Heuermann’s daughter’s social media accounts shows that Victoria was “brought up in this sickness.”
”The evidence that we have suggests that we have been sold a story by the Heuermann family,” he said, without offering anything to back up his wild assertions beyond photos.
Ray showed several gruesome images to the press on Thursday from Victoria’s alleged account that he says show a “strange familiarity” to Heuermann’s alleged victims, including Jessica Taylor, whose torso was found in a wooded area of manorville in July 2003. Her skull, hands and forearm, were found on Gilgo Beach in 2011. Another image appears to show res that are “half eaten,” Ray claimed.
Lawyer Misty Marris told “NewsNation Now” the “circumstantial evidence” proves nothing.
“To implicate the family at this point, without evidence, without the task force or prosecutors making that link, it just seems incredibly premature,” Marris said.
Last month, Gilgo Beach Task Force investigators completed a second search of Heuermann’s home in Massapequa Park and a search of an area of Manorville.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney revealed that Heuermann kept a “blueprint” of his crimes on a hard drive in his basement of his Massapequa Park home which was recently searched for a second time.
Tierney said Gilgo Beach Task Force believes “this planning document that was used by Heuermann to plot out his kills with excruciating detail.”
“His motivations, meticulous planning, and clear intent were obvious,” Tierney told reporters following the arraignment. “His intent was nothing short but to murder these victims.”
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