Crime
Lawyer Reveals Why Gilgo Beach Murderer Wanted to Plead Guilty to Brutally Killing Eight Women
Rex Heuermann — who, on Wednesday, April 8, admitted to killing at least eight women as part of what has become known as the Gilgo Beach killings in Long Island — revealed to his attorney why he wanted to confess to the crimes.
The 62-year-old admitted to the murders of Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla and Valerie Mack as well as Karen Vergata (though he was not charged in her death).
According to People, after the hearing in Riverhead, New York, his attorney Michael Brown told reporters why Heuermann decided to plead guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and four counts of second-degree murder.
“There came a point in this defense where Rex said, ‘I want to plead guilty,’” Brown said, adding that Heuermann didn’t want his own family as well as the victims’ families to have to deal with a trial.
Brown said that Heuermann — who previously maintained his innocence after his 2023 arrest — also planned to plead guilty to Vergata’s murder, though he was not charged in her death.
“When he decided he wanted to plead guilty, we had that covered as part of his plea,” Brown said to reporters, per People.
Brown added that at Heuermann’s sentencing — he’s expected to be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on June 17, per People — the murderer will likely make a statement.
“I expect at sentencing, he’ll have something to say,” Brown said. “I’ll leave it at that.”
Brown reportedly said that the Long Island architect has maintained that there are no additional victims.
When Heuermann was asked by the judge on Wednesday if he believed it was in his best interest to plead guilty and avoid going to trial, he replied, “Yes,” NBC News reported.
Heuermann strangled his victims — many of whom were sex workers — over 17 years, according to the Associated Press, and buried their bodies in remote locations.
Many were reported to be found along a beach highway close to where he lived.
