Gilgo Beach Murders: Wife of Suspected Serial Killer Appears in Court with Service Dog, Lawyer Slams ‘More the Merrier’ Charges

Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect Rex Heuermann appeared in court for the first time since being charged with two additional murders and his defense attorney laid out a trial strategy for the accused mass murderer.

On July 13, 2023, Heuermann, now 60, was arrested outside his Manhattan office in connection with the 2010 deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, 24; Megan Waterman, 22; and Amber Costello, 27, Front Page Detectives reported.

Since his arrest, authorities have also added charges in three additional murders.

Heuermann was also charged with the killing of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, whose remains were near the other three. These four victims were known as The Gilgo Four.

In June 2024, authorities filed charges against Heuermann for the alleged murders of Jessica Taylor in 2003 and Sandra Costilla in 1993, Front Page Detectives previously reported.

On July 30, 2024, Heuermann appeared in court, with his estranged wife also in attendance with her service dog, NewsNation reported.

After a brief procedural discussion about evidence, the judge set Heuermann’s next court date for Oct. 16.

Michael Brown, Heuermann’s attorney, spoke with reporters afterwards, slamming the prosecution’s attempt to try and add the murders of Taylor and Costilla to the existing indictment against his client.

"The most recent two were victims of the indictment, specifically Castilla and Taylor. I know strategically why the prosecutor wanted to put them in because the more the merrier, but they have nothing to do with the others," Brown said, according to The Daily Sun.

Brown added, “The MO is different, the way that the murders allegedly were carried out were different, where those bodies were deposited or left is completely different. So, as we know about these Gilgo Beach murders, those two have nothing to do with this."

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Heuermann’s attorney plans to file a motion to separate the cases against his client, hoping to split the indictments of The Gilgo Four from those of Taylor and Costilla.

Heuermann has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

According to CBS News, Heuermann's estranged wife, Asap Ellerup, attended the court session with an attorney as well as her service dog.

The outlet reported she did not speak at the hearing.