In a turn of events, authorities have apprehended Rex Heuermann, a 59-year-old architect from Long Island, United States, in connection with the notorious Gilgo Beach murders. He was taken into custody on Thursday evening near his office on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Here is what we know about him.

According to a 2022 interview with Bonjour Reality, Heuermann grew up on Long Island and has been a resident of Massapequa Park for his entire life. Local news outlet News 12 reported that he is married and has two children, as confirmed by neighbors.

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Heuermann’s professional background involved working on construction and renovation projects throughout New York City, as revealed by Damien Richards, an employee at his firm Nexstar’s WPIX. Richards, who was hired in 2020, mentioned that Heuermann would either be present at his office or working remotely at various job sites. It was not uncommon for Heuermann’s daughter to accompany him at work.

Describing his boss, Richards noted that Heuermann’s demeanor varied depending on his day. When things were going well, he could be alright, but on bad days, he was not the most pleasant person to be around.

As stated on his website, Heuermann’s consulting firm had worked with prominent clients such as Target, Nike, Burlington Coat Factory, Foot Locker, and other notable brands. He had also collaborated with various New York City agencies, including Catholic Charities, NYC-DEP Sewerage Treatment, and American Airlines.

Heuermann now faces serious allegations. The authorities believe that he is connected to a total of ten bodies discovered in the Gilgo Beach area. He has been charged with first-degree murder in relation to three of the victims: Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Lynn Costello.

Michael Brown, the defense attorney representing Heuermann, stated that his client vehemently denies the accusations and maintains his innocence, asserting that he “didn’t do this.”

Law enforcement revealed that Heuermann owns a first-generation Chevrolet Avalanche, which a witness saw at the time of Costello’s disappearance. Additionally, court documents mention that Heuermann used a burner phone to communicate with his victims. Under an alias, he was active on the dating app Tinder. Shockingly, an email account linked to one of the burner phones was found to have conducted searches related to sex workers, torture-related pornography, and child pornography.

Court documents also reveal that Heuermann searched for information about serial killers and investigations into the murders of Barthelemy, Waterman, Costello, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes, another victim identified during the Gilgo Beach investigation. Furthermore, he had researched the task force dedicated to apprehending the Gilgo Beach serial killer.