Investigation into Long Island murders involving Rex Heuermann expands with new charges

A deleted document that investigators recovered from a laptop may be the key to establishing intent in the case against Rex Heuermann, who has been charged with the murders of six women over several decades, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney told ABC News on Friday.

That document, which investigators described as a “planning document,” was discovered in a veritable mountain of electronic devices and files recovered during the investigation, Tierney said. It was found on March 7, 2024, on a laptop’s unallocated space, meaning it had been deleted by a user, the district attorney said.

Prosecutors allege it was used by Heuermann to “methodically blueprint and plan out his kills with excruciating detail.”

“I think it, first and foremost, evinces a certain intent, and that intent is to hunt and capture and kill females,” Tierney told ABC News in an interview, some of which aired on “Good Morning America.”

His office was “excited” about the document, because it “establishes intent, and certainly that’s our allegation — and that’s what we seek to prove,” Tierney said.

Investigators on the case said they found the document as they worked through a wealth of tech items recovered during the investigation. They so far have recovered 27 computers and 58 internal hard drives, along with another 22 external drives. They’ve collected 15 types of cameras. And there are dozens of memory cards and USB devices and SIM cards. Hundreds of CDs and VHS cassettes were also logged by investigators.

That document was discovered almost a year after the initial charges were filed in July 2023 against Heuermann, a Long Island architect who has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him.

Heuermann was charged Thursday with the 2003 murder of Jessica Taylor, whose remains were found on Long Island in Gilgo Beach and in Manorville, and accused of the 1993 murder of Sandra Costilla, whose remains were found in North Sea, Long Island, in 1993, according to court documents. These developments significantly expand the timeline in the Gilgo Beach case, with the first murder Heuermann is accused of committing now taking place in 1993.

The charges brought against Heuermann allege that he acted alone, according to court documents. Prosecutors have said in charging documents that they’ve pieced together a timeline of the murders using digital calendars and notes from some of the devices they’ve collected. Heuermann’s estranged wife, Asa Ellerup, and their children were away from their Massapequa Park home during the commission of the crimes, investigators allege.

“With regard to the family, it’s very clear that during the commission of the six crimes … they were either outside of the state or outside of the country,” Tierney told ABC News.

Investigators have spent months essentially going “back in time” through the “tremendous” amount of evidence in the Heuermann case, Tierney said.

They’ve also during the same period been going through cold-case killings and other open investigations, he said. Several other bodies were discovered over the years on Gilgo Beach, near the brambles where the bodies of four of Heuermann’s alleged victims were discovered.

“We’re going to continue to look at the cases,” Tierney said on “GMA” on Friday. “We’ve got more bodies on Gilgo Beach and we have more bodies off of the beach as well, which has resulted in these two additional charges. We’ll continue to work.”

ABC News asked Tierney whether his office had thought the allegations against Heuermann would stretch as far back as 1993.

“In the beginning, we knew that this was going to be a sprawling, significant case,” Tierney said. “And we really had no preconceptions. I think the better way to answer that: Am I surprised? No.”

The investigation into the Long Island murders involving Rex Heuermann has taken a significant turn with the announcement of new charges being brought against him. Heuermann, a 35-year-old resident of Long Island, has been at the center of a high-profile investigation into a series of gruesome murders that have shocked the local community.

The investigation began in early 2020 when the bodies of several young women were discovered in various locations across Long Island. The victims, all in their early 20s, had been brutally murdered and their bodies left in remote areas. As the investigation progressed, all evidence pointed to Heuermann as the prime suspect in the case.

Heuermann was arrested in connection with the murders in late 2020 and has been held in custody ever since. However, new evidence has recently come to light that has led to additional charges being filed against him. The details of the new charges have not been made public, but authorities have stated that they are confident in their case against Heuermann.

The expansion of the investigation has raised concerns among residents of Long Island, who are still reeling from the shock of the initial murders. Many are wondering how such a heinous crime could have been committed in their community and are eager for justice to be served.

Authorities have assured the public that they are doing everything in their power to bring the perpetrator to justice and ensure that he is held accountable for his actions. They have also urged anyone with information about the case to come forward and assist in the investigation.

As the investigation continues to unfold, residents of Long Island are left grappling with the horror of what has transpired in their community. The hope is that with the new charges being brought against Heuermann, justice will be served and closure can be found for the families of the victims.

In the meantime, authorities are urging residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement. The safety and well-being of the community remain their top priority as they work tirelessly to bring this case to a resolution.