Accused Gilgo Killer Had Chilling 'Blueprint' To Plan Murders: DA

LONG ISLAND, NY — Accused Gilgo Beach killer Rex Heuermann was slapped with new second-degree murder charges in the deaths of two additional women, Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costilla, according to a superceding bail application released to the press before the proceedings — bringing the total number of his alleged victims to six.

And, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said Thursday, it's "safe to say" that Heuermann is a suspect in the death of a seventh, Valerie Mack, whose remains were found in Manorville in 2000.

Family of some of the victims attended the court appearnace. He was held without bail.

According to the bail application, when she was found in 2003 on Halsey Manor Road in Manorville by someone walking their dog, Taylor's body was found on her back, decapitated, with both arms severed from her body below the elbows. A tattoo on her abdomen was also "severely obliterated by a sharp object," prosecutors said.

Her skull, arms and hands were not found at the scene and were found eight years later on March 29, 2011 along Ocean Parkway, just east of Gilgo Beach, on the same side of the road from where victims Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello — the "Gilgo Four" — were found. Taylor's remains were located less than a mile from where the Gilgo Four were discovered, prosecutors said.

All the remains were within 50 feet of the roadway, Tierney said.

Heuermann's wife and children were out of time at the time of Taylor's disappearance and killing, the DA's office said.

Taylor, the DA's office said, was last seen in July 19, 2003 in New York City, where she was a sex worker. Heuermann was in New York City on July 19, Tierney said. Taylor spoke to her mother and her phone made its last outgoing call that day, he said. On July 25, family alerted police when she failed to return home for her mother's birthday.

A witness was interviewed in 2003 after Taylor's remains were found; the witness said at 10:30 p.m. on July 25, she saw a dark-colored Chevrolet pickup truck backed-in to the same wooded area where Taylor's body was found, prosecutors said.Heuermann bought a 2002 dark-colored Chevrolet Avalanche around March 22, 2002, prosecutors said.

Computer activity by Heuermann indicated on July 28, 2003 he accessed a Newsday article in regard to police looking for information on the case; the search was erased, Tierney said. On July 29, he was looking to buy another, second Chevrolet Avalanche truck, this time in white or bright blue, Tierney said.

Sandra Costilla's body was found on November 20, 1993 by two hunters in a wooded area in North Sea in Southampton, the DA's office said. She was 28 years old at the time; she was lying on her back with her arms outstretched, her uncovered legs stretched apart, and her shirt pulled up over her torso and head, exposing her breasts, the bail application said. She had numerous sharp force injuries to her face, torso, breasts, left thigh and vaginal area, the DA's office said.

In addition, prosecutors said hairs found on the women's bodies linked Heuermann to the killings with mitochondrial and nuclear DNA.

A document was found on a computer in the basement of Heuermann's home that prosecutors said was a "manifesto" or "blueprint," planning all phases of the killings and disposal of the bodies.

The "blueprint" to kill

Prosecutors said the Microsoft Word document, found on March 7 was a "planning document" used by Heuermann to "methodically blueprint" and "plan out" his "kills" during the "sprawling" timeline of the case.

The planning document was divided into sections, including "problems," such as DNA, tire marks, blood stains, fingerprints, plastic bags/cat litter, witnesses, trace source of supplies, foot/shoe prints, photos, police and truck stops, and fingerprints in gloves, hair and fiber, prosecutors said.

There was also a section for supplies needed to carry out serial murders "to avoid apprehension and to avoid leaving behind DNA evidence," the DA said.

There was a "DS" heading that referred to "dump site," prosecutors said, as well as a "TRG" section, which appears to refer to "target," prosecutors said.

According to prosecutors, the victims were all small, petite women, consistent with a "SMALL IS GOOD" entry in the document.

The "manifesto" also includes sections on "pre-prep," "prep," and "post event"; that section includes entries such as "distroy (sic) file," "change tires," "burn gloves," "dispose of pic's (sic)" and "have story set."

Also, a cross bar was listed in the "prep" section. "The Gilgo Homicide Task Force members are aware that a 'cross bar' is often placed underneath tables to provide further structural support for heavier objects being placed on a table."

Another item on the list is called "hard point," which, the task force said, refers to sexual "suspension bondage."

In the "body prep" section, notes included washing bodies inside all cavities, removing trace evidence such as fingerprints and hair, removing head and hands — and "packaging for transport."

There was also a "Things to Remember" section that included notes such as "next time," using heavier rope for the neck, as "light rope broke under stress of being tightened." He also"opines on the importance of sleep to not only avoid 'problems' but also to increase what Heuermann refers to as 'play time,'" prosecutors said.

There was also a "sex substitution" note, which, according to the bail document, details other sexual abuse.

At a press conference after the event, Tierney thanked all law enforcement involved, including the homicide unit, the FBI, Secret Service and K-9 units that helped search "an area of interest." He also thanked the victims' families. "This is what this case is about. This case is about the victims and their families, and, hopefully, providing them with that small measure of closure," he said.

The families have been nothing short of incredible, supporting loved ones and each other, he said, inspiring law enforcement to pursue the investigation so intently.

Tierney said at the time of the initial arraignment and then, the superceding arraignment for Brainard-Barnes: "We said we were going to continue to investigate this case. The criminal prosecution continues — and the investigation continues and has been expanded."

Tierney spoke about the male hair found on surgical tape on Jessica Taylor's body in 2003 and said it had undergone mitrochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA testing and results exiled 99.96 percent of the population —but not Heuermann.

Two "hairs of particular significance" were found on Costilla — a male hair, which matched Heuermann and excluded 99.96 of the population, and a female hair, which matched a female that had been living in Heuermann's home and vacated two months before Costilla's death in 1993, the DA said. A second female hair remains unidentified.

Discussing digital evidence, the DA said so far, they have combed 15 different cameras, 27 computers, 58 internal hard drives, 22 external hard drives, 46 cell phones, 9 wifi routers, 44 SD microcards, 17 tablets, 42 USB devices, 8 laptops, 50 hotel cards, 36 SIM cards, 646 floppy discs, and more.

"It's a massive amount of data," Tierney said.

"Violent bondage and torture pornography"

Heuermann, Tierney said, had a "significant collection of violent bondage and torture pornography," dating back to the 1990s, with scenarios "similar to the conditions the two latest victims were left in. The pornographic images accessed by Rex Heuermann are consistent with the crime scenes of Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costilla."

The DA said the chillling Microsoft Word document was found on a laptop in an "unallocated space," meaning that although Heuermann had tried to erase it, forensic experts were able to retrieve the material. The document was "locally created," meaning it was created on a laptop and not downloaded from the internet, the DA said.

"It was a blueprint," Tierney said. "He planned his kills methodically and with excruciating detail. The document evinces his intent in committing the charged crimes."

Of his victims, Tierney said: "His intent was to hunt them down. Bring them under his control — and kill them."

The DA alleged that methodology Heuermann discussed was "in some cases, identical to the methology used in the murders of the six victims in this case. The document speaks for itself."

Also discussing the document, Tierney said in some cases, the book "The Mind Hunter," a book about serial killers written by John Douglas, was referenced. While the book was not found in Heuermann's home, another book by Douglas was, he said.

Inside the Heuermann home

During a recent, second search of the Heuermann home, some of the notes Heuermann had written in the Microsoft Word doc, including "tape, not good; use push pins" was investigated, the DA said. "We went back into the house, looking at the paneling in the basement. We were able to look with an infrared light. We established a cordoned off area, with adhesive placed — and where there were push pin marks in the drop ceiling," he said.

When asked if any of the women were tortured or killed in the basement, or if there were remains found there, Tierney said evidence found in the basement is now being examined.. "If there's a stain, is it benign or of investigative significance?" he said. "Only forensic scientists can tell us that. Tests are ongoing now," he said.

And, when asked if evidence suggests that another arrest could be forthcoming, Tierney said the Microsoft Word document and other evidence indicates that Heuermann acted alone.

Heuermann's attorney speaks

Speaking with reporters about the new charges, Michael Brown, Heuermann's attorney, said, "The allegations are obviously very disturbing today."

He added that he hasn't seen the Microsoft Word document, or the new flash drive of discovery, yet. "We'll do our best to review it and prepare a defense," he said. Heuermann seemed "surprised" that there were new victims, he said.

Of Heurmann's feelings on the new charges, Brown said, "He's horrified. He's in a bad place."

Heurmann was initially slated to appear in court for his next conference on June 18. He will next appear in court on July 30.

The news comes after a swarm of police converged on Heuermann's Massapequa Park home during an exhaustive search that lasted five days recently.

Robert Macedonio, attorney for Gilgo's estranged wife Asa Ellerup, said his client and the couple's grown children are away. "She still maintains she does not believe Rex is capable of these homicides," he said.

He added that if the rumors and "the reports are true," one killing under investigation — involving a Costilla, a Queens woman whose body was found in North Sea — dates back to 1993, which precedes his relationship with Ellerup; they were married in 1996, he said. The marriage was the second for both his client and Heuermann, Macedonio said.

Macedonia sent out a statement Thursday: "Today's indictment further illustrates that Asa Ellerup has no involvement in any of the alleged crimes that her estranged husband, Rex Heuermann, has been charged with. Ms. Ellerup married Rex Heuermann in 1996. She was not residing with Rex Heuermann in the Massapequa Park domicile in 1993, the year Ms. Costilla was murdered. Moreover, according to the government, at the time of the death of Ms. Taylor, Ms. Ellerup was, once again, not in the juridiction."

He added: "As we have previously stated, if Mr. Heuermann committed these homicides, he was living a double life that Ms. Ellerup was unaware of. After 27 years with Mr. Heuermann, Ms. Ellerup maintains the belief that her estranged husband is not capable of committing these heinous acts."

Last July, Heuermann was indicted on three counts of first-degree murder charges and three counts of second-degree murder charges in the deaths of sex workers Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello, whose remains were found along Ocean Parkway in 2010.

Heuermann pleaded not guilty to those charges.

A total of 11 sets of remains were found in the Gilgo Beach murders, which rocked Long Island. The remains included that of a toddler and an Asian male.

Heuermann was also charged with the murder of a fourth woman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, in January. New DNA evidence helped connect Heuermann to all four of the deaths, said Tierney, who is prosecuting the case.

Heuermann was charged with second-degree murder, an A-1 violent felony, in the death of Brainard-Barnes on July 9, 2007. Heuermann has also pleaded not guilty to that charge.

Recently, the DA's office said, of an ongoing search in areas of Suffolk County, including Manorville, Calverton and Southampton: "DA Tierney has repeatedly publicly stated that the task force would continue to investigate additional murders beyond Gilgo."

In releasing a timeline of the killings in past years, Suffolk County Police said that on November 19, 2000, the remains of Jane Doe/Jane Doe #6, who was later identified as Valerie Mack, were discovered in Manorville.

On July 26, 2003, the remains of Jessica Taylor, an escort working in New York City, were located in a wooded area in Manorville. Additional remains of Taylor were discovered March 29, 2011, along Ocean Parkway, during the search for Shannan Gilbert, police said.