Authorities in the US state of New York have arrested a man suspected of involvement in a series of unsolved murders on Long Island. CNN reports this based on sources at the local authorities. Since 2010, human remains of at least eleven victims have been found on the island.
This is the first arrest in the case. Rex Heuermann, 59, is in any case charged with the murder of at least three women, CNN reports based on court papers.
The so-called Gilgo Beach murders, portrayed in the 2020 Netflix film Lost Girls, have preoccupied local authorities for years and spawned conflicting theories about whether a serial killer was active in the region. It’s the largest homicide investigation ever on Long Island.
The first human remains were found in 2010 at a remote stretch of beach. That happened during the search for a 23-year-old missing prostitute, who disappeared seven months earlier after meeting a client for sex. However, it turned out to be another woman.
Two days later, more remains of three others were found nearby. None of them were the missing prostitute they were looking for, so the police expanded the search area.
Toddler
In total, the bodies of eleven people were found in different parts of the island. Several victims were said to have been active in prostitution and placed online advertisements prior to their deaths. However, human remains of a toddler, an Asian man and a woman who had been missing for decades were also found. Possibly all victims of the same serial killer.
In 2020, a belt was found with the suspect’s possible initials on it. The authorities then launched a website where people could submit tips. The suspect was finally arrested on Thursday.
The man was brought before Friday morning (local time), where he denied being guilty through his lawyer. According to CNN, the suspect and his family live in Manhattan.
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