MASSAPEQUA PARK, NEW YORK: Rex Heuermann, the 59-year-old architect, who was arrested in connection to the deaths of 'The Gilgo Four' in the decade-long Gilgo Beach murders case, reportedly had a history of tax issues and a record of filing multiple lawsuits. Reports suggest that Heuermann, the founder of RH Architecture Design, was allegedly several years late in paying taxes amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Officials also said that he filed consecutive lawsuits against drivers, accusing them of injuring him in car accidents, as per public records and court documents, CNN reported. The man, who served as the president of the architectural firm based in Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, also lived in the same home Massapequa Park home he was raised in as a child. In a 2022 interview, Heuermann described himself as "a troubleshooter born and raised on Long Island."
Did Rex Heuermann have financial problems?
Following Heuermann's arrest, his neighbors described him as an "average" and "quiet" family man. While it is not known if Heuermann faced financial problems, he reportedly had issues related to tax payments dating back more than a decade. As per Nassau County records obtained by the publication, the architect faced six tax liens filed by the IRS in Nassau County between 2010 and 2021. As per the liens, Heuermann owed a total of more than $425,000 for taxes that he had failed to pay as far back as 2005.
A later tax lien filed by the IRS showed that Heuermann either repaid or no longer owed about $215,078 of that amount, with the most recent documents being filed in October 2022. The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance revealed that Heuermann and his wife, Asa Ellerup, also owe a total of more than $81,500 in personal income tax to the state.
Rex Heuermann's work as an architect
Several other court records obtained by CNN revealed the technical and mundane work Heuermann allegedly did as an architect. As per a letter Heuermann to an attorney, last year, the 59-year-old examined water damage on a Manhattan building and offered an analysis of proposed waterproofing. Records related to another case showed some emails he sent to coordinate a renovation project in the Bronx in 2017.
In a 2018 civil court hearing, Heuermann described his work as "general architecture" and said he offered services to clients to resolve issues with the state Department of Buildings. However, an associate described his work as "not a pleasant process" and said, "I don’t want to be Mr. Heuermann in that respect for a minute." Back in December 2007, a Harlem apartment building that Heuermann was hired to renovate was declared unsafe by fire officials.
Authorities later ordered two dozen families to evacuate the building, the New York Daily News reported at the time. The New York City Buildings Department commissioner reportedly said it was investigating whether Heuermann falsely identified the building as vacant, the outlet mentioned. In 2007, a spokesperson for the buildings department told CNN it conducted audits of multiple jobs where Heuermann served as the architect but did not find "any pattern of false filings nor significant disregard for DOB regulations." No disciplinary actions were also taken against him.
Why did Rex Heuermann file lawsuits against drivers?
Court documents showed that Heuermann filed four lawsuits in New York courts against drivers accusing them of hitting him with their cars and causing him "serious and permanent personal injuries." Three of the four cases were reportedly settled or discontinued, while the most recent one is still ongoing. During an April 2018 deposition for one of the cases, Heuermann opened up about his life and work and said that he lived at his childhood home in Massapequa Park with his wife, daughter, and stepson. When asked if he ever played sports, the Gilgo Beach murder suspect revealed, "Really only thing I competed in was competition rifle."
