MASSAPEQUA PARK, NEW YORK: Police investigating the Gilgo Beach murders have made a disturbing discovery in accused Rex Heuermann's basement. Allegedly, they found a soundproof room and believe that at least one victim may have been killed there.
This revelation came to light as investigators used cadaver dogs and ground-penetrating sonar to search the suspect's backyard. The accused, Rex Heuermann, a New York architect, was arrested earlier this month in connection with the killings of three women and has been the prime suspect in a slaying of the fourth, all known as the infamous "Gilgo Four," whose bodies were discovered near Gilgo Beach on Long Island back in 2010.
Did Rex Heuermann kill victims in his basement?
Robert Musto, a long-time neighbor of the suspect in Massapequa, expressed shock at the existence of the soundproof room, stating, "He's got a soundproof room in his basement. What do you think that was for?" According to Musto, he learned about the basement's hidden compartment from the police, who have been conducting an intensive search of the property since the suspect's arrest on July 13. Musto said, "They're saying there's evidence he killed at least one of the girls down there."
Details about the basement compartment remain unclear. Some speculate that it could have been used as a potential killing chamber, while others suggest it might have housed a vast collection of up to 300 guns. An ex-colleague of the suspect described the room as a "serious vault," with thick concrete walls and a heavy-duty safe door. “It was maybe 2 or 3 feet thick,” the former coworker said, reported New York Post.
Police are diligently examining the scene, trying to find evidence that the victims may have been inside the house. Aerial footage revealed groups of investigators digging and collecting evidence in the backyard, accompanied by cadaver dogs brought in to aid in the search. Various accounts from neighbors paint a picture of the suspect as reclusive and eccentric.
Neighbors recall suspicious activities and unsettling encounters
Dominick Cancellieri, who lived next to Heuermann for 15 years said last week that on one occasion he heard Heuermann digging and burning things in his backyard in the early hours of the morning. "When I was around 18 or 19-years-old I was watching TV in my basement," he told the outlet. "I went outside at about one or two in the morning and heard digging in the backyard next door. Now I really wanted to go and check out what it was and look through the fence but something stopped me from doing it. I was nervous I wasn't too sure what I was doing at the time. But now with everything coming to fruition, it doesn't surprise me in the slightest bit," the neighbor said.
Cancellieri also recalled a confrontation over a parking space when Heuermann parked his truck halfway across his driveway. "I went out of my car and told him he had to move his car," he recalled. "He got a little loud, and I got a little loud back and he ended up moving his car. He would burn his garbage and I would smell it," he added. "It seemed to be once every few weeks I would smell garbage burning again at his house."
Troy Weeks, 23, who lived a few blocks away from Heuermann in Massapequa Park and used to mow the suspect's lawn weekly or bi-weekly until June 2022, shared his unsettling experiences. According to Weeks, Heuermann displayed an emotionless demeanor with a constant blank stare and a monotone voice during their interactions. He recalled Heuermann's strict rule that he should never enter the house and should only knock on the back door if he needed something to drink.
"He seemed like he didn't have any emotions or have a personality. He always had the same expression, a blank stare. He was very monotone when I spoke to him," said Weeks. "He [Heuermann] always told me 'if you are thirsty or need something to drink knock on the back door, never come into the house that is the one rule.' He said if you ever try and open my doors then you cannot work for me. I was really surprised by the conditions of his house. One time when I peered in through the back window I saw four heads made out of coconuts with face carvings in them. I thought that was super creepy," he added, "Me and my friends called it the shrunken heads house."
