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The Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect was linked to the crime scene with the help of a discarded pizza box that was thrown into a Manhattan trash can. Investigators running surveillance on Rex Heuermann at the Manhattan office where he worked as an architect watched him throw the pizza box away, according to court documents. The team grabbed a leftover pizza crust and had it swabbed and analysed by a forensics lab. Prosecutors say that the tested sample matched a mitochondrial DNA profile from a male hair collected off burlap recovered from the body of Megan Waterman. The DNA results came back on 12 June with a 99.96 per cent degree of accuracy, state court papers, with investigators stating that it “is significant that Defendant Heuermann cannot be excluded from the male hair recovered near the ‘bottom of the burlap’ utilized to restrain and transport Megan Waterman’s naked and deceased body.” Investigators refocussed on the Long Island serial killings last year and officials said on Friday that Mr Heuermann quickly became the focus of the investigation. “On March 14, 2022, the name Rex was first mentioned. A New York state investigator was able to identify him in a database and from that point on we used the power of the grand jury, over 300 subpoenas and search warrants, looking into this individual’s background to bring us to this day,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. Eventually, DNA evidence and cell phone data would be used to charge Mr Heuermann with the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello. The 59-year-old pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder in the first degree and three in the second degree. Prosecutors say that he also remains the prime suspect in the killing of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, a 25-year-old Connecticut woman who went missing in July 2007. Her body was found near Gilgo Beach in December 2010 during the search for Shannan Gilbert. No charges have been brought in her case but officials say that the investigation “is continuing and is expected to be resolved soon.” Investigators also looked into Mr Heuermann’s Internet search history and say that he repeatedly searched for child sex abuse images, sadistic content, and images and information about his alleged victims. Prosecutors say that between March 2022 and June 2023, his email account was connected to more than 200 searches about his alleged victims, articles written on the investigation into their murders, as well as known and active serial killers. The searches included, “Why could law enforcement not trace the calls made by long island serial killer”, “Why hasn’t the long island serial killer been caught”, and “FBI active serial killers.” Read More Gilgo Beach murders – live: Rex Heuermann sobs in court hearing over Long Island serial killing How the Gilgo Beach serial killer turned the Long Island shore into a graveyard Long Island serial killer probe not over after architect is charged in 3 of 11 deaths Classmate of Gilgo Beach murders suspect reveals he left ‘love notes’ in her locker Manhattan architect, family man and accused serial killer: Who is Gilgo Beach suspect Rex Heuermann?

Manhattan architect Rex Heuermann has pleaded not guilty to six counts of murder in connection with the infamous Gilgo Beach serial killings. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office released charging documents on Friday confirming Mr Heuermann, of Massapequa, as the suspected serial killer who targeted sex workers and dumped their bodies along remote Long Island beaches. He appeared in court in handcuffs and wearing a polo shirt and khaki pants. Mr Heuermann was held without bail as prosecutors had previously sought, citing his recent searches for “sadistic materials, child pornography, images of the victims and their relatives.” The 59-year-old pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder in the first degree and three in the second degree over the deaths of Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy and Amber Costello. The women are among the “Gilgo Four” whose bodies were found along a stretch of Ocean Parkway in Long Island in 2010. Court documents state that Mr Heuermann is also the “prime suspect” in the murder of the fourth woman in that group, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, though he is not facing charges related to her death. The documents outline a number of extremely disturbing searches in Mr Heuermann’s internet history, as well as burner phones he is accused of using to “taunt” his victims. The Gilgo Beach serial killer had previously been linked to as many as 11 victims discovered more than a decade ago in Suffolk County. Read More Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect arrested on suspicion of murders of 10 women on Long Island Police release haunting 911 call from woman later found dead as possible serial killer probe continues: ‘There’s somebody after me’ New police chief vows to close the case on Long Island’s unsolved Gilgo Beach murders

Anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F Kennedy Jr has revived an antisemitic conspiracy that blames Jewish people for the emergence of Covid-19, a claim that follows a string of offensive statements and falsehoods elevated by the long-shot candidate for the US presidency. During a press event in New York City on 11 July, Mr Kennedy baselessly stated that “there is an argument to be made” that the disease is “ethnically targeted”. “Covid-19 is targeted to attack Cucasians and Black people. The people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese,” he said, according to video of the event from The New York Post. “We don’t know whether it was deliberately targeted or not but there are papers out there that show the racial or ethnic differential and impact.” His remarks follow antisemitic conspiracy theories that circulated at the onset of the pandemic, and follow other statements from the candidate elevating spurious conspiracy theories surrounding Covid-19 and vaccines that have fuelled his campaign. “The claim that Covid-19 was a bioweapon created by the Chinese or Jews to attack Caucasians and Black people is deeply offensive and feeds into sinophobic and antisemitic conspiracy theories,” according to a statement from the Anti-Defamation League. “Layer upon layer of antisemitism,” wrote Jonathan Weisman, author of (((Semitism))): Being Jewish in America in the Age of Trump. “If you still think there is a left or even non-insane case for supporting or even indulging RFK Jr then you have been conned or have conned yourself,” wrote MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan. “Madness. Racist, conspiratorial, dangerous madness.” “We have no words for this man’s lunacy,” wrote nonprofit US watchdog Stop Antisemitism. Mr Kennedy responded to the reporting on Saturday morning, and a statement from a campaign spokesperson to The Independent claimed that the Post “got it wrong”. “I have never, ever suggested that the Covid-19 virus was targeted to spare Jews,” Mr Kennedy wrote on Twitter before echoing his claim that the US and other governments are “developing ethnically targeted bioweapons”. He pointed to a 2020 National Institutes of Health study finding that the impacts of the disease are disproportionately felt among Black people and people with cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions, cancer and other risk factors. “In that sense, it serves as a kind of proof of concept for ethnically targeted bioweapons,” Mr Kennedy stated. “I do not believe and never implied that the ethnic effect was deliberately engineered.” Mr Kennedy’s campaign, an insurgent effort for the Democratic nomination boosted by right-wing media to drive a wedge among Democratic voters, has painted a dark and conspiratorial worldview amplifying debunked and misleading claims and outright falsehoods. Earlier this year, US Holocaust Memorial Museum shot down his suggestion that life is worse for people today than it was for Anne Frank. “Making reckless comparisons to the Holocaust, the murder of six million Jews, for a political agenda is outrageous and deeply offensive,” the organisation said. “Those who carelessly invoke Anne Frank, the star badge, and the Nuremberg Trials exploit history and the consequences of hate.” Mr Kennedy and his organisation Children’s Health Defense also have promoted James Corbett, a prominent conspiracy theorist who has claimed that “Hitler was a Rothschild” and “Hitler and the Nazis were 100 per cent completely and utterly set up” by the “international banking community and the international crony capitalists.” His connections to Mr Corbett join a long list of associations with and appearances on right-wing media platforms with far-right pundits. Read More Who is running for president in 2024? Robert F Kennedy Jr calls interviewer ‘unfair’ for spelling out his laundry list of conspiracy theories White House rejects Lauren Boebert’s claim that antisemitism plan will be used ‘go after conservatives’

Police continue to search for a woman who went missing after telling her family she spotted a child walking alone on a stretch of Alabama highway earlier this week. Rewards totaling $25,000 have been offered up for the return of 25-year-old Carlethia Nichole “Carlee” Russell, who called 911 to report that she saw a toddler on the side of Interstate 459 in Hoover on 13 July. She then called a family member, who lost contact with her while the phone line remained open, according to police. Officers who arrived at the scene found Ms Russell’s car and some of her belongings but did not locate her or the child. “We currently are investigating every possibility,’’ Hoover Police Department public information officer Lt Daniel Lowe said during a press briefing on 14 July. “We’re certainly leaving nothing off the table.” Her mother Talitha Russell said her daughter left The Woodhouse Day Spa before stopping at Taziki’s at 9pm on Thursday to pick up food for her and her mother, according to AL.com. She called 911 when she had pulled over after spotting what she said was a three- or four-year-old child, her mother said. At 9:36pm, Talitha Russell said her daughter was then on the phone with her brother’s girlfriend. “My son’s girlfriend heard her asking the child, ‘Are you OK?’ She never heard the child say anything but then she heard our daughter scream,’’ Talitha Russell said. “From there all you hear on her phone is background noise from the interstate.” An officer was dispatched to the scene within three minutes. One witness reported possibly seeing a gray vehicle and a male standing outside of Ms Russell’s car at the time of the incident, according to Hoover police. Family members have questioned why authorities did not alert an Ashanti Alert, relying on a similar Amber Alert emergency messaging system for missing children. Ashanti alerts, named after 19-year-old Ashanti Billie, who was abducted and killed in 2017, are used in critical missing adult cases for those too old for Amber alerts and too young for Silver alerts. Ms Russell – who is described as Black, 5’4” and 150 to 160 lbs – was last seen wearing a black shirt, black pants and white Nike shoes, according to Hoover police. Members of the public who believe they have seen her are directed to call Hoover Detective Brad Fountain at 205-444-7562, Sgt Drew Mims at 205-739-7274, or Crimestoppers of Metro Alabama at 205-254-7777.

Former President Donald Trump has asked courts in Georgia to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from investigating him for election interference and to quash the final report of a special purpose grand jury that recommends people be indicted. Trump’s attorneys filed similar petitions in both the Georgia Supreme Court and Fulton County Superior Court. This week a grand jury was sworn in to hear evidence in the case regarding alleged interference in the 2020 election on the part of the then-president. Elsewhere, the special counsel investigating the former president threatened potential criminal charges against a Trump Organization employee suspected of lying to investigators, according to sources of ABC News. Jack Smith transmitted a letter to a staffer that indicated that he might have perjured himself in an appearance before the federal grand jury that ultimately indicted Mr Trump for allegedly mishandling classified documents, the sources said. The letter appears to signal Mr Smith’s interest in the handling of surveillance footage and efforts to avoid sharing footage with investigators. Meanwhile, many of Mr Trump’s 2024 Republican opponents spent Friday taking part in one-one interviews with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson at the Family Leadership Summit in Iowa. Read More Hunter Biden lawyers tell Trump to end attacks warning they’re ‘one social message away’ from causing violence Jared Kushner and Hope Hicks have testified in front of grand jury investigating Jan 6, reports say Prosecutors say there is ‘no reason’ to delay Trump documents trial until after 2024 election Americans are widely pessimistic about democracy in the United States, an AP-NORC poll finds

One police officer was killed and two others sustained injuries after a gunman opened fire on a busy street in Fargo in North Dakota, authorities said. The suspect was killed on Friday, the police said, adding that a civilian was also injured during the incident. Witnesses reported seeing a man opening fire on police officers on a busy street before other officers shot him. Shannon Nichole was driving in that area at that time when "shots were fired" and she "saw cops go down". "My airbag went off and the bullet went through my driver's door," she told KFGO Radio. A man grabbed her and told her they needed to get out of the area, she recalled. Authorities said there was no threat to the public but officers converged on a residential area about two miles away and evacuated residents as they gathered evidence related to the incident. Chenoa Peterson said she was driving with her 22-year-old daughter when a man pulled out a gun and began firing at police. "He proceeds to aim it and you just hear the bullets go off, and I'm like, 'Oh, my God! He's shooting!’" she told The Associated Press. Ms Peterson's first instinct was to pull over and try to help, she said, but her daughter convinced her to leave. "It's weird knowing that if you were 10 seconds earlier you could have been in that," she added. A surveillance video provided by resident Allison Carlson captured the sound of gunfire. North Dakota attorney general Drew Wrigley said the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation is working with law enforcement agencies in response to a "shooting incident", without providing further details. Police and other local agencies across the region posted their sympathies for Fargo police on social media. "Thinking of our brothers and sisters in Fargo," read a post from the South Dakota Fraternal Order of Police. The Fargo police department said it plans to release more details later on Saturday. Read More Two massacres, Two different decisions: How does the DOJ decide who should face death? Five injured in mass shooting near Maryland roadway after leaving funeral America sets horrifying 17-year record for mass killings

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February of 2022. A year-and-a-half later, the fate of the brutal conflict is still top of mind in Washington and beyond. Joe Biden recently embarked on a high-profile visit to Europe for a Nato summit, where he opined on the future of the alliance and Ukraine’s potential place in it. This shift may even have reached the GOP, which took something of an isolationist turn under Donald Trump. However, these days, the Ukraine war seems to be a central topic once again. That renewed focus was on full display on Friday at an event hosted by Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News anchor. Despite no longer holding the top perch in cable news, he retained his kingmaking position, hosting the first Republican presidential forum on Friday in Iowa, at an event co-organised by the conservative groups Family Leader and Blaze Media. Six GOP candidates looking to obtain the coveted Republican National Committee (RNC) nomination joined Carlson on stage for a 25-minute one-on-one conversation: Tim Scott, Asa Hutchinson, Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy and Ron DeSantis. Notably missing from the forum was former president Donald Trump who was unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict. Once onstage, international affairs were a key sticking point. Ron DeSantis, seen as the most potent rival to Trump, warned that US support for the Ukraine war effort could turn into a “quagmire” like the US wars in the Middle East. “My critique of the DC foreign policy elite is that they are doing a black check policy without telling us when we will have achieved our objective,” he said. “I wish the DC elites cared as much about our border,” he added. “There are people pouring into this country. We have people dying of fentanyl overdose. The cartels are running the show.” The Florida governor said he would finish Donald Trump’s border wall, declare a national emergency at the border, and deploy the US military to kill drug cartel members. The forum comes more than a month before the RNC’s first official debate on 23 August, and Mr DeSantis’s fellow candidates had similar issues on their minds. Mr Scott preached about “the wall” needing to be built along the US-Mexico border and agreed with Carlson that Mexico posed a larger threat to Americans than Russia. While remarks from candidates like Mr DeSantis were met with praise from Carlson, there were some moments of tension. The former Fox anchor lashed out at former vice-president Pence for his statements supporting further military aid to Ukraine. Carlson claimed that “public filth and disorder and crime” were skyrocketing in America, so Mr Pence shouldn’t put so much emphasis on Ukraine, a country “most people can’t find on a map.” “Every city in America has become much worse over the past three years ... Where’s the concern for the United States?” the host asked. The former vice-president brushed off the criticism, calling it a “routine” from Carlson, and said he’s running for president because “this country is in a lot of trouble.” Nonetheless, it was clear Mr Pence may have been something of an outlier at the conservative gathering. You could almost hear crickets when tried to get the audience on his side that Russia’s weakening military position in Ukraine was a good thing. “A year and half ago Russia had the second most powerful military in the world. Today they have the second most powerul military in Ukraine,” he said, to a weak smattering of applause, before doubling down: “That’s progress.” That wasn’t the only testy exchange. Former Arkansas governor Mr Hutchinson clashed slightly with Carlson when confronted about cultural issues like transgender rights and Covid-19 vaccines. Carlson pressed the former governor about his decision to veto a 2021 bill that would’ve made Arkansas the first state to ban gender-confirming treatments or surgery for trans youth. The ex-Fox News host seemed dissatisfied with Mr Hutchinson’s justification to allow parents to decide their children’s medical needs. The conversation at the event also drifted back to the January 6 Capitol riot. Carlson began his discussion with Mr Pence about January 6th with questions that downplayed the severity of it and seemingly justified the rioters in their attack. The former vice president reflected on the day with restraint, calling it “tragic” and condemning Trump’s “reckless” words that led him and his family to become endangered. But Carlson pushed back slightly on Mr Pence, suggesting that rioters were angry because the 2020 election was fraudulent – a lie peddled by Mr Trump. While serving as a host for Fox News, Mr Carlson aired cherry-picked footage of the insurrection and crafted a narrative claiming the insurrection was not deadly and, instead, was a peaceful protest that media and lawmakers lied about to the public. Mr Pence asserted his confidence that the 2020 election was done fairly. The former South Carolina governor, meanwhile, Ms Haley emphasised the importance of election integrity and advocated for a better healthcare system focusing on mental health. Entrepreneur Mr Ramaswamy shared his optimistic view of the US as the youngest candidate running for president. During his conversation, he told Carlson he believes January 6th was caused by censorship. Read More Trump news - live: Trump tries to quash Georgia grand jury report as employee accused of lying to prosecutors Tim Scott agrees with Tucker Carlson’s comments dismissing threat posed by Russia Tucker Carlson and Mike Pence clash in heated exchange over Ukraine at GOP 2024 forum Who is running for president in 2024?

His Manhattan business describes him as a registered architect with over 30 years’ experience. His neighbours describe him as a “family man” living with his wife and two children in a tight-knit community in Suffolk County. But now authorities are describing him as the suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer who unleashed terror along the shores of Long Island more than a decade ago. Rex Heuermann was arrested on Thursday night in connection to the shocking murder case where body after body was found dumped along the remote beaches on Ocean Parkway. The 59-year-old appeared in court on Friday and pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder in the first degree and three in the second degree over the deaths of Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy and Amber Costello. Here’s what we know about the suspect: Rex Heuermann Manhattan architect and married father-of-two Rex Heuermann was taken into custody at around 8.30pm on Thursday night near his Midtown office. Before the arrest, Mr Heuerman had been under surveillance by law enforcement, according to ABC News. On Friday morning, swathes of New York State and Suffolk County police officers were seen searching his home on First Avenue in Massapequa Park – which is located just a 20-minute drive from Gilgo Beach where the killer dumped the bodies of his victims. Neighbours told The Independent that he was a quiet family man who lived in the close-knit community with his wife and two children. One neighbour, who has lived a stone’s throw from the Heuermanns for more than two decades, said that the family is “a very quiet family” who made “no imprint at all” on the neighborhood. “Basically, we never had any contact with him... living here 22 years and never said two words to him,” the long-time Massapequa Park resident said, adding that “one bad apple doesn’t spoil the bunch” in a “great neighbourhood”. Maureen Holpit, 59, who attended Berner High School in Massapequa with Mr Heuarmann, told The Independent that Mr Heauerman was once a shy teen who would often leave “love notes” in her locker. Ms Holpit said her exchanges with the now suspected serial killer were always pleasant and polite. “I was always nice and friendly to him, you know. Seemed like he kind of got picked on and people would make maybe portray him as a little nerdy. He was very quiet, mild-mannered. So I was nice and would say, ‘Hey, Rex, how are you?,’” Ms Holpit, who now lives in Florida, tells The Independent. “I was getting these notes in my locker. As I’m remembering, there were multiple little love notes but they were not signed,” she added. “Then, one day I did see him put it in my locker and so I knew they were from him. I may have said to him that I had a boyfriend or I just liked him as a friend.” One woman told News12 that it was “ming-boggling” that the “quiet” 59-year-old could be involved in the horrific case while another said that he was known to do outdoor activities such as woodwork. Mr Heuermann works in Manhattan – where some of the Gilgo Beach victims were last seen alive – as the president of architecture firm RH Consultants & Associates. According to the company website, he founded the company in 1994. It has since worked with the likes of Catholic Charities, NYC-DEP Sewerage Treatment and American Airlines and other major tenants at the JFK International Airport. A company page called Meet The Team and featuring his photo appeared to be taken down on Friday morning as news of his arrest broke. In an interview posted on YouTube by Bonjour Realty last year, the father-of-two said that he was “born and raised in Long Island” but had been “working in Manhattan since 1987... [a] very long time”. The architect reportedly broke down in tears during his court appearance on Friday evening. “We just got appointed on this case. There’s not much I can tell you folks at this point in time,” his attorney, Michael Brown, told reporters, according to NBC. “I will say to you folks that it’s extremely circumstantial in nature. In terms of speaking to my client, the only thing I can tell you that he did say, as he was in tears, was ‘I didn’t do this.’ The murders The case began in May 2010 when Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker, vanished after leaving a client’s house on foot near Gilgo Beach. She called 911 for help saying she feared for her life and was never seen alive again. In the chilling call, released last year, Gilbert is heard repeatedly telling the 911 operator that “somebody’s after me”. She is also heard arguing with a man – who she refers to as Mike – who appears to be trying to encourage her to get back inot a car and at one point, she is heard asking if he is “going to kill” her. “These people are plotting to kill me,” she tells the dispatcher. During a search for Gilbert in dense thicket close to the beach, police discovered the remains of another woman. Within a matter of days, the remains of three more victims were found close by. By spring 2011, the remains of a total of 10 victims had been found including eight women, a man, and a toddler. Gilbert’s body was found in December 2011. Her cause of death is widely contested with authorities long claiming that it is not connected to the serial killer or killers but that she died from accidental drowning as she fled from the client’s home. However, an independent autopsy commissioned by her family ruled that she died by strangulation and her mother believes she was murdered. Like Gilbert, most of the victims targeted were sex workers. Several theories have been mulled over the years but no one had ever been charged with the killings. Authorities have previously said they believe that three separate serial killers could be responsible for the slayings over a period of around 20 years. The case appeared to go cold for several years until last year when Suffolk Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison vowed to finally close the case and bring the killer or killers to justice. The newly-appointed commissioner said that, with “a set of fresh eyes”, he had faith that he could get the cold case “across the finish line”. He launched a dedicated taskforce for the case. The investigation Last year, the Suffolk County Police Department, New York State Police, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI revamped the probe into the killings that ultimately led to Mr Heuermann’s bombshell arrest outside his Midtown office on Thursday. A bail application released by the Suffolk County District Attorney revealed that Mr Heuermann was linked to the serial killings through cellphone evidence and surveillance. Prosecutors have argued that no bail should be set for Mr Heuermann due to his recent searches for “sadistic materials, child pornography, images of the victims and their relatives.” Mr Heuermann was first linked to the cold case in March 2022 after investigators discovered that a Chevrolet Avalanche registered to him was possibly the one spotted by a witness in Costello’s disappearance. As law enforcement closed in on him, they served more than 300 subpoenas and search warrants that uncovered cellphone records for burner phones used to arrange meetings with three of the “Gilgo Four” victims before they went missing. Further analysis also allegedly linked Mr Heuermann to taunting calls made to family members of the victims, according to investigators. The calls were made from the Midtown Manhattan area, where the offices of Mr Heuerman’s architecture business are located. Among the evidence linking Mr Heuermann to the murders was a hair found on burlap material used to wrap Waterman’s corpse, according to court documents. DNA analysis had not been possible in the early stages of the investigation, but new technology allowed testing in July 2020. A team surveilling Mr Heuermann collected a discarded pizza box that then confirmed a DNA match with the suspect on 12 June. Records also show that several online accounts under fictitious names linked to Mr Heuermann were used for illegal activities. Mr Heuermann allegedly used those accounts and burner phones to contact women for prostitution services, as well as making chilling online searches. The searches included sadistic, torture-related pornography, child pornography and disturbing content. Mr Heuermann is also accused of searching “why could law enforcement not trace the calls made by the long island serial killer,” “why hasn’t the long island serial killer been caught” and “new phone technology may be key to break in case.” More forensic analysis revealed that female hairs found in the three crime scene locations belonged to Mr Heuermann’s wife. However, authorities have determined through cellphone records that Mr Heuermann’s wife was out of state when the murders took place. At the time Barthelemy went missing in July 2009, Mr Heuermann’s wife was in Iceland. She visited Maryland around the time Waterman disappeared in June 2010, and also travelled to New Jersey when Costello was last seen in September of that year. “It is likely that the burlap, tape, vehicle(s) or other instrumentalities utilized in furtherance of these murders came from Defendant Heuermann’s residence, where his wife also resides, or was transferred from his clothing,” prosecutors explained. Mr Heuermann is also the prime suspect in the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, who is believed to be one of the “Gilgo Four.” Prosecutors noted in the application that records for the burner phones used to contact Brainard-Barnes were not obtained at the time she went missing and no longer exist. The arrest On Thursday, there was a huge breakthrough in the case when suspect Mr Heuermann was finally arrested on suspicion of the murders. Police sources told The Associated Press that an individual had been taken into custody on Thursday night in connection with the unsolved murders which terrorised the community in Suffolk County more than a decade ago. Suffolk County Police would not confirm the arrest on Friday morning, but have announced a press conference for the afternoon citing a “significant development” in the high-profile case. John Ray, who represents the families of Shannan Gilbert and Jessica Taylor, said that they learned around a week ago that an arrest was imminent. Mr Ray said he “had a very strong, credible tip that they were about to close in on an arrest”. But, he said that they were not too optimistic – given the case has rumbled on for more than a decade – and had not been told anything official. “We’re pleased if they actually managed to find somebody that can be tagged for this,” he said at the time. “We’re pleased that something is finally occurring, because we’ve been frustrated.” The victims The remains of at least 11 victims’ were found in the Gilgo Beach area though it remains unclear if they are all the work of the same killer. Many were sex workers who offered escort services on Craigslist or worked in New York City. The first victim found was Melissa Barthelemy whose remains were discovered along Ocean Parkway on 11 December 2010 during the search for Shannan Gilbert – a 24-year-old sex worker from New Jersey who vanished after visiting a client in Oak Park and making a chilling 911 call where she revealed fears for her life. Two days later on 13 December, the remains of three other victims – Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello – were found close by. All three women were known to advertise escort services on Craigslist. Brainard-Barnes – known as one of the Gilgo Beach Four – was last seen alive in early June 2007 in New York City while Costello was last seen leaving her North Babylon home one day in early September 2010. Waterman was last seen alive in early June 2010 at a Holiday Inn Express in Hauppauge. Seven months later, on 26 July 2011, the remains of Jessica Taylor were found in a wooded area in Manorville during the ongoing search for Gilbert. Taylor worked as an escort in New York City. Valerie Mack also worked as an escort but was last seen alive in Philadelphia in 2000. Her remains were found on two separate occasions in Manorville in 2000 and in Oak Beach in 2011 but she was only identified in 2020 through the use of genetic genealogy. Some of the victims have never been identified. The skeletal remains of an Asian male, aged between 17 and 23 years old, around 5 feet 6 inches tall and with poor dental health, were found along Ocean Parkway in April 2011. He is believed to have died around five to 10 years earlier. That same day, the remains of a female toddler were discovered. She was later identified as the daughter of the also-unidentified female victim dubbed “Peaches” whose remains were found in Nassau County. Mr Heuermann is only charged with the murders of three of the victims whose bodies were found in the Gilgo Beach area. Read More Gilgo Beach murders – live: Long Island serial killer suspect identified as Manhattan architect Rex Heuermann How the Gilgo Beach serial killer turned the Long Island shore into a graveyard Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect named as Rex Heuermann after arrest for Long Island murders

A former classmate of Gilgo Beach suspect Rex Heuermann says the alleged serial killer was very quiet in high school. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office released charging documents on Friday confirming 59-year-old Mr Heuermann, of Massapequa, as the suspected serial killer who targeted women working as sex workers and dumped their bodies along remote Long Island beaches. Mr Heuermann appeared in court in handcuffs and wearing a polo shirt and khaki pants. He pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and three of second-degree murder over the deaths of Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy and Amber Costello and was held without bail. Maureen Holpit, 59, who attended Berner High School in Massapequa with Mr Heuermann, told The Independent that Mr Heuermann was once a shy teen who would often leave “love notes” in her locker. Ms Holpit said her exchanges with the now suspected serial killer were always pleasant and polite. “I was always nice and friendly to him, you know. Seemed like he kind of got picked on and people would maybe portray him as a little nerdy. He was very quiet, mild-mannered. So I was nice and would say, ‘Hey, Rex, how are you?,’” Ms Holpit, who now lives in Florida, tells The Independent. “I was getting these notes in my locker. As I’m remembering, there were multiple little love notes but they were not signed,” she added. “Then, one day I did see him put it in my locker and so I knew they were from him. I may have said to him that I had a boyfriend or I just liked him as a friend.” Mr Heuermann, 59, was taken into custody outside his Midtown Manhattan office at around 8.30pm on Thursday night in connection with the unsolved murders, sources told News 12 Long Island. The architect and married father-of-two works in Manhattan – where some of the Gilgo Beach victims were last seen alive – as the president of architecture firm RH Consultants & Associates. According to the company website, he founded the company in 1994. It has since worked with the likes of Catholic Charities, NYC-DEP Sewerage Treatment and American Airlines and other major tenants at the JFK International Airport. Mr Heuermann is also the prime suspect in the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, who is believed to be one of the “Gilgo Four.” Prosecutors noted in the application that records for the burner phones used to contact Brainard-Barnes were not obtained at the time she went missing and no longer exist. Her body and Barthelemy, Waterman and Castello’s were found within one-quarter mile of each other, similarly positioned and bound in a similar fashion by either belts or tape. The unsolved murders sent fear through the shoreline community of Gilgo Beach but for more than a decade, few developments were made in the case. Last year, the Suffolk County Police Department, New York State Police, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI revamped the probe into the killings that ultimately led to Mr Heuermann’s bombshell arrest outside his Midtown office on Thursday. A bail application released by the Suffolk County District Attorney revealed that Mr Heuermann was linked to the serial killings through cellphone evidence and surveillance. Mr Heuermann was first linked to the cold case in March 2022 after investigators discovered that a Chevrolet Avalanche registered to him was possibly the one spotted by a witness in Costello’s disappearance. As law enforcement closed in on him, they served more than 300 subpoenas and search warrants that uncovered cellphone records for burner phones used to arrange meetings with three of the “Gilgo Four” victims before they went missing. Further analysis also allegedly linked Mr Heuermann to taunting calls made to family members of the victims, according to investigators. The calls were made from the Midtown Manhattan area, where the offices of Mr Heuerman’s architecture business are located. Among the evidence linking Mr Heuermann to the murders was a hair found on burlap material used to wrap Waterman’s corpse, according to court documents. DNA analysis had not been possible in the early stages of the investigation, but new technology allowed testing in July 2020. Records also show that several online accounts under fictitious names linked to Mr Heuermann were used for illegal activities. Mr Heuermann allegedly used those accounts and burner phones to contact women for prostitution services, as well as making chilling online searches. The searches reportedly included sadistic, torture-related pornography, child pornography and disturbing content. Mr Heuermann is also accused of searching “why could law enforcement not trace the calls made by the long island serial killer,” “why hasn’t the long island serial killer been caught” and “new phone technology may be key to break in case.” Read More Gilgo Beach murders - live: Rex Heuermann sobs in court hearing over Long Island serial killing Rex Heuermann cries ‘I didn’t do this’ as he appears in court on Gilgo Beach murder charges Rex Heuermann charged with three Gilgo Beach murders as burner phones and truck tie him to serial killings

For around two decades, the sands and marshes of Long Island’s Gilgo Beach kept a dark secret. A killer or killers was at large, luring in escorts and sex workers and brutally murdering them. Body after body was dumped along the shoreline, hidden for months and even years without being discovered. Then, in 2010, a chilling 911 call made by a woman in fear for her life led police to search the area. What they discovered was far more horrifying than anyone could have imagined. Over the next year, the remains of 11 victims – mainly female escorts – were discovered dumped in the area, plunging the Suffolk County community into terror. But, the case went cold and no arrests were made, no suspects were named and there was no justice for the victims and their families. That is, until now. On Thursday, local married father-of-two Rex Heuermann was arrested on suspicion of being the serial killer. The 59-year-old appeared in court on Friday and pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder in the first degree and three in the second degree over the deaths of Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy and Amber Costello. Long Island native Mr Heuermann lives close to Gilgo Beach, where the killer dumped his victims. He also works as an architect in Manhattan. While neighbours react with shock, the question is: now an arrest has been made, is the hunt for the Gilgo Beach serial killer finally over? The murders For more than a decade, the Gilgo Beach murders stumped law enforcement officials in Suffolk County who believed it could be the work of one or more serial killers who targeted sex workers and dumped their bodies along the remote beaches on Ocean Parkway. The case began in May 2010 when Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker, vanished after leaving a client’s house on foot near Gilgo Beach. She called 911 for help saying she feared for her life and was never seen alive again. In the chilling call, released last year, Gilbert is heard repeatedly telling the 911 operator that “somebody’s after me”. She is also heard arguing with a man – who she refers to as Mike – who appears to be trying to encourage her to get back inot a car and at one point, she is heard asking if he is “going to kill” her. “These people are plotting to kill me,” she tells the dispatcher. During a search for Gilbert in dense thicket close to the beach, police discovered the remains of another woman. Within a matter of days, the remains of three more victims were found close by. By spring 2011, the remains of a total of 10 victims had been found including eight women, a man, and a toddler. Gilbert’s body was found in December 2011. Her cause of death is widely contested with authorities long claiming that it is not connected to the serial killer or killers but that she died from accidental drowning as she fled from the client’s home. However, an independent autopsy commissioned by her family ruled that she died by strangulation and her mother believes she was murdered. Like Gilbert, most of the victims targeted were sex workers. Several theories have been mulled over the years but no one had ever been charged with the killings. Authorities have previously said they believe that three separate serial killers could be responsible for the slayings over a period of around 20 years. The case appeared to go cold for several years until last year when Suffolk Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison vowed to finally close the case and bring the killer or killers to justice. The newly-appointed commissioner said that, with “a set of fresh eyes”, he had faith that he could get the cold case “across the finish line”. He launched a dedicated taskforce for the case. The arrest On Thursday, there was a huge breakthrough in the case when suspect Mr Heuermann was finally arrested on suspicion of the murders. Police sources told The Associated Press that an individual had been taken into custody on Thursday night in connection with the unsolved murders which terrorised the community in Suffolk County more than a decade ago. Suffolk County Police would not confirm the arrest on Friday morning, but have announced a press conference for the afternoon citing a “significant development” in the high-profile case. It is not clear what led to the sudden breakthrough in the case over a decade after bodies began being dumped along remote beaches. However it comes just one day after the skeletal remains of a man were found in a wooded area off the Southern State Parkway in Islip, Long Island. An attorney representing two of the victim’s families told News 12 on Friday morning that they learned around a week ago that an arrest was imminent. John Ray, who represents the families of Shannan Gilbert and Jessica Taylor, said they “had a very strong, credible tip that they were about to close in on an arrest”. But, he said that they were not too optimistic – given the case has rumbled on for more than a decade – and had not been told anything official. “We’re pleased if they actually managed to find somebody that can be tagged for this,” he said. “We’re pleased that something is finally occurring, because we’ve been frustrated.” The investigation Last year, the Suffolk County Police Department, New York State Police, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI revamped the probe into the killings that ultimately led to Mr Heuermann’s bombshell arrest outside his Midtown office on Thursday. A bail application released by the Suffolk County District Attorney revealed that Mr Heuermann was linked to the serial killings through cellphone evidence and surveillance. Prosecutors have argued that no bail should be set for Mr Heuermann due to his recent searches for “sadistic materials, child pornography, images of the victims and their relatives.” Mr Heuermann was first linked to the cold case in March 2022 after investigators discovered that a Chevrolet Avalanche registered to him was possibly the one spotted by a witness in Costello’s disappearance. As law enforcement closed in on him, they served more than 300 subpoenas and search warrants that uncovered cellphone records for burner phones used to arrange meetings with three of the “Gilgo Four” victims before they went missing. Further analysis also allegedly linked Mr Heuermann to taunting calls made to family members of the victims, according to investigators. The calls were made from the Midtown Manhattan area, where the offices of Mr Heuerman’s architecture business are located. Among the evidence linking Mr Heuermann to the murders was a hair found on burlap material used to wrap Waterman’s corpse, according to court documents. DNA analysis had not been possible in the early stages of the investigation, but new technology allowed testing in July 2020. A team surveilling Mr Heuermann collected a discarded pizza box that then confirmed a DNA match with the suspect on 12 June. Records also show that several online accounts under fictitious names linked to Mr Heuermann were used for illegal activities. Mr Heuermann allegedly used those accounts and burner phones to contact women for prostitution services, as well as making chilling online searches. The searches included sadistic, torture-related pornography, child pornography and disturbing content. Mr Heuermann is also accused of searching “why could law enforcement not trace the calls made by the long island serial killer,” “why hasn’t the long island serial killer been caught” and “new phone technology may be key to break in case.” More forensic analysis revealed that female hairs found in the three crime scene locations belonged to Mr Heuermann’s wife. However, authorities have determined through cellphone records that Mr Heuermann’s wife was out of state when the murders took place. At the time Barthelemy went missing in July 2009, Mr Heuermann’s wife was in Iceland. She visited Maryland around the time Waterman disappeared in June 2010, and also travelled to New Jersey when Costello was last seen in September of that year. “It is likely that the burlap, tape, vehicle(s) or other instrumentalities utilized in furtherance of these murders came from Defendant Heuermann’s residence, where his wife also resides, or was transferred from his clothing,” prosecutors explained. Mr Heuermann is also the prime suspect in the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, who is believed to be one of the “Gilgo Four.” Prosecutors noted in the application that records for the burner phones used to contact Brainard-Barnes were not obtained at the time she went missing and no longer exist. The suspect Sources confirmed to News 12 Long Island and NBC News on Friday that Manhattan architect and married father-of-two Rex Heuermann was the suspect arrested in the case. On Friday morning, swathes of New York State and Suffolk County police officers were seen searching his home on First Avenue in Massapequa Park – which is located just a 20-minute drive from Gilgo Beach where the killer dumped the bodies of his victims. Neighbours told The Independent that he was a quiet family man who lived in the close-knit community with his wife and two children. One neighbour, who has lived a stone’s throw from the Heuermanns for more than two decades, said that the family is “a very quiet family” who made “no imprint at all” on the neighborhood. “Basically, we never had any contact with him... living here 22 years and never said two words to him,” the long-time Massapequa Park resident said, adding that “one bad apple doesn’t spoil the bunch” in a “great neighbourhood”. One woman told News12 that it was “ming-boggling” that the “quiet” 59-year-old could be involved in the horrific case while another said that he was known to do outdoor activities such as woodwork. Mr Heuermann works in Manhattan – where some of the Gilgo Beach victims were last seen alive – as the president of architecture firm RH Consultants & Associates. According to the company website, he founded the company in 1994. It has since worked with the likes of Catholic Charities, NYC-DEP Sewerage Treatment and American Airlines and other major tenants at the JFK International Airport. A company page called Meet The Team and featuring his photo appeared to be taken down on Friday morning as news of his arrest broke. In an interview posted on YouTube by Bonjour Realty last year, the father-of-two said that he was “born and raised in Long Island” but had been “working in Manhattan since 1987... [a] very long time”. Mr Heuermann is only charged with the murders of three of the victims whose bodies were found in the Gilgo Beach area. The victims The remains of at least 11 victims’ were found in the Gilgo Beach area though it remains unclear if they are all the work of the same killer. Many were sex workers who offered escort services on Craigslist or worked in New York City. The first victim found was Melissa Barthelemy whose remains were discovered along Ocean Parkway on 11 December 2010 during the search for Shannan Gilbert – a 24-year-old sex worker from New Jersey who vanished after visiting a client in Oak Park and making a chilling 911 call where she revealed fears for her life. Two days later on 13 December, the remains of three other victims – Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello – were found close by. All three women were known to advertise escort services on Craigslist. Brainard-Barnes – known as one of the Gilgo Beach Four – was last seen alive in early June 2007 in New York City while Costello was last seen leaving her North Babylon home one day in early September 2010. Waterman was last seen alive in early June 2010 at a Holiday Inn Express in Hauppauge. Seven months later, on 26 July 2011, the remains of Jessica Taylor were found in a wooded area in Manorville during the ongoing search for Gilbert. Taylor worked as an escort in New York City. Valerie Mack also worked as an escort but was last seen alive in Philadelphia in 2000. Her remains were found on two separate occasions in Manorville in 2000 and in Oak Beach in 2011 but she was only identified in 2020 through the use of genetic genealogy. Some of the victims have never been identified. The skeletal remains of an Asian male, aged between 17 and 23 years old, around 5 feet 6 inches tall and with poor dental health, were found along Ocean Parkway in April 2011. He is believed to have died around five to 10 years earlier. That same day, the remains of a female toddler were discovered. She was later identified as the daughter of the also-unidentified female victim dubbed “Peaches” whose remains were found in Nassau County. Read More Gilgo Beach murders – live: Long Island serial killer suspect identified as Manhattan architect Rex Heuermann Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect named as Rex Heuermann after arrest for Long Island murders Police release haunting 911 call from woman later found dead as possible serial killer probe continues: ‘There’s somebody after me’

Manhattan architect Rex Heuermann has pleaded not guilty to six counts of murder in connection with the infamous Gilgo Beach serial killings. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office released charging documents on Friday confirming Mr Heuermann, of Massapequa, as the suspected serial killer who targeted sex workers and dumped their bodies along remote Long Island beaches. He appeared in court in handcuffs and wearing a polo shirt and khaki pants. Mr Heuermann was held without bail as prosecutors had previously sought, citing his recent searches for “sadistic materials, child pornography, images of the victims and their relatives.” The 59-year-old pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder in the first degree and three in the second degree over the deaths of Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy and Amber Costello. The women are among the “Gilgo Four” whose bodies were found along a stretch of Ocean Parkway in Long Island in 2010. Court documents state that Mr Heuermann is also the “prime suspect” in the murder of the fourth woman in that group, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, though he is not facing charges related to her death. The documents outline a number of extremely disturbing searches in Mr Heuermann’s internet history, as well as burner phones he is accused of using to “taunt” his victims. The Gilgo Beach serial killer had previously been linked to as many as 11 victims discovered more than a decade ago in Suffolk County. Read More Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect arrested on suspicion of murders of 10 women on Long Island Police release haunting 911 call from woman later found dead as possible serial killer probe continues: ‘There’s somebody after me’ New police chief vows to close the case on Long Island’s unsolved Gilgo Beach murders

In an unlikely coalition, progressive Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and conservative Republican Dan Crenshaw teamed up on legislation to support allowing veterans to use psychedelic drugs to recover from the trauma of war, The New York Daily News reported. The two sought to include it in the National Defense Authorisation Act, which passed on Friday. Mr Crenshaw, a Republican who lost his right eye while serving in Afghanistan, noted the mix of ideologies at a press conference on Thursday. “This is a real wild coalition,” he said. “You’ve got extremely conservative Republicans, moderate Republicans, moderate Democrats, extremely progressive Democrats all on the same page.” Mr Crenshaw said he first became passionate about the topic after veterans he knew took ibogaine. “One treatment of ibogaine would cure them, cure them of addiction, cure them of their inner demons, their PTSD” he said. Ms Ocasio-Cortez noted how when she first entered Congress in 2019, her proposal failed, with 331 members voting against it. “While we are here to celebrate this legislative progress, I also want to acknowledge we are not yet done,” she said. “While we expect this psychedelic provision to make it through the House, we also expect it to face resistance in the Senate.” Mr Correa said he met veterans who had contemplated suicide before taking psychedelic treatment, but that they had to do so outside the United States. “Shameful,” he said. “Shameful that the one thing that works for veterans is not legal in the United States.” Ultimately, though, the funding for the language was stripped and the Rules Committee staff ruled it out of order, The Washington Examiner reported. Mr Crenshaw lambasted House staffers for sinking the legislation. “That tells me that there are staffers who are pushing this out for whatever reason they have, whether they claim it’s procedural or whatever, but they don't give us any time to react to it. Right. So they find a problem, and they squash it without giving us time to find a solution,” he said. “That is unacceptable.” Read More House Republicans push through defense bill limiting abortion access and halting diversity efforts AOC shares fear her Threads app was ‘bricked’ five minutes after joining Twitter rival