SUFFOLK COUNTY, NEW YORK: The Gilgo Beach murders case is developing every hour and internet sleuths are not letting any opportunity pass by to hone their detective skills. New theories, which are unproven and mere speculation at this point, are being propagated by netizens in relation to the gruesome murders committed between 1996 and 2010. While Rex Heuermann has been arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree and second-degree murder, and is the “prime suspect” in the murder of another victim, the name of John Bittrolff is resurfacing in relation to the Gilgo Beach Murders.
John Bitrolff, 31, had been arrested in 2014 for the murders of Rita Tangredi and Colleen McNamee. Similar to the murders for which Heuermann has been charged, the bodies of Tangredi and McNamee were found in areas near Long Island’s south shore. Tangredi was found in East Patchogue and McNamee’s body was discovered at a spot near North Shirley. While some social media users noticed the similarities in the way the victims were killed, others found their similar hobbies unmissable.
Were Rex Heuermann and John Bittrolff working together?
Police have not established that the New York-based architect Heuermann, 59, whose hobby is cabinet making, was working with Bittrolff. However, the similarities between how the victims' were murdered in both cases stick out. Heuermann was arrested on Thursday, July 13, in connection with the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, 24, Megan Waterman, 22, and Amber Costello, 27. He is also considered a "prime suspect" in the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25. The murders followed a similar pattern and the dead bodies were found at a quarter-mile from each other. The victims were all young women who worked as escorts for a living.
Interestingly, Bittrolff, who was arrested in 2014, is a carpenter by profession. While the similarity in their vocation cannot be missed, another similarity that drew the attention of the public was the occupation of their victims. Both Tangredi and McNamee worked as escorts, as per Oxygen Crime.
'Fascinating how he searched for john bittrolff too'
Netizens decided to play detective and float their own theories online as one user said, "I have a feeling he knew John Bittrolff, they are the same age with the very German surnames. And Heuermann was searching Bittrolff’s name periodically. Perhaps all coincidences because JB has been linked to Manorville, and Rex wanted updates, but it seems Shannon Gilbert’s lawyer thinks others are involved (including a woman)." Another said, "Missing link? Think about it. An architect would probably work closely with a carpenter? Who is John Bittrolff and what his connection to the Gilgo Beach murders. #GilgoBeach #RexHeuermann." A third said, ""John Bittroff" He was looking for John Bittrolff, another SK and former LISK suspect. I do think that this is a bit odd. There have been a few other suspects, why his curiosity it Bittrolff?"
Another user tweeted, "According to the NY Post, authorities got a DNA sample from pizza crust in the garbage that linked him to a victim. This is similar to how authorities got John Bittrolff." Referring to Heuermann's search history, another user wrote, "Fascinating how he searched for john bittrolff too. He was probably furious that they had the wrong guy. Some common murderer was getting "his" credit."
