New Gilgo Beach Murders Victim Identified After Over 10 Years; Alleged Serial Killer Rex Heuermann's Wife Breaks Silence
Authorities in New York have identified one of the bodies believed to be another victim of the alleged Gilgo Beach Murders suspect Rex Heuermann. Police believe he is the serial killer responsible for a string of disappearances and dead bodies found at Gilgo Beach in Long Island, New York.
According to CNN, the dead body, which was discovered back in 2011, was identified as Karen Vergata, a 34-year-old escort from Manhattan. She went missing on Valentine's Day in 1996 and before her body was identified, she was known as "Fire Island Jane Doe."
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney announced the identification of one of the Gilgo Beach Murders victims but did not yet link her to alleged serial killer Rex Heuermann, adding that it is currently a "confidential investigation" and that there are "no charges at this time" as investigators continue to work on this case.
"I think it's important that we remember and honor not only Ms. Vergata but all the victims on Gilgo Beach," he said. She is one of the dozens of bodies found along Gilgo Beach's Ocean Parkway between 2010 and 2011. Four of the bodies that have been identified became known as the "Gilgo Four." They were all linked to New York architect Rex Heuermann, who has already been charged with the deaths of three of them.
The alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer was previously charged with three counts of first-degree murder for the killings of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello. He is also the prime suspect in the 2007 disappearance and death of Maureen Brainard-Barnes. Police are still trying to determine his connection to the fourth victim.
Accused Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Rex Heuermann's Wife Breaks Silence
Following the arrest of her husband for being a suspected serial killer, Asa Ellerup, 59, finally broke her silence on the matter as she sat down with The New York Post for an interview, admitting that she has anxiety.
"I woke up in the middle of the night, shivering," she told the newspaper. She also admitted that Long Island home has been left a complete wreck inside after authorities raided it for 12 days, looking for evidence. Ellerup added that the damage was so bad that she did not even have a bed to sleep in.
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She also talked about how this has affected her kids, saying, "My children cry themselves to sleep. I mean, they're not children. They're grown adults but they're my children, and my son has developmental disabilities and he cried himself to sleep."
Her daughter, Victoria Heuermann, has also stated that she feels "not human" after it came out that her father might be a serial killer. As for Ellerup, she has since filed for divorce.
Rex Heuermann's Wife Finds an Unlikely Ally, Another Serial Killer's Family Member
The family members of serial killers often do not know what they were up to yet they are often judged and bear the brunt of the criticisms directed at the serial killers themselves. Melissa Moore, daughter of notorious the "Happy Face Killer" Keith Jesperson, knows this too well.
Moore decided to help out Ellerup and the rest of Heuermann's family who might be getting harassed by people over the actions of their relative. She has set up a "Go Fund Me" page for them and stated, "People may know me as the daughter of the serial killer known as the 'Happy Face' killer captured in 1995."
She admitted that she did not know what her father did as he led his double life but added that she and her mother are also his victims. With this, she decided to help out Ellerup and her family with the fundraiser through this tough time. It has since received over $13,000 in donations.
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This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: Investigators identify Jane Doe No. 7 in Gilgo Beach murders - ABC News
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