Long Island Serial Killer Snared: Heuermann Guilty! Wife's Reality Show?

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

iHeartPodcasts and CrimeOnline

True Crime, News

4.2 • 8.1K Ratings

🗓️ 9 April 2026

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Just weeks after a judge said says Rex Heuerman "will go to trial come hell or high water," the accused serial killer pleads guilty to all seven murders for which he's charged, and an additional murder. Police arrested the prominent New York architect in connection with murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello, Sandra Costilla, Valerie Mack, Jessica Taylor, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes. The 8th victim, 34-year-old Karen Vergata, was last heard from on Valentine's Day 1996. Her legs and feet were found the same year on Fire Island. Her skull was found fifteen years later near Tobay Beach in Nassau County.

The women's remains were found along Gilgo Beach in Long Island within 500 feet of each other. The first four victims, dubbed the Gilgo Four, were found wrapped in burlap. Heuermann, originally claimed his innocent.

Asa Ellerup, his estranged wife, filed for divorce six days after his arrest and then signed a deal worth at least 1 million dollars to take part in a documentary series.

Joining Nancy Grace today:

Caryn Stark - Forensic Psychologist, renowned TV and Radio trauma expert and consultant, www.carynstark.com, Instagram: carynpsych, FB: Caryn Stark Private Practice
Mike Gould - Former Nassau County (NY) lieutenant and Founding member of the New York Police Department (NYPD) K-9 unit. He's led several investigations into serial killers, including the Gilgo Beach killer on Long Island. Former National Guardsman and has worked on secret service detail for two presidents
Joseph Scott Morgan - Professor of Forensics: Jacksonville State University, Author, "Blood Beneath My Feet", Host: "Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan", Instagram @JoScottForensic
Josh Zeman - Investigative Journalist and Documentary Film Director. Director of "The Killing Season," Host of the podcast: "Sinister with Josh Zeman," Website: Sinisterpod.com Insta: @Joshzeman, X: @Siniterpod, TikTik: @Sinisterwithjoshzeman FB: @Sinisterpodcast YT@Sinisterpodcastjz
Dave Mack - Investigative Reporter, 'Crime Stories'

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is an I-Heart podcast.
0:03.4	Guaranteed Human.
0:05.5	Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.
0:11.8	The Long Island serial killer snared in court.
0:18.3	Rex Heerman, smirking the whole time admits I'm guilty. But wait, what does this mean for
0:26.1	his wife's reality show? I'm Nancy Grace. This is crime stories. I want to thank you for being
0:32.6	with us. Sightings of the victims. Phone calls are from the victims, train rides by the victims,
0:39.5	victims that left and never came back, keeping a victim alive for days on in so he could
0:48.4	play with him. There are going to be more victims uncovered of the Long Island serial killer Rex Herman.
0:57.0	The calm, serene, almost grandfatherly image that Rex Human portrayed since his arrest was a lie.
1:05.0	And quite frankly, an insult to both law enforcement, but more importantly, the families that had to endure that during every court appearance over the last two and a half years.
1:14.6	Today, he was exposed for exactly what he is.
1:19.6	A sadistic, soulless, murderous monster.
1:24.6	This case closes and another one opens. You know, there are still, you know,
1:29.9	bodies on that beach. There are still bodies in Suffolk County. There's no rest for the weary.
1:34.3	We are going to continue to work with our partners and to try to obtain closure for as many families as we can.
1:42.3	That the police commissioner and the Suffolk County District Attorney speaking unmasked, finally
1:49.9	in court, in lieu of a long trial, a guilty plea.
1:56.5	But just as we saw in the Idaho case, the Idaho four, four beautiful University of Idaho students murdered, generally speaking, in their sleep by one person, Brian Coburger.
2:11.1	Once again, like in Coburger, we will never really know the facts because there is no trial.
2:22.0	Now, unlike Idaho, where the death penalty does exist, in Rex Hurerman's jurisdiction,
2:28.5	you can kill as many people as you want, and there is no death penalty.
	...

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