Survivor after survivor lambasted Long Island serial killer Rex Heuermann as a “demon,” “an ogre” and “a monster” as he was sentenced to spend the rest of his days in prison. The beefy former architect — who pleaded guilty to murdering seven women — was treated as a piñata as loved ones, the district attorney and judge piled on Wednesday in a Suffolk County courtroom.
Judge's Scathing Remarks
Justice Timothy Mazzei asked Heuermann: “Are you a little bit sorry for what you did to these innocent women?” Heuermann nodded yes. “You’re a disgusting and small man, if you’re a man at all. You’re a coward!” Mazzei said before sentencing Heureman to three life terms. “Alright, get him out of here.”
Details of the Crimes
The sentencing followed a chilling criminal odyssey stretching back decades, with the earliest known murder happening in 1996. Cops say that Heuermann strangled his victims, many of them sex workers, over a 17-year span and buried their remains in remote areas, including the now infamous Gilgo Beach. In April, the 62-year-old father of two pleaded guilty to murdering seven women and admitted killing Karen Vergata in 1996. For years, bodies were turning up on the south shore of Long Island, but it took until 2023 to bust Heuermann. On Wednesday, he was sentenced to life without parole, with sentences to run consecutively.
Prosecutor's Statement
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said that Heuermann was not sorry for the women he brutally murdered but “is sorry he got caught.” Tierney added: “(He is a) remorseless and sadistic serial killer who only cares about himself. Who this defendant truly is, is seen in that planning document.” Tierney pointed to the killer’s murder itinerary, planning his killings. In the doc, Heuermann “methodically blueprinted” how to pick, kill and dispose of his victims. The victims “meant nothing to this defendant.” Killing was “sport” to Heuermann, the DA added.
Double Life Revealed
On the surface, the serial killer lived a staid lifestyle on suburban Long Island. He would commute into his Manhattan office, then return by the Long Island Railroad at night. But Heuermann was leading a secret, dark dangerous life in the shadows. That world was one of sex workers and porn sites depicting the torture and dismemberment of women. And he avidly followed the Gilgo Beach Murders in the media. “He thought he was being smart, he wasn’t being smart at all,” Tierney said, calling Heuermann a “psychopath.” The DA added: “This defendant cares only about himself and his sick interests. He is not capable of caring about anything else, and that includes his own family.”
Victim Impact Statements
Families of the seven murdered women delivered powerful victim impact statements that left the courtroom in tears. Liliana Waterman, whose mom Megan was killed, said: “She had hopes, dreams and plans for the future. She was a human being. She was someone’s daughter, someone’s friend. Most importantly, she was my mother. Every milestone in my life has been marked by her absence.” The young woman was only three years old when her mother vanished and was later found murdered. She told Heuermann that she grew up without stability, moved frequently and was haunted by her mother’s murder.
Amanda Funderburg scolded the serial killer for ignoring her gaze. Heuermann murdered her sister, Melissa Barthelemy, 24, in July 2009. “You can look at me while I’m talking,” she told Heuermann, who briefly caught her gaze. “I hope you suffer to the fullest extent.” She added that the media called Heuermann an “ogre,” and “that’s truly what you are.” Funderburg was one of the survivors who the architect taunted via phone, describing the horrors he had committed.
Elizabeth Meserve, the aunt of victim Megan Waterman, said: “He not only took Megan’s hopes and dreams, he also shattered our family. When you compare his size to these smaller victims, it’s clear: He was not a fearsome predator, but rather a cowardly opportunist.” She added: “Begone cowardly demon.”
When the convicted killer was invited to speak, he kept it brief. Addressing the court, Heuermann said: “I am responsible for all that was said in this room, the words I say have no meaning.”
