Murder Suspect of Gilgo Beach Serial Killings After DNA Found on Pizza Box

Rex Heuermann was arrested in connection with the serial killings in Gilgo Beach in New York. Reports say the murder suspect was busted after his DNA has been found on a discarded pizza box.

Between 2010 and 2011, eleven human remains were discovered on a coastal highway in Long Island, New York. Some of the victims were identified as Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Costello, and Megan Waterman. On July 14, a bail application revealed that investigators obtained a male hair from the burlap that was used to wrap Waterman’s body in 2010.

According to Sabes, during that time, the investigation revealed that the hair contained Caucasian or European characteristics but was not suitable for more DNA testing. In 2020, the hair was submitted to a laboratory which revealed that it belonged to a male with a certain DNA type.

Furthermore, a witness to Costello’s disappearance claimed that a first-generation Chevrolet Avalanche was the vehicle that was driven by the alleged murder suspect. Following a comprehensive review by several law enforcement, authorities discovered that a vehicle of the same model was registered to the alleged murder suspect.

After the discovery, a police surveillance team observed the alleged murder suspect discarding a box of pizza at 373 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. On March 23, the box was sent to a crime laboratory in Suffolk County for analysis where a pizza crust swab was taken. In addition, on April 28, a portion of the hair found on Waterman was also sent to be cross-examined with the pizza crust’s DNA. Around June 12, it was determined that the DNA obtained from the hair and the crust have the same mitochondrial profile which ruled out 99.96% of the population in North America.

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Charges Against Murder Suspect

According to Smith, the murder suspect faced charges of one count of first-degree and second-degree murder for each of the three victims. In total, six counts of murder have been filed against the murder suspect. Nonetheless, the murder suspect has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

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