New York Architect Rex Heuermann Charged with Murders of Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costilla, Expanding Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Timeline

Gilgo Beach, Suffolk County, Long Island United States of America
DNA from male human hair linked Heuermann to Taylor's death
Heuermann believed to have mutilated bodies to inhibit identification
Heuermann charged with murders of Shannan Gilbert, Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, and Amber Costello
Investigation into Gilgo Beach murders ongoing since 2010
Jessica Taylor's remains found in 2011, linked to other victims from 2003
New York architect Rex Heuermann charged with murders of Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costilla
Phone records showed Heuermann's family was out of town at time of Taylor's killing
Sandra Costilla's remains found in 1993
New York Architect Rex Heuermann Charged with Murders of Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costilla, Expanding Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Timeline

Suspected Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Rex Heuermann Charged in Deaths of Two More Women, Expanding Timeline by Nearly Two Decades

Rex Heuermann, a New York architect and suspected serial killer, has been charged with the murders of two more women: Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costilla. The new charges expand the timeline of Heuermann's alleged crimes by nearly two decades.

Jessica Taylor's partial remains were found near Gilgo Beach in 2011 and linked to other remains from 2003. Her body was discovered in a wooded area of Manorville, farther east on Long Island. Sandra Costilla's remains were found in North Sea, in the town of Southampton, and she was killed in 1993.

Heuermann is believed to have mutilated the victims to inhibit identification via facial recognition, fingerprints and/or tattoo identification. DNA from a male human hair recovered from Taylor's body linked Heuermann to her death. Phone records showed that Heuermann's wife and children were out of town at the time of Taylor's killing.

The investigation into the Gilgo Beach murders dates back to late 2010, when investigators discovered the first of ten victims along a desolate stretch of Ocean Parkway running east from Jones Beach. The latest charges against Heuermann follow a recent flurry of activity in the investigation, including a nine-day canine search completed last month in Manorville and Southampton and six-day search of his home in Massapequa Park.

Heuermann has been charged with the murders of four women: Shannan Gilbert, Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, and Amber Costello. He pleaded not guilty to all charges in connection with their deaths and remains in jail awaiting trial.

The Gilgo Beach investigation is ongoing.


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Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • Are there any other potential suspects in the Gilgo Beach murders?
  • Is there enough evidence to definitively link Heuermann to the crimes?

Sources

82%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Man charged in Gilgo Beach serial killings kept document used to 'blueprint' crimes, prosecutors say

The Associated Press News Site (USA) Thursday, 06 June 2024 04:13
  • Unique Points
    • Rex Heuermann was charged with the murders of two more women, Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costilla.
    • ,
  • Accuracy
    • Rex Heuermann is accused of killing six women: Sandra Costilla in 1993, Jessica Taylor in 2003 and 2011, Maureen Brainard-Barnes in 2007, Melissa Barthelemy in 2009, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello both in 2010.
    • Sandra Costilla's body was found with a hair match to a witness who lived at Heuermann’s residence. She went missing around November 1993 and was found in Southampton.
    • Jessica Taylor's remains were discovered near Mill Road in July 2003 and again in March 2011.
    • Investigators found over 350 electronic devices at Heuermann’s residence containing a significant collection of violent pornography dating back to 1994.
    • A Word Document dated back to the year 2000 was discovered, which appears to be Heuermann’s planning document with columns for ‘PROBLEMS’, ‘SUPPLIES’, and a ‘DS’ column listing Mill Road as a possible dumpster site.
  • Deception (30%)
    The article contains selective reporting as it only reports details that support the author's position and implies facts without linking to peer-reviewed studies which have not been retracted. The document found on Heuermann's hard drive is referred to as a 'planning document' used to 'blueprint' his crimes, but no evidence is provided that this document was created by Heuermann or that it was used in the commission of any crimes. Additionally, the article makes emotional appeals by describing the victims as young women who were long suspected of being victims of men preying on sex workers.
    • It also has a place to note practical lessons for ‘next time.’
    • Heuermann pleaded not guilty at the court hearing and was ordered held without bail.
    • The new charges came just days after police finished extensive searches of Heuermann’s Massapequa Park home and a wooded area on Long Island tied to the investigation of a string of deaths known as the Gilgo Beach serial killings.
  • Fallacies (90%)
    The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy when it states that 'prosecutors say they discovered a 'planning document' on the hard drive found in his basement used to 'methodically blueprint' his killings.' This statement implies that the document is definitive evidence of Heuermann's guilt, but it does not provide any information about how reliable or valid this evidence is. Additionally, there are several instances of inflammatory rhetoric used throughout the article, such as 'New York architect previously accused of killing four women and leaving their corpses scattered along a coastal highway' and 'The new charges came just days after police finished extensive searches of Heuermann’s Massapequa Park home and a wooded area on Long Island tied to the investigation of a string of deaths known as the Gilgo Beach serial killings.' These statements are not necessary for understanding the facts of the case and serve only to inflame emotions.
    • ]The new charges came just days after police finished extensive searches[
    • prosecutors say they discovered a 'planning document' on the hard drive found in his basement used to 'methodically blueprint' his killings.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Rex Heuermann, Gilgo Beach Serial Killing Suspect, Is Charged With 2 More Murders

The New York Times Corey Kilgannon Thursday, 06 June 2024 14:05
  • Unique Points
    • Rex Heuermann was charged with the murders of two more women, Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costilla.
    • Sandra Costilla was killed in 1993 and her remains were found in the Hamptons.
    • Jessica Taylor's partial remains were found near Gilgo Beach in 2011 and linked to other remains from 2003.
  • Accuracy
    • Rex Heuermann was charged with the murders of two more women.
    • Sandra Costilla, a 28-year-old New York woman, was killed in 1993 and her remains were found in the Hamptons.
    • Rex Heuermann has been accused of killing at least six people whose remains were found along Ocean Parkway by Gilgo Beach.
    • The latest indictment followed a recent flurry of activity in the investigation, including a nine-day canine search and a six-day search of Rex Heuermann’s home.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

97%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Rex Heuermann, accused of 4 Gilgo Beach serial killings, charged in more murders

USA Today Thursday, 06 June 2024 00:00
  • Unique Points
    • Rex Heuermann, accused of killing four sex workers and dumping their bodies along Gilgo Beach, has been indicted in the murder of two more women, Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costilla.
    • Over 350 electronic devices were seized from Heuermann's residence during multiple searches.
    • Heuermann was first identified as a suspect in Costello's death in March of 2022, when investigators linked him to a pickup that was reportedly seen by a witness in 2010.
    • A key breakthrough in the investigation came when a surveillance team saw Heuermann throw a pizza box into a trash can outside his office, and DNA taken from the crust matched DNA from a hair found on one of the victims.
  • Accuracy
    • Rex Heuermann is charged with killing Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costilla based on new DNA evidence and a planning document found on his hard drive.
    • The planning document titled 'THINGS TO REMEMBER' includes instructions for body preparation, such as removing heads and hands, washing bodies, and limiting noise to increase 'PLAY TIME'.
    • Another section of the document titled 'BODY PREP' suggests Heuermann was involved in the death of Valerie Mack.
    • Investigators believe Heuermann was killing victims for much longer than previously thought, possibly since the 1990s.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The article contains some inflammatory rhetoric and an appeal to authority fallacy, but no formal logical fallacies were found. The inflammatory rhetoric includes phrases like 'hunt too long seen in area too long' and 'more sleep and noise control would allow for more play time', which could be interpreted as sensational or provocative. The appeal to authority fallacy is present when the author states that some notes from the document were sourced from a book, implying that the information in the book is trustworthy because it was used as a source. However, this does not necessarily mean that the information in the article itself is true or accurate.
    • ][author] Some notes from the document were sourced from '[Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123587.Mindhunter),' a book by retired FBI agent John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker about the psychological profiles of serial killers and mass murderers.[/]
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

95%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Among decades-old torture porn, Rex Heuermann allegedly kept Word Doc of murder plans: Read the bail application

NBC New York Kiki Intarasuwan Thursday, 06 June 2024 15:04
  • Unique Points
    • Rex Heuermann is accused of killing six women: Sandra Costilla in 1993, Jessica Taylor in 2003 and 2011, Maureen Brainard-Barnes in 2007, Melissa Barthelemy in 2009, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello both in 2010.
    • Sandra Costilla's body was found with a hair match to a witness who lived at Heuermann’s residence. She went missing around November 1993 and was found in Southampton.
    • Jessica Taylor's remains were discovered near Mill Road in July 2003 and again in March 2011.
  • Accuracy
    • Investigators found over 350 electronic devices at Heuermann’s residence containing a significant collection of violent pornography dating back to 1994.
    • A Word Document dated back to the year 2000 was discovered, which appears to be Heuermann’s planning document with columns for ‘PROBLEMS’, ‘SUPPLIES’, and a ‘DS’ column listing Mill Road as a possible dumpster site.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority. It also presents a dichotomous depiction of the suspect. No formal logical fallacies were found in the author's original assertions.
    • . . .the New York City architect arrested last year in connection with a string of cold case bodies found on Long Island's Gilgo Beach...
    • Investigators say Sandra Costilla, 28, was allegedly murdered by Rex Heuermann in the fall of 1993.
    • Heuermann's residence in Massapequa. . .
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

100%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer charged in deaths of 2 more women, expands timeline by 2 decades

ABC News NYC Bureau Thursday, 06 June 2024 13:12
  • Unique Points
    • Rex Heuermann is charged in the deaths of two more women: Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costillo.
    • Jessica Taylor's remains were found near Gilgo Beach and in a wooded area of Manorville. She was killed in 2003.
    • Sandra Costillo's remains were found in North Sea, in the town of Southampton. She was killed in 1993.
    • Heuermann is believed to have mutilated the victims to inhibit identification via facial recognition, fingerprints and/or tattoo identification.
    • DNA from a male human hair recovered from Taylor's body linked Heuermann to her death.
    • Phone records showed that Heuermann’s wife and children were out of town at the time of Taylor’s killing.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication