A Netflix documentary series covers the ongoing investigation into the Gilgo Beach serial killings in Long Island, New York.
Directed by Liz Garbus, Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer explores a series of murders which were uncovered by the disappearance of Shannon Gilbert in May 2010. In the search for Gilbert, the remains of four other sex workers, later named the Gilgo Four, were found along Ocean Parkway near the beach town of Gilgo, Suffolk County.
The remains of six other women were found by April 2011, which are believed to predate the original four bodies. Gilbert’s remains were found in December 2011, although police suspect her death is not linked to the killings, and she may have either died of exposure or accidentally drowned, according to People.
While the case remained unsolved for 13 years, police arrested architect Rex Heuermann in July 2023 as a suspect. Since then, he’s been charged for murdering seven of the women – including the Gilgo Four – and is awaiting trial.
Where is Rex Heuermann now after Gone Girls?
The final episode shows how police came to arrest Rex Heuermann in July 2023. He was initially charged for the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello, but was subsequently charged for the deaths of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla, and Valerie Mack by December 2024.
Heuermann has pleaded not guilty on all counts. As of April 2025, Heuermann is being held at the Riverhead Correctional Facility in Suffolk County, New York, as he awaits trial. At the time of writing (April 8), a trial date has yet to be determined.
Following his arrest, Heuermann’s wife Asa Ellerup filed for divorce, which was finalised in March 2025. According to Ellerup’s attorney Bob Macedonio, she is “withholding judgment on the guilt or innocence of Rex until the conclusion of the trial”, but believes “the man that she was married to for 29 years was not capable of committing these horrific crimes”.
The pair have two children together: Victoria Heuermann and Christopher Sheridan.
What led to his arrest?
Heuermann’s arrest occurred after a new task force was assigned to the case in January 2022. Police came to link Heuermann to the case through a Chevrolet Avalanche registered under his name, which was highlighted by eyewitness accounts.
As noted by Tudum, Heuermann was also observed adding minutes to a burner phone, which matched with movements of burner phones used during the crimes.
The biggest breakthrough was a discarded pizza crust with Heuermann’s DNA, which matched hair found on the victims.
Speaking about the difficulty of making a documentary series in an ongoing case, director Liz Garbus said: “After we completed and turned in our cuts to Netflix, there was another victim added to [Heuermann’s] docket.
“Will there be more between now and the time that we air? It’s possible. Will there be more between now and the time that we go to trial, if they go to trial? It’s probable.”
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