Gilgo Beach Murder Victim Found Bound in Belt with Rex Heuermann Grandfather’s Embossed Initials
Aug. 5 2023, Published 2:00 p.m. ET
Law enforcement officials have disclosed new details in the notorious Gilgo Beach serial killing case.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney stated in a recent interview that the remains of victim Maureen Brainard-Barnes were found bound with a distinctive belt embossed with the initials "WH" or "HM," RadarOnline.com has learned.
Rex Heuermann was initially placed on suicide watch when he was arrested.
According to Tierney, the belt in question was one of three belts used to bind Brainard-Barnes. The other two belts did not have any initials on them.
"One had 'WH' on it. One had the distal end of the belt cut off," Tierney explained. He added that the section of the belt where initials would typically be located had been cut off.
Although the DA did not elaborate, the initials "WH" match primary suspect Rex Heuermann's grandfather, William Heuermann, who died in 1964.
Brainard-Barnes, a New York sex worker, is believed to be the fourth victim in the Gilgo Beach serial killer case.
Heuermann has been named the "prime suspect" in her slaying, although her killing was not included in the indictment against him.
Heuermann, a 59-year-old architect, was charged with the murders of three other victims whose remains were found near Gilgo Beach in 2010.
Burke resigned as Suffolk County police chief in October 2015 and was sentenced to 46 months in prison in 2016.
Tierney claimed that everyone on the case was so terrified of Heuermann getting wind that he was being eyed that even the grand jury did not learn his name until just before the bombshell arrest.
"When we were investigating the case, we never mentioned the name, even among ourselves. It was always the subject. At most, it was RH," he added.
"We wanted to sort of do it, set the stage, and toward the end, backload the information with regard to the defendant. We felt that would minimize the chances of leaks."
Investigators used DNA found on a pizza box to link Heuermann to the killings, officials said.
According to Newsday, Tierney also stated that authorities are close to identifying the remains of three of the other ten victims found in the vicinity of Gilgo Beach.
The identifications will be made using genetic genealogy, among other methods, and are expected to be announced soon.
While prosecutors have not yet determined if Heuermann is responsible for any of the other killings, Tierney stated that there is no evidence of his involvement with any other person. He also confirmed that Heuermann worked alone.
The ongoing investigation into the Gilgo Beach homicides, which span over a decade, has involved a Homicide Task Force created in 2022 by Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison.
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The district attorney's office plans to hold a press conference on Friday, August 11, to provide further updates on the case. Tierney did not disclose what specific information would be shared.
The trial for Heuermann has not yet been scheduled, as a significant amount of evidence needs to be reviewed by his defense team.
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