The mom of one of the Gilgo Beach murder victims says she hopes suspected killer Rex Heuermann ‘suffers’ at the hands of other inmates behind bars.
Lynn Barthelemy struck a vengeful tone as she spoke of her daughter Melissa’s alleged killer, feeling that ‘death is too good’ for the ‘devil’ Manhattan architect.
‘Let him receive what the girls received,’ she told NBC News, adding that a painless death would be an ‘easy’ way out of the consequences of the heinous crimes.
The Barthelemy family suffered relentless heartache as Melissa’s killer repeatedly taunted them over her death, but as cops went on to trace the calls to Heuermann’s Manhattan office, the mom said: ‘I always knew that the phone calls were going to be key.’
Her remarks came following Heuermann’s dramatic arrest in Manhattan Thursday evening for the murders of three victims found on Gilgo Beach in 2010 and 2011. Up to 11 sets of remains were discovered on the beach.
Lynn Barthelemy, the mother of Gilgo Beach murder victim Melissa Barthelemy, said ‘death is too good’ for her daughter’s killer
Lynn’s daughter Melissa disappeared in 2009, with her body found the following year
Rex Heuermann is shown in one of his Tinder profile pictures. Police tracked the fictitious email account he used on the profile and his burner phone number to the case
Heuermann’s arrest came after a decade-long manhunt for the infamous ‘Gilgo Beach serial killer’, with cops admitting Friday they acted due to fears that he might strike again.
He has been charged with the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, who disappeared in 2009, as well as Megan Waterman and Amber Costello.
Despite having the alleged killer in custody, Lynn Barthelemy said it is little comfort because of the heartbreak her family has endured for 14 years.
‘Our family has suffered every day,’ she said. ‘I’d like him to suffer at the hands of other inmates.’
Following Melissa’s slaying, the killer made taunting phone calls to her family where he would mock her death and describe sexually assaulting and murdering her.
But the psychopathic move may have led investigators to the murderer, as they were able to trace the calls to a midtown Manhattan location near Heuermann’s old office.
‘I always knew that the phone calls were going to be key,’ added Barthelemy.
Heuermann pleaded not guilty to the killings following his arrest.
Barthelemy said she hopes Heuermann ‘suffers’ because her family has suffered ‘every day’
The sister of Shannan Gilbert (pictured) said they were ‘overwhelmed’ by the news her killer may have been caught after over a decade. She went missing in May 2010 and her remains were found in December 2011. Heuermann has not been charged with her murder
Up to 11 sets of remains were found on or near Gilgo Beach, and although Heuermann has only been charged with three murders, the families of those found believe their killer may have also been finally caught.
Sherre Gilbert, the sister of Shannan Gilbert, whose decomposed remains were found in December 2011, said she was ‘overwhelmed’ by the news.
‘It’s been a long time coming and I never gave up hope that one day justice would be served,’ she said in a statement to NBC News.
‘The Suspect deserves to rot in prison for the rest of his life,’ she continued.
‘He destroyed many lives so while it won’t bring our loved ones back, it does help that one less monster is off the streets and he can’t ever hurt anyone else.’
John Ray, an attorney for the families of Shannan Gilbert and another victim, Jessica Taylor, said he hoped the arrest means ‘the dam has broken’.
Although he said the arrest brings a ‘sigh of relief’, he said he believes that Heuermann is not responsible for all 11 murders and there is ‘undoubtedly’ another suspect.
A map showing where the victims remains were located along the barren stretch of Ocean Beach Parkway in Gilgo Beach, located on the South Shore of Long Island
Heuermann was arrested after a decades-long hunt for the infamous Gilgo Beach serial killer. He has pleaded not guilty
Prosecutors allege other evidence tying Heuermann to the murders includes:
- His wife’s DNA was found on three of the victims’ bodies
- One of his own hairs was found on one of the victims’ bodies
- Calls made from a burner phone to the victims were traced to his office
- A call made to one of the victims’ sisters after she died was traced to his office
- His Tinder profile with photos of him was linked to the burner phone number
- His personal phones always pinged in the same areas as the suspect burners
- His Chevrolet pick-up truck matched the suspect vehicle spotted by a witness
- He matches the physical description of ‘ogre’ like man seen with one victim
- Heuermann conducted graphic searches for child porn and sexual torture
- He also searched Google for updates on the case, searching ‘why could law enforcement not trace the calls made by the long island serial killer’
The arrest came as investigators admitted they swooped in on Heuermann due to fears he could kill again.
The alleged serial killer had been tailed since last year, and cops had been planning on continuing the operation to build their case.
However, they decided to swoop in and make the arrest in the interest of ‘public safety,’ Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney told reporters.
Tierney cited a number of red flags, saying that Heuermann ‘continued to patronize sex workers,’ was using false IDs and burner phones, and had permits for an astonishing 92 firearms.
‘Which of course made us very nervous,’ said Tierney, who has led a secret investigative task force focused on Heuermann since the spring of 2022.
Prosecutors say a trove of evidence connects him to the murders, including DNA recovered from a pizza crust Heuermann tossed out that matched genetic material found on the women’s remains.
He has denied the crimes he faces, and is due back in court August 1.
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk