# Architect, 59, arrested as prime suspect in Long Island serial killings **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 14, 2023, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046 "2023-07-14T23:06:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/1 "2023-07-14T23:06:36Z")
I didn’t see a thread here, and to me, it’s a big enough story, it belongs here. This was a story that a lot of people really didn’t think would ever be solved (and not all of the deaths are believed to have been done by the LISK). > **[Gilgo Beach murders: Suspect in Long Island serial killings in custody,...](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/gilgo-beach-murders-suspected-long-island-serial-killer-custody-offici-rcna94228)** > > Police arrested architect Rex Heuermann, 59, Thursday night at his office in Manhattan. So far, he’s been connected to three of them. This may put a lengthy and tragic story to rest, at long last. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/2 "2023-07-14T23:42:52Z")
Background for those of us who have zero idea about the case in the OP. > **[Long Island serial killer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Island_serial_killer)** > > The Long Island serial killer (also referred to as LISK, the Gilgo Beach Killer, the Manorville Butcher, and the Craigslist Ripper) is a suspected serial killer who is believed to have murdered between 10 and 18 people over a period of nearly 16 years, and to have disposed of their bodies in areas on the South Shore of Long Island, New York, United States. Most of the known victims were sex workers who advertised on Craigslist. > The victims' remains were found over a period of months in 2010 a... ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2023, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/3 "2023-07-15T03:51:05Z")
TL : DR - Not all of the bodies are believed to be the result of LISK, whoever he may be. The Asian man and the still-unidentified child are not. However, authorities just don’t know for sure. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/4 "2023-07-16T13:25:10Z")
In a document made to object to bail, the prosecution has listed a significant amount of evidence (much having to do with cell phone records): > **[full.pdf](https://int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/lti-bail-application-form-2023-7-14-23-final-1-redacted-1/6ffd72d59b87aa51/full.pdf)** > > 9.14 MB ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/5 "2023-07-16T16:09:37Z")
They (supposedly) didn’t know who this guy was until recently; even if they were onto him for a year his wife made these trips 13 years ago > [@People's bail form](#): > > **Based upon cellular telephone billing records , on June 4 , 2010 , the cellular telephone** > **subscribed to by Defendant Heuermann’s wife traveled from New York to Maryland**. On June 8 , > 2010 , the cellular telephone subscribed to by Defendant Heuermann’s wife returned to New York > from Maryland . Consequently , based upon cellular telephone records , the cellular telephone > subscribed to by Defendant Heuermann’s wife was out of New York State during the time of > Megan Waterman’s disappearance . > **Based upon cellular telephone billing records , on August 28 , 2010 , the cellular telephone** > **subscribed to by Defendant Heuermann’s wife traveled from New York to New Jersey . On** > **September 5 , 2010** , the cellular telephone subscribed to by his wife returned to New York from > New Jersey Consequently , the cellular telephone subscribed to by Defendant Heuermann’s wife > was out of New York State during the time of Amber Costello’s disappearance.³ Do cell companies really keep records for that long? Financial records only need to be kept for seven years & I’d think cell phone shouldn’t keep records for any longer than that, if that long. Does this indicate that they had looked into him many years ago & still had all that info in evidence? ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/6 "2023-07-16T16:24:14Z")
Anything held on a computer [cloud? Whatever] has almost no physical size, and no reason not to keep it [heck, I still have random hard drives removed from during the replacement of computers of previous use past] I checked, and I have a ton of data lurking that I haven’t used or looked at in a decade. I have a total of 5 active email accounts and an additional 4 [on one of my email accounts, they are ‘throw away’ email accounts, when I don’t want to use one, I delete it and another one is autogenerated for me. Honestly? If I wanted to fake my being somewhere like that, I could chuck my cellphone while still turned ‘on’ so it would ping towers into some long haul truckers cab if I could be certain of getting access to get it back [find a neighbor who might be doing a driving vacation? Anything to get that phone on a road trip past non-home towers =)] ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/7 "2023-07-16T19:13:18Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Honestly? If I wanted to fake my being somewhere like that, I could chuck my cellphone while still turned ‘on’ so it would ping towers into some long haul truckers cab if I could be certain of getting access to get it back [find a neighbor who might be doing a driving vacation? Anything to get that phone on a road trip past non-home towers =)] That doesn’t work for your wife’s phone. You’d need to see how often she traveled but, unless she’s gone the vast majority of the time, it would be difficult for her to be out of the town on exactly the right days to be absent for 18 murders. You’d need some concrete numbers but the statistics (I sense) are likely to land pretty close to a slam dunk. It’s better to not rely on that alone, but add in any other reasonable evidence and you can probably safely convict the guy. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/8 "2023-07-16T19:25:38Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Anything held on a computer [cloud? Whatever] has almost no physical size, and no reason not to keep i Lots of big businesses have very deliberate records retention rules. In many cases stuff is kept as long as required and not longer. From a businesses’ POV there is positive value to destroying stuff as soon as they can; once gone it can’t come back to bite them. It prevents expensive opposition lawyers forcing trawls through everything and anything looking for anything that can be spun as leaning towards guilt at something. The PC as infinite packrat closet is a consumer move (I’m guilty too) not a business move. Having said all that, cellphone records are definitely a kind of record that law enforcement would like mobile providers to keep forever. Do they? Are they required by some law to do so? I have no clue. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/9 "2023-07-16T20:05:43Z")
[Here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbQOcEs3aZg) is an interview with the suspect, recorded (I think) 1.5 years ago. He comes off as very normal. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/10 "2023-07-16T20:42:38Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > He comes off as very normal. Everybody seems normal, till you get to know them. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/11 "2023-07-16T22:33:03Z")
Yes, just ask the folks in Wichita who were terrorized by Dennis Rader. He was, among other things. president of his church congregation. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/12 "2023-07-16T22:39:15Z")
If he hadn’t gone to prison for that, he probably would have for using the church collection plate as his personal ATM. I never heard how much they were able to pin on him, but it did pale in comparison to what else he did. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/13 "2023-07-16T23:05:28Z")
John Gacy lived not too far from my hometown back in the day. Member of the Jaycees there, and managed two KFC restaurant franchises. He did get arrested on molestation or buggery charges while living there but he was fairly well connected or plugged in and somehow that was swept under the table. This was in the 1960s. Then he moved to Chicago and the rest, as they say, is history. Ted Bundy was said to be quite friendly and charismatic when he needed to be. He even manned the phones for a suicide hotline while attending school in Seattle. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/14 "2023-07-16T23:14:08Z")
Actually, Gacy’s molestation victim was the son of a local politician - AND his name was used in the media, which I’m sure led to his suicide in the 1990s. I recently read this book. Many of Gacy’s victims were achievers from stable families, but many, especially the earliest ones, were not. Some of them were gay themselves (one of them openly so at a time when that was almost unheard-of, especially for a teenager) and others weren’t gay but they were willing to do X, Y, or Z if they were paid. > **[Boys Enter the House: The Victims of John Wayne Gacy and the Lives They Left...](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/boys-enter-the-house-david-b-nelson/1138867411)** > > As investigators brought out the bagged remains of several dozen young men from a small Chicago ranch home and paraded them in front of a crowd of TV reporters and spectators, attention quickly turned to the owner of the house. John Gacy was an... ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/15 "2023-07-16T23:20:44Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Actually, Gacy’s molestation victim was the son of a local politician - AND his name was used in the media, which I’m sure led to his suicide in the 1990s. Gacy wasn’t sent to prison or anything like that, where he belonged is what I’m getting at. Who was the politician? I always wondered if our family ever crossed paths. We didn’t get a lot of fast foods in those days, but if Gacy ran two KFC franchises it wouldn’t have been unusual to run into him running the register or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/16 "2023-07-16T23:22:25Z")
The boy was the son and namesake of fellow Jaycee and Iowa state representative Donald Voorhees. Gacy was sentenced to something like 10 years, but got out in about 18 months due to good behavior. > **[Donald E. Voorhees](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_E._Voorhees)** > > Donald Edwin Voorhees (September 8, 1930 – May 16, 2001) was an American politician in the state of Iowa. > Voorhees was born in Winfield, Kansas. He attended St. Johns College in Winfield, Kansas and was a medical representative. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1967 to 1971 as a Republican. He died in 2001. > In August 1967, his 15-year-old son Donald E. Voorhees, Jr. was sexually abused by the future serial killer John Wayne Gacy, who was, like Don Sr., a member of the local J... ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/17 "2023-07-16T23:24:57Z")
OK, thanks. It’s all coming back to me now. ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/18 "2023-07-16T23:52:13Z")
The descriptions of Heuermann’s accomplishments were remarkably vague. Is it possible that the article was written by an AI Chat Bot? ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2023, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/19 "2023-07-17T01:42:01Z")
Smells like it, don’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/20 "2023-07-18T13:21:38Z")
> [@CNN](#): > > Three of the women – Costello, Waterman and Brainard-Barnes – worked as escorts and Barthelemy was a sex worker, according to police. All four women advertised their work on Craigslist. [CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/18/us/gilgo-beach-serial-killings-suspect-investigation-tuesday/) is making a distinction so I’m guessing there is one; anyone know what it is? If you asked me, a sex worker who advertised on Craigslist was an escort which is also synonymous with prostitute but they’re specifically calling one of them out with a different term. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046.md?page=2)