# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/21 "2023-07-18T14:20:15Z")
I’d be more convinced if they find DNA or other physical evidence. The cell phone records are compelling and justify a arrest. Let’s see what else is found. They’re searching every inch of the guy’s house. Maybe he kept trophy items from the victims. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/22 "2023-07-18T15:13:49Z")
There’s what the words technically mean and how they are used. Technically, any one who exchanges certain sexual acts for something of value on a per transaction basis\* is a prostitute. Technically , an an escort isn’t selling sex. They are selling their time and companionship so technically they aren’t sex workers. Plenty of escorts are in fact prostitutes but not all - some of them provide more of a “girlfriend” experience and sex is neither guaranteed nor off the table. As far as how they are used - prostitute usually refers to a particular type of sex worker , the type who finds customers on the street or who works in a brothel. Escort might refer to the “aren’t really selling sex” people or to the people who really are selling sex - but the common factor is that they advertise book appointments etc. \* This is to leave out the many ways in which sex can be exchanged for something of value not on a per transaction basis, which is generally neither considered illegal nor prostitution. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/23 "2023-07-18T16:16:50Z")
Do you all think Shannan Gilbert, the woman whose disappearance led to finding the first victims, was herself a victim of the LISK? I don’t. I tend to think it was a lucky coincidence. I do think now the authorities are trying to tie every unsolved murder to their suspect. It’s a lazy way to close unsolved cases. ---
**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 19, 2023, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/24 "2023-07-19T23:40:58Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > 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. At one point in time my hubs could have - I worked in Cheshire CT and lived in Canterbury CT, a 75 mile one way per day commute m-f with an occasional saturday or sunday depending on work load. He could have easily pulled a belated E4 mafia sham and snuck out and used his spare key on my car to get my phone out [couldn’t have it inside the building so everybodys phones were in their cars] > [@LSLGuy](#): > > Lots of big businesses have very deliberate records retention rules. I know, one of my temp gigs was doing data capture for a large law firm doing supreme court level lawsuits - Weyrehauser siding was one, Grand Distilleries had a merger that was fun to work on as well. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2023, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/25 "2023-07-20T00:57:08Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’d be more convinced if they find DNA or other physical evidence. > > The cell phone records are compelling and justify a arrest. > > Let’s see what else is found. They’re searching every inch of the guy’s house. Maybe he kept trophy items from the victims. There is DNA evidence. They already worked him up as a suspect and then got his DNA off of a pizza crust. ---
**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 20, 2023, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/26 "2023-07-20T12:23:40Z")
I always knew it was bad form not to eat all your crust, and now I know why. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2023, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/27 "2023-07-20T16:34:39Z")
If you don’t eat your crust it means you’re a psychopath. Here’s the proof. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2023, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/28 "2023-07-20T23:50:31Z")
He was noshing on pizza when the women were raped and killed? I can see how the pizza crust would retain saliva. It’s strange the guy ate while involved in a crime. I guess he could be a slob that threw trash out of his car near the crime scene. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/29 "2023-07-21T00:01:37Z")
No . The police already suspected him and while he was under surveillance he threw a pizza box in the trash. The box had a piece of uneaten crust from which his DNA was recovered. And it matched DNA of a hair found on one of the bodies. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/30 "2023-07-21T00:13:03Z")
@doreen thank you. Hairs are great evidence for detectives. ---
**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 21, 2023, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/31 "2023-07-21T01:08:32Z")
Hence the importance as I suggested of eating all your pizza crusts. Do not leave stray saliva-DNA around for nosy detectives to find. As to the rest of your objections, I could totally see a cold-blooded psychopathic whackjob finishing torturing his latest victim then enjoying a nice take-out pizza or whatever while she breathes her last. Sickos gonna sicko. ---
**Author:** ![Digger11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@Digger11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digger11)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/32 "2023-07-22T13:55:17Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > 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. Only CNN knows for sure what they mean by that. However, “sex worker” is often (but not always) used to mean anybody whose job is inherently sexual in nature, such as strippers. ---
**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 24, 2023, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/33 "2023-07-24T17:41:56Z")
> [@Digger11](#): > > Only CNN knows for sure what they mean by that. However, “sex worker” is often (but not always) used to mean anybody whose job is inherently sexual in nature, such as strippers. I know that “sex worker” can include strippers & nude/centerfold models. However, I’m assuming if I contacted a “stripper” on Craigslist to come to my home/hotel room there would be more than just her taking off her clothes while dancing to a song or two & therefore, what the difference was as CNN stated it. ---
**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 24, 2023, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/34 "2023-07-24T19:34:40Z")
The latest reports are that detectives found a “soundproof” room in this guy’s basement. Maybe he was an audiophile, but I suspect something more sinister. They’ll be checking the crawlspace next, I expect. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2023, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/35 "2023-07-24T20:03:33Z")
> [@Steven\_Maven](#): > > The descriptions of Heuermann’s accomplishments were remarkably vague. Is it possible that the article was written by an AI Chat Bot? [Previous thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/news-aggregation-site-lionizes-serial-killer/987070) commenting on this oddness. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2023, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/36 "2023-07-24T22:37:46Z")
Oh, great. This should be interesting, and not in a good way. ---
**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:** [January 16, 2024, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/37 "2024-01-16T16:38:04Z")
> **[Suspect in Long Island’s Gilgo Beach serial killings is charged with the...](https://apnews.com/article/gilgo-beach-long-island-killings-rex-heuermann-40366d420e743a29418ead5576019d61)** > > A New York architect charged in a string of slayings known as the Gilgo Beach killings has been accused in the death of a fourth woman. Surely he didn’t stop at four? ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2024, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/38 "2024-01-16T16:48:29Z")
Quite possibly not, but there may well be no way to tie him to other killings unless he decides to confess to them. ---
**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:** [January 16, 2024, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/39 "2024-01-16T17:00:50Z")
If you want to see all the details see this legal document: > **[LISK/Rex Heuermann Application FINAL (1) | PDF | Dna Profiling | Forensic...](https://www.scribd.com/document/699319868/LISK-Rex-Heuermann-Application-FINAL-1)** > > LISK/Rex Heuermann ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046/40 "2024-06-06T15:30:31Z")
He’s been charged with two more murders, The accusations now go all the way back to 1993. > **[Gilgo Beach suspect Rex Heuermann charged in 2 more murders, alleged crimes...](https://abcnews.go.com/US/gilgo-beach-suspect-rex-heuermann-linked-2-additional/story?id=106958647)** > > Gilgo Beach suspect Rex Heuermann has been charged with two additional murders and is now accused of killing six women dating as far back as 1993. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/architect-59-arrested-as-prime-suspect-in-long-island-serial-killings/987046.md?page=3)