Rex Heuermann, a 61-year-old New York architect, now faces charges for a seventh murder tied to the notorious Gilgo Beach killings on Long Island.
Authorities charged Heuermann on Tuesday in connection with the death of a woman named Valerie Mack. According to ABC News, 24-year-old Valerie Mack was a Philadelphia escort and s*x worker, last seen in New Jersey in 2000.
According to ABC 6 Action News, Valerie Mack, born "Valerie Kyn Fulton" in Atlantic City, entered foster care at a young age, eventually being adopted by the Mack family, according to court documents. By 1994, she was living in Wildwood, New Jersey, with her father’s son and traveling frequently between New Jersey and Philadelphia.
Valerie Mack was identified through DNA evidence, and investigators linked Rex Heuermann to her murder earlier this year.
A device uncovered in his Long Island home reportedly contained detailed records related to the serial killings. Rex Heuermann appeared in court on Tuesday, maintaining his plea of not guilty to all charges.
How did authorities identify Valerie Mack, allegedly the 7th victim of Rex Heuermann?
Valerie Mack's remains were first discovered on November 19, 2000, when a hunter's dog led authorities to a black plastic bag in a wooded area of Manorville, New York. The bag, sealed with duct tape, contained additional bags holding Mack's dismembered body, including her decapitated torso and severed limbs bound with rope. Her hands and part of her right leg were missing above the wrists and mid-calf, respectively.
More than a decade later, in April 2011, the rest of Mack's remains were found along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach. For years, the remains were labeled 'Jane Doe #6' as authorities worked to identify the victim. In May 2020, investigators finally identified her as Valerie Mack through DNA analysis.
According to ABCNews, authorities linked Rex Heuermann to Mack’s murder through mitochondrial DNA analysis. A hair found on Mack’s remains matched the DNA profiles of Heuermann's wife and daughter. At the time of Mack's death, Heuermann’s daughter was only three or four years old.
Additional evidence emerged from Heuermann's collection of violent and graphic pornography, which included imagery of breast mutilation and rope bondage—paralleling injuries found on Mack and how her body was bound. This collection, dating back to at least 1994, was uncovered among the 350 electronic devices seized from Heuermann. Prosecutors argue that this evidence supports claims of his involvement in Mack’s murder and the transportation of her remains.
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According to BBC News, authorities report discovering DNA evidence and a meticulously organized "blueprint" for the crimes on his computer.
Among the files, investigators found a document with specific labels for categories like "problems," "supplies," "pre-prep," "prep," and "post-event." The document contained references to elements such as "DNA," "tire tracks," and "blood stains."
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