LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK: Melissa Moore, daughter of the "Happy Face Killer," flew from California to meet the Gilgo Beach murder suspect Rex Heuermann's wife, Asa Ellerup, on August 5 after the latter's attorney contacted her, as per The US Sun.
Ellerup is still hesitant to go out in public, according to Moore, who claimed, "People are staring at her everywhere she goes, which makes her concerned for her safety."
The unease persists even though it has been over a month since her husband was arrested in New York. Ellerup and her two adult children, Victoria and Christopher, returned to their home in Massapequa Park on Long Island in late July.
Based on the time they spent together, Moore said she was struck by Ellerup's compassion for others and claimed it's evident that she is still struggling to process the events that unfolded in a matter of days.
Happy Face Killer's daughter Melissa Moore opens up about Asa Ellerup's current state
"I asked Asa about the neighbors. She told me stories of how caring her neighbors have been through the years. One man down the street every winter clears snow for the block and how one lady just recently brought them gift cards," recounted Moore, according to The US Sun.
She added, "Then her face went into sorrow as she expressed how she cared that they too are being impacted. And he spoke about Christopher, and how he plays electric guitar. He was scheduled to play in a music function after the news broke."
"Asa, concerned for the other families being swarmed by reporters, pulled Christopher from the event. I found Asa to be compassionate and considerate," stated Moore, continuing, "There is no playbook for what you should do after hearing your husband or father is an alleged serial killer. It's truly one moment at a time. To eventually one day at a time."
"On top of this trauma is another battle – [Asa] has three different types of cancer. Truly this is now complex trauma, with wave after wave hitting her. There isn't an ending near too, as more is to come in the trial and her battle against cancer," said Moore, elaborating on Ellerup's struggles.
"What is making the most meaningful and positive impact is the support from her community [from] some shops closing so her son could get a haircut to her very engaged legal team," expressed Moore.
Why is Melissa Moore helping Asa Ellerup?
Mellisa Moore reportedly decided to help Asa Ellerup after seeing a photo of the latter looking defeated while talking to her son on their porch.
Moore, whose father, Keith Hunter Jesperson aka the "Happy Face Killer," was found guilty of killing eight women across different states in 1995, observed a striking resemblance in how Ellerup was coping with her husband's arrest to how Moore's own mother coped with Hunter's arrest.
"I witnessed a familiar facial expression from Asa. One my mother had often after my father's arrest. The look was one of pride for her children and fear – 'Are they going to be OK?'," explained Moore, as per The US Sun.
"There is no way the family knew of the double life Rex had," added Moore, along with, "I found them to be innocent bystanders to the allegations," to reiterate the sufferings of a family dealing with such a tragedy.
Moore was just a teenager when her father was arrested, and she recalls how the shocking revelation of his secret life and terrible crimes shattered her family, causing emotional turmoil for many years.
Now in her early 40s, Moore has spent the past twenty years supporting family members of serial killers. She helps them rebuild their lives and navigate the challenges of media attention and emotional struggles that arise right after an arrest.
Before their face-to-face meetup, Moore started a GoFundMe, which has already amassed over $52,000 out of its $100,000 goal, to help Ellerup and her children.
