LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK: Rex Heuermann is currently facing charges of killing three women, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Lynn Costello. Their bodies were discovered wrapped in burlap near Gilgo Beach on Long Island's South Shore in December 2010, giving the case the name, Gilgo Beach murders. In addition to these victims, Maureen Brainard-Barnes was found in a similar location as the other victims, known together as the "Gilgo Four."
Heuermann appeared in court on Friday, July 14, in handcuffs and pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder, however, the bail application from the Suffolk County District Attorney's office identifies Heuermann as the prime suspect in the murder of the "Gilgo Four." Barthelemy's was the first body to be found on December 11, 2010, along Ocean Parkway, which caused widespread concern about a killer roaming free in the area.
Who was Melissa Barthelemy?
Melissa Barthelemy was a 24-year-old woman who worked as a sex worker. She lived in a basement apartment at 1149 Underhill Avenue in the Unionport section of The Bronx, where she was last seen on July 12, 2009. Barthelemy was known to use the aliases "Chloe" and "VerySexyChloe" in her online advertisements on platforms like Adult Friend Finder. She had tattoos of the words "Blaze" and "Focus" on her back, along with a few letters on her chest. Barthelemy, who was 4 feet 10 inches tall, usually met clients at various locations on the West Side of Manhattan, including bars, restaurants, and hotels.
When did Melissa Barthelemy go missing?
Barthelemy informed a friend that she was going to meet a man and would return the following morning on July 12, 2009. Although her friend was aware of her involvement in sex work, Barthelemy did not provide any further details. Phone records indicated that she traveled from The Bronx to Manhattan, likely by taxi. Concerns arose when her mother didn't hear from her daughter for a few days. Consequently, she reported her daughter missing to the NYPD on July 18, 2009. The investigation revealed cellphone activity in Manhattan, Freeport, Massapequa, and Lindenhurst. Motels in and around these areas were scrutinized during the search.
Following Barthelemy's disappearance, her younger sister received a series of unsettling phone calls from someone using Barthelemy's phone. These calls believed to be made by the killer, originated from the vicinity of the Port Authority Bus Terminal on Eighth Avenue and near Penn Station. Law enforcement thoroughly canvassed these areas immediately after the calls, but due to the high volume of pedestrian and vehicle traffic, no substantial leads were generated at the time.
When was Melissa Barthelemy's body found?
Barthelemy's body was discovered on December 11, 2010, on the north side of Ocean Parkway, close to Gilgo Beach. Her death is supposed to have been caused by strangulation, similar to the other victims. Although she was the first one to be found, investigators believe she was the second among the "Gilgo Four" to be killed.
