LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK: In the wake of Rex Heuermann's arrest in connection to the notorious Gilgo Beach murders, the Long Island village is planning to buy his property where large crowds of gawkers and reporters were present after he was taken into custody on July 13. The rise in the number of people who went to the suspect's Massapequa Park home has led to concerns among neighbors about their safety and quality of life.
Addressing the fear among the residents, village mayor Daniel Pearl and Nassau County police commissioner Patrick Ryder explained the issue at a community meeting held on Monday, July 24. "They have a lot of concerns in terms of quality of life, their safety, and their property," said Pearl, according to New York Post.
Why is village government buying Rex Heuermann's home?
According to the mayor, the village government plans to purchase the home on First Avenue where the accused murderer lived for almost 30 years. "Legally, we’re getting everything lined up so the village is prepared to move forward when the time comes," the mayor said. In 1994, Heuermann bought the ramshackle single-family home built in 1956 for $170,000. Pearl stated that the property will be guarded by police and will be under 24 hours surveillance.
The six-room house which has one fireplace and a basement occupies 1,323 square feet of space. As per the real estate site Zillow.com, the residence currently has an estimated price of around $635,000. Nassau County Police Detective Lt Richard LeBrun said that at present, police will be working to keep the gawkers away from the area as they will continue to station around Heuermann's property "for the foreseeable future." Massapequa Park will also be installing No Stopping, No Standing, and No Parking signs.
Did Heuermann allegedly murder his victims at his residence?
Investigators ended their search of Heuermann's home on Tuesday, July 25. However, it remains unclear whether the New York-based architect allegedly murdered the women inside his home and police did not find any human remains after they dug up Heuermann's yeard. Ray Tierney, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney told reporters that "the evidence doesn’t point one way or the other." Investigators found 279 weapons and a huge walk-in vault in the basement.
The 59-year-old has pleaded not guilty to murdering Megan Waterman, Amber Lynn Costello, and Melissa Barthelemy, all of whose bodies were discovered in December 2010 on Gilgo Beach. Heuermann is also considered the main suspect in the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes.
