Defense attorneys for accused Long Island serial killer Rex Heuermann want to block key DNA evidence from being considered in the case that stretches back decades.
The move prompted a delay in Heuermann's scheduled court proceedings. A Tuesday court date for Heuermann has now been pushed back to January 29 to give prosecutors an opportunity to file their response before a hearing is scheduled on the matter, Newsday reported.
Prosecutors allege that Heuermann is the "Gilgo Beach" serial killer, who murdered seven woman dating back to the 1990s, NBC 4 reported. Police discovered the bodies of four of the women in burlap sacks along Gilgo Beach's Ocean Parkway on Long Island in 2010, and Heuermann has been charged in three of those cases. Heuermann has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
After the four bodies were discovered, police began finding other remains along the stretch of road, including Valerie Mack who disappeared in 2000. Heuermann was charged in Mack's death in December of 2024, Patch.com reported.
Heuermann also is charged in the murder of Sandra Costilla, which dates back to 1993, NBC 4 reported. Costilla's body was found by some hunters in a wooded area of Southampton.
Initially, the New York architect was charged with three murders when he was first arrested in July 2023; that number has risen to seven. DNA is a key aspect of the evidence against Heuermann.
The case will involve a new type of DNA testing, not previously used in New York, Patch reported. The yet-to-be-scheduled hearing will determine the admissibility of the evidence that has been gathered based on that testing.
