Rex Heuermann, the admitted long islandserial killer tied to the murders of eight women over nearly two decades, has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
According to Fox News, a New York judge on Wednesday imposed the maximum punishment allowed under state law, handing Heuermann three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, followed by four additional consecutive sentences of 25 years to life.
Before the sentence was delivered, the 62-year-old addressed the court briefly and accepted responsibility for his crimes.
“I’m responsible,” Heuermann said. “The words I would say have no meaning.”
The statement did little to satisfy family members of the victims, some of whom demanded he say more. Judge Timothy Mazzei also challenged Heuermann directly before sentencing.
“I know that you’re sorry you got caught,” Mazzei said. “I assume you’re sorry for what you did to your wife and children… Are you at least a little bit sorry for what you did to these eight women?”
Heuermann nodded and replied that he was.
The judge responded with a blistering rebuke.
“You’re a disgusting and despicable small man, if you’re a man at all,” Mazzei said. “And you’re a coward.”
After imposing the sentence, Mazzei instructed court officers to remove Heuermann from the courtroom.
The case brought an end to one of the most notorious serial murder investigations in New York history. Heuermann pleaded guilty in April to seven killings and confessed to an eighth murder that had not been formally charged.
The victims were discovered in locations across long island between the early 1990s and 2010. Authorities said all eight women were strangled, and several of the victims had been dismembered. The victims included Sandra Costilla, Karen Vergata, Valerie Mack, Jessica Taylor, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello.
The murders became linked to the Gilgo Beach investigation, which gained national attention after the 2010 disappearance of Shannan Gilbert. While searching for Gilbert, investigators uncovered the remains of multiple victims along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach. Gilbert’s death was later ruled accidental.
The investigation remained unsolved for years before authorities identified Heuermann as a suspect in 2023. Prosecutors later revealed evidence that included DNA connections and computer files allegedly detailing methods to avoid detection, references to kill kits, and notes related to surveillance cameras.
Officials have repeatedly stated that Heuermann’s family was not involved in the crimes and was away from home during each of the killings.
Although Heuermann has now admitted responsibility for eight murders, investigators have said three other victims found in the Gilgo Beach area have not been linked to him.