NJ Man Sues Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Over Mom's Murder

LONG ISLAND, NY — Benjamin Torres was 6 years old when his mother disappeared. It wasn't until 2020 that he learned she had been killed, and four years later discovered Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann was responsible.

Now, Torres has filed a lawsuit against Heuermann and his family for torturing and dismembering his mother, Valerie Mack.

Mack, a native of Atlantic City, "had been brutally dismembered. She had been decapitated, both hands had been severed above the wrists, and her right leg had been cut off at approximately the mid-calf," the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit says that Torres was "deprived of his mother's care, guidance, protection, nurture, society, and economic support."

It seeks "recovery for the wrongful torture and murder of Valerie Mack, for the terror, restraint, pain, mutilation, and dismemberment inflicted upon her before and after death, for the concealment and mutilation of her remains, and for the profound and prolonged harm" Torres suffered, the lawsuit reads.

He also seeks damages, including money that Heuermann's former wife Asa Ellerup and daughter Victoria Heuermann may have made from participating in a Peacock documentary. The lawsuit argues that the duo "knew of, concealed, deliberately ignored, or consciously avoided learning of material facts concerning the assault, murder, dismemberment, concealment, and disposal of Valerie Mack."

Robert Macedonio, attorney for Ellerup and Victoria Heuermann, spoke to the Riverhead, NY Patch about the suit: "This is a reckless attempt by John Ray to keep himself relevant in a case where his only client Shannan Gilbert had no involvement with the Gilgo Beach homicides."

He added: "I am confident this matter will be dismissed. And I reiterate: Asa Ellerup and Victoria Heuermann have no involvement and or knowledge of the crimes Rex Heuermann has been accused of."

Mack's partial remains were discovered in black plastic bags on Nov. 19, 2000; however, her head, hands and right foot were not found.

Her skull, hands and right foot were discovered on or about April 4, 2011 in a separate location.

The separation of body parts hindered her identification for years, the suit reads.

The suit also referenced Heuermann's reported "planning document," that "included references to, among other things, "DS-1, Mill Rd," "Small is good," "Holding area," "Build Table," "Cross bar," "Hard point," "Package for transport," "Remove head and hands," "Remove ID Marks [Tatoos (sic))," "Distroy (sic) computer files," and "Have story set," the suit said.

"Those instructions and references correspond in striking ways to the condition and disposal of Valerie Mack's remains," the suit said.

The lawsuit also accuses Heuermann of "deliberate tortious infliction of conscious pain and suffering," "interference of right of sepulcher," "intentional infliction of extreme emotional distress" and more.

This article contains additional reporting by Lisa Finn.