'Nothing Is Done Until It's Done': DA Reflects On Possibility Of Accused Gilgo Beach Killer Pleading Guilty

LONG ISLAND, NY — Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney reflected Friday on the possibility of accused Gilgo Beach killer Rex Heuermann pleading guilty.

Rex Heuermann could plead guilty to the homicides of seven women, according to multiple outlets, including Newsday, which first reported the news Thursday.

Heuermann's attorney Michael Brown and Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney, who is prosecuting the case, did not return initial requests for comment.

But on Friday, at a press conference on another issue, Tierney, who is prosecuting the Gilgo case, was asked by the media if he could comment on the possible guilty plea.

"No," Tierney said.

He added: "I don’t have access to defendants. They are represented by counsel, so whatever discussions are being held between counsel and the defendant, I don’t have access to those discussions."

Tierney said he has prosecuted scores of cases. "The decision to go to trial or to take a plea or not, is the constitutional, protected right of each defendant, who works with the advice of counsel. We don't get involved with that."

Other cases, Tierney said, "don't receive the scrutiny this case receives."

But across the board, he said: "We show up every day, do our work, and we see what happens. Nothing is done until it's done. We wait."

Unlike when he is working with a grand jury and has control over an indictment, Tierney said, of a potential plea deal: "We don't have the same access in this case. It's not my decision, and I'm not party to that decision. But there's a presumption of innocence and a right to trial, and we respect those things. We'll just have to wait and see."

Heuermann is is next expected in court of April 8, Tierney said. "We’ll see what happens on April 8, I guess."

When asked if, after all the years of work by the prosecution, he would be "disappointed" by a guilty plea, Tierney said: "I wouldn’t be disappointed either way. This is the business — this is what we do. Every single case, you have to do the best you can, get your ducks lined up in a row. It’s hard oftentimes for people to understand."

He added: "When I first started doing this I would chase pleas. 'Are they going to plea?' You soon realize that the cases you think are going to plea, never do — and the cases you think won’t, do."

As for Heuermann, he said: "If it happens great. If it doesn’t great. We have to be ready to go. April 8 is fast approaching."

And, he concluded: "I can only do what I do. I know what my team does and I hold myself and my team to high standards. We’re going to leave it at that."

Heuermann was first arrested on July 13, 2023 in New York City and indicted the next day in Riverhead.

Heuermann has been charged in the deaths of seven women: In July 2023, Heuermann was indicted on three counts of first-degree murder charges and three counts of second-degree murder charges in the deaths of sex workers Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello, whose remains were found along Ocean Parkway in 2010.

Heuermann was also charged with the murder of a fourth woman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes. New DNA evidence helped connect Heuermann to all four of the deaths, said Tierney, who is prosecuting the case.

In June of last year, Heuermann was slapped with new second-degree murder charges in the deaths of two additional women, Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costilla. In December, Heuermann was charged with the death of a seventh victim, Valerie Mack.

A total of 11 sets of remains were found in the Gilgo Beach murders, which rocked Long Island. The remains included that of a toddler and an Asian male.

Heuermann had previously pleaded not guilty to all charges.

If he pleads guilty, sentencing will be at a later date, Newsday said.