The first of several hearings over the scientific validity of DNA evidence linking the hairs found at six of the crime scenes involving accused Gilgo Beach killer Rex Heuermann took place on Friday, March 28, at the Arthur Cromarty Court Complex in Riverhead.
Heuermann attended the hearing, overseen by State Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei. The courtroom was packed with police and members of the media among others. Heurmann’s estranged wife, Asa Ellerup, and his daughter, Victoria Heuermann, were also in attendance.
The focus of the hearing was genome sequencing, which determines the complete DNA sequence of an organism or cell type, revealing its genetic makeup and potential variations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Traditional DNA sequencing looks at 15 to 24 points of comparison, while whole genome sequencing looks at 100,000 or more points and the methodology yields only one possible donor.
Both sides are expected to call witnesses and the hearing is expected to take a few months. The first witness called by the prosecution was Kelley Harris, an associate professor of genome sciences at the University of Washington since January 2018.
Harris presented a PowerPoint about the statistics surrounding the testing process on hairs. Court documents said hairs found near the victim's wrists were linked to his estranged wife and his daughter, to the exclusion of 99.65% of the North American population, when Heuermann was charged with a seventh murder last December.
His wife and daughter, who would have been a young child at the time, have not been accused of any wrongdoing in the case.
Supporters of the practice argue that it provides a comprehensive view of an individual's genetic makeup, aiding in the identification of disease-causing variants, personalized medicine, and understanding human evolution and ancestry.
Critics of the method have pointed to ethical concerns like privacy and potential discrimination, technical limitations in data analysis and interpretation, and the difficulty in determining the clinical relevance of many findings.
Heuermann's attorneys have challenged the process, which has never been used before in a New York court of law. They have questioned the legitimacy and efficacy of the process, while the prosecution has remained steadfast on the practices common use throughout forensic science.
He lived with his wife and two children in Massapequa Park and worked in a Manhattan architecture office. Heuermann was first arrested in connection with the killings in July 2023. The district attorney's office said DNA from a discarded pizza box linked him to hair from one of the victims after his arrest.
Heuermann now stands charged with the murders of seven people in total: Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman, Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla, and Valerie Mack. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Friday’s hearing comes after he and his wife finalized their divorce settlement this week, according to her attorney Robert Macedonio, who confirmed the news outside of the courtroom.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney has pushed for one trial instead of seven, saying that it would save money. Heuermann’s attorneys have argued that separating the charges is what's fair for their client.
This is a developing story.
