Rex Heuermann appears with his lawyer Michael J. Brown, left, at Suffolk County Court in Riverhead, N.Y., on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023. Heuermann was charged last month in the deaths of three women and is the prime suspect in a fourth. (James Carbone /Newsday via AP)
OAN’s Abril Elfi
3:00 PM – Wednesday, October 4, 2023
New court filings revealed that the main suspect in connection to the Gilgo Beach murders allegedly owned over 50 illegal handguns and assault firearms.
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Assistant Suffolk County District Attorney Lawrence Opisso said in a filing on Tuesday that the accused Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann’s massive collection of weapons included more than 50 illegal handguns and assault rifles.
“Several of the firearms were apparently illegally possessed,” he said. “For example … at least 26 unregistered handguns, 15 unregistered assault weapons and 10 high-capacity magazines appear to have been possessed in the defendant’s home in violation of [state firearms laws].”
According to press reports, the 59-year-old suspect tried to recover roughly 300 firearms from his Massapequa Park residence from being turned over to Nassau County detectives looking into unrelated charges.
Heuermann claimed that he wanted to seize the guns so that he could sell them and use the money to help support his family.
After his arrest in connection to the murders was made earlier this year, the weapons were found at Heuermann’s home during the investigation by officials in Suffolk County. Tuesday’s court petition was reportedlly the first public acknowledgment of an investigation in Nassau County.
Sabato Caponi, Heuermann’s defense counsel, stated that the confiscated stockpile contains “magazines, cases, attachments, ammunition, bullet fragments, and shell casings.”
However, he argued in court filings that the court should only transfer the guns if Nassau County asks for them or has a current lawsuit involving the weapons.
The alleged killer has been charged with three counts of murder in connection to the killings of Melissa Barthelemy, 24, Megan Waterman, 22, and Amber Lynn Costello, 27. Heuermann has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Prosecutors have previously said that he is also a prime suspect in the disappearance of a fourth woman, 25-year-old Maureen Brainard-Barnes, who disappeared in 2007.
The former architect has been in custody since July 13th and his next court appearance is scheduled for November 15th.
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