Asa Ellerup broke her silence on Friday after husband Rex Heuermann was charged with a series of murders in New York.
Heuermann was arrested earlier this month when a combination of DNA evidence, cellphone tower data and witness descriptions made him the prime suspect in at least three of the many Long Island murders known as the Gilgo Beach murders.
In a press releaseEllerup said she was speaking “on behalf of my family and particularly my elderly neighbors whose lives have also been turned upside down by the massive police presence, as well as bystanders and news crews.”
“You deserve to live peacefully; They should be able to walk their dogs and go to grocery stores without cameras being put in their faces,” she continued. “I’m asking you all to give us space so that we can regain some normalcy in our neighborhood.”
Ellerup was sighted She stood outside her home on Friday after a week-long search by authorities who suspected her husband was keeping “trophies” of his alleged crimes. Heuermann, 59, worked as an architect in Manhattan – until more and more evidence accumulated to his arrest.
The father of two is accused of killing Megan Waterman, 22, Melissa Barthelemy, 24, and Amber Costello, 27. He is also a suspect in the death of 25-year-old Maureen Brainard-Barnes but has not yet been charged with the killing, according to the police. All four were found buried on Gilgo Beach over a decade ago.
The remains of the young victims, identified as online sex workers, were among the remains of at least ten people unearthed in the sandy section of Ocean Parkway. The string of unsolved murders eventually led to one best-selling book And Netflix movie 2020.
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Less than a week after Heuermann was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder, Ellerup filed for divorce. Bob Macedonio, her attorney, said Friday that the family is “living through a profound and unspeakable catastrophe.”
Macedonia previously told Fox News that for the family after the shocking allegations “everything is still a whirlwind”.
“They were at home and the police came in and they were taken by surprise and told them what was going on,” he said. “Her life and that of her children has been completely turned upside down.”
According to investigators, Heuermann used “Brenner” cell phones to contact his victims and lure them to their deaths under the guise of potential sex work. Authorities too assert that Heuermann conducted hundreds of online searches related to material related to rape, torture and child sexual abuse.
Heuermann has pleaded not guilty on all charges and is on suicide watch at the Suffolk County Correctional Facility. Errol Toulon, the county sheriff, said WABC in New York that when he visited Heuermann behind bars he showed “no emotions”.
Heuermann’s next court appearance is scheduled for August.
Do you need help? Visit RAINN’s National Online Sexual Assault Hotline or the National Sexual Violence Resource Center website.
