Riverhead, New York — Rex Heuermann, 62, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on June 17, 2026, in Suffolk County Court for the murders of eight women linked to the notorious Gilgo Beach serial killings.

Suffolk County Court Judge Timothy Mazzei handed down the sentence following emotional statements from the victims’ families. Heuermann had pleaded guilty on April 8, 2026, to the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Lynn Costello, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor, Valerie Mack, and Sandra Costilla. He also admitted responsibility for the 1996 killing of Karen Vergata as part of the plea agreement.

The killings spanned from 1993 to 2010. Heuermann admitted to strangling the victims, whose remains were discovered along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach and at other locations in Suffolk and Nassau counties.

The decades-long investigation gained momentum after a multi-agency task force used advanced forensic techniques, including DNA analysis, cellphone records, vehicle evidence, and witness testimony. Heuermann was linked to the crimes through a dark green Chevrolet Avalanche he owned and burner phones used to contact victims. He was arrested in July 2023.

During the sentencing hearing, family members of the victims shared the profound and lasting pain caused by the murders. Heuermann made a brief statement in court accepting responsibility for his actions.

The sentencing brings a formal end to one of Long Island’s most infamous criminal cases, though the pain for the victims’ families remains enduring.

Sources include the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, court records, and major news agencies.