The Seventh Victim: Valerie Mack and the Shadow of Gilgo Beach
Long Island Serial Killer | The Trial Of Rex Heuermann17 Joulu 2024

The Seventh Victim: Valerie Mack and the Shadow of Gilgo Beach

It was the kind of headline that slices through the noise—a whisper that turns into a roar: Rex Heuermann has been charged with a seventh murder. Seven victims. Seven lives erased, but now, after 24 years, one of them—Valerie Mack—was speaking, at least through the cold, calculated evidence, and the weight of history was pressing in on a community that had waited far too long.

On a gray December morning in Riverhead, inside the sterile confines of a Long Island courthouse, Rex Heuermann stood before Judge Timothy Mazzei. The room itself seemed to hold its breath as he shuffled forward, his towering frame casting shadows over the courtroom floor. His face was an unmoving mask of indifference, though the tension in his rigid stance betrayed the cracks. The prosecutor’s words sliced through the air like razors: Valerie Mack, 24 years old, a Philadelphia woman who disappeared in 2000, her body dismembered and dumped in two separate locations—first in Manorville’s desolate woods, then, 11 years later, near the cursed stretch of Gilgo Beach. Two crime scenes, two decades apart, yet connected by the macabre calling card of a man prosecutors now call a “meticulous predator.”

Her case had gone cold, one of hundreds boxed away in a police department overwhelmed by unsolved tragedies. Until now.

The Breakthrough

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney spoke with grim finality. This wasn’t speculation—this was DNA, hard science brought to life by advancements that didn’t exist in the year Mack vanished. “Justice delayed is not justice denied,” Tierney intoned, his voice reverberating through the chamber. The evidence that had once been incomplete—a cruel teaser of closure—had been rendered irrefutable. Yet when Judge Mazzei turned to Heuermann and asked for his plea, the response came swift, a hoarse defiance that echoed into the silence: “Your honor, I am not guilty of any of these charges.”

Bailiffs glanced nervously at the crowd, but no one made a move. How could they? For the families, the friends, and the community that had lived under the pall of these killings, the wounds weren’t just reopened—they were torn asunder. People who had endured years of unrelenting questions—“Why?” “Who?”—were now met with a man, flesh and blood, denying it all. And that denial stung as sharply as the crimes themselves.

Valerie Mack: A Forgotten Name Resurfaces

Valerie Mack, prosecutors stated, was more than just a headline. She had been someone’s daughter, someone’s friend. A young woman with dreams of stability and escape, dreams that ended somewhere between the harsh grit of Atlantic City’s streets and Long Island’s darkened woods. By 2000, Atlantic City had already become a graveyard for the desperate, where survival was not guaranteed, and trusting the wrong person could be fatal. Mack was swallowed by that darkness. Her torso appeared in Manorville, a remote and wooded area in Long Island where few passersby venture. Eleven years later, as investigators combed Gilgo Beach for more answers, the rest of Mack’s remains surfaced. The discovery confirmed what everyone already feared—this was not an isolated act. This was a pattern.

The Hard Drive and a Chilling Playbook

In the basement of Heuermann’s Massapequa home, investigators reportedly found documents that prosecutors describe as plans for the murders. A step-by-step blueprint that prosecutors now claim details the planning, the process, and the aftermath of his crimes. Documents included instructions detailing dismemberment and concealment of identifying features, which prosecutors argue demonstrate premeditation. Other notes outlined quiet execution—checking weather conditions and finding isolated “staging areas.”

The planning didn’t stop at the kill. It outlined a careful escape—“Change tires. Burn gloves. Dispose of pictures. Set an alibi.” Cold reminders to refine and perfect. Prosecutors described the documents as evidence of a methodical process that evolved over time, reflecting deliberate and calculated actions. Prosecutors stated that the documents included references to works by John Douglas, a former FBI profiler, as part of their evidence linking Heuermann's interest to serial killer psychology. This wasn’t idle reading, they said. This was practice.

The courtroom’s chill deepened with every revelation. You could feel the collective dread—a realization that this wasn’t the spontaneous savagery of a man who had lost control. This was someone whose control defined the act itself. Valerie Mack’s murder, according to prosecutors, fit perfectly into the grim framework.

Jessica Taylor and the Expanding Pattern

Jessica Taylor, another victim in this tragic case, was a 20-year-old sex worker who disappeared in 2003. Her torso was discovered in Manorville later that year, and subsequent searches uncovered additional remains near Gilgo Beach in 2011, connecting her case to the same haunting pattern. Prosecutors noted that her tattoo had been deliberately mutilated, likely to hinder identification. Her arms, her head—gone. And yet, years later, the expanded search of Gilgo Beach led to her skull and hands, further tying her story to Mack’s, and now, to Heuermann.

A Community Holds Its Breath

Outside the courthouse, the scene was tense. Reporters gathered with cameras rolling, while families of the victims arrived in hopes of hearing answers and progress in the case. There was no answer. Not yet.

For now, January 15 looms. Prosecutors will return with more evidence, more connections, more dots strung together. But for the families, answers won’t erase the hollow space left behind by those 10 victims. As Suffolk County braces for what comes next, Long Island watches—listening, waiting, and wondering if the shadow of Gilgo Beach might ever truly lift.
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Rex Heuermann: The Suburban Monster & the System That Looked Away | 2025 Year in Review

Rex Heuermann: The Suburban Monster & the System That Looked Away | 2025 Year in Review

As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, we’re revisiting one of the darkest and most complex cases in modern true crime — the alleged double life of Rex Heuermann, the accused Gilgo Beach serial killer who managed to live a picture-perfect suburban existence while allegedly committing unthinkable crimes. In this gripping two-part special, Tony Brueski and retired FBI Special Agent Robin Dreeke unravel how Heuermann allegedly concealed a predatory world behind the mask of a mild-mannered architect. Dreeke dissects the psychological mechanics of deception — how a man can manipulate his own family into overlooking chaos, maintain the illusion of normalcy, and exploit society’s indifference toward marginalized victims. How do you hide something this horrifying in plain sight? By preying on a culture that doesn’t look too closely. The conversation dives deep into the psychology of incremental abnormality — how small behavioral shifts go unnoticed until the monster is fully formed. From the quiet control of his household to the alleged targeting of sex trafficking victims society ignored, Dreeke exposes the chilling behavioral blueprint of a man who thrived in the shadows of neglect. Then, the focus turns to Suffolk County’s corruption problem — one that may have allowed this case to fester for over a decade. Enter James Burke, the disgraced former police chief whose own scandals — including beating a suspect over stolen porn and sex toys — helped derail the Gilgo investigation for years. With former DA Thomas Spota later indicted for obstruction and witness tampering, the question becomes unavoidable: Did law enforcement’s rot give a serial killer room to operate? The episode also examines Asa Ellerup’s new public comments following Netflix’s Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer. Heuermann’s ex-wife isn’t pushing conspiracy theories — but she’s asking questions. Could her husband be a fall guy for a broken system? With DNA evidence hinging on a controversial technique called whole genome sequencing, the courts now face a precedent-setting decision that could make or break the case. 🎙️ Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski — 2025 Year in Review: The Crimes, The Corruption, and The Psychology That Defined the Year. #RexHeuermann #GilgoBeachMurders #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #RobinDreeke #AsaEllerup #JamesBurke #SuffolkCounty #TrueCrimePodcast #Corruption #SerialKillerCase #YearInReview #JusticeForVictims #TrueCrimeToday Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

27 Marras 45min

Rex Heuermann Wasn’t The Lone Gilgo Beach Killer — How Many Are Still “Active”?

Rex Heuermann Wasn’t The Lone Gilgo Beach Killer — How Many Are Still “Active”?

Long Island wants to believe it caught the “one monster.” The lone predator. The man who stalked in silence until the handcuffs finally closed. But the truth is far more disturbing: Rex Heuermann didn’t operate in a vacuum. He operated in an ecosystem — one built on silence, vulnerability, and decades of ignored danger. And when you step back far enough, you start to see something bigger than one suspect. You see a pattern. A landscape. A coastline that became a dumping ground for the unnoticed and the unclaimed. In this episode of Hidden Killers, Tony Brueski breaks down why the myth of the “lone wolf” is not just false — it’s dangerous. Because Long Island doesn’t have one predator in its past. Authorities know this. Forensic analysts know this. Anyone who’s looked at the remains found along Ocean Parkway knows this. Different signatures. Different timelines. Different patterns. More than one offender. So how did so many cases slip through the cracks? How did so many victims disappear without triggering urgency? And how many killers learned they could hide in the same shadows Rex allegedly used? Tony dives into the long, uncomfortable history of missing women, unidentified remains, and the decades of law-enforcement fragmentation that made Long Island fertile ground for serial predators. This isn’t about sensationalism — it’s about confronting the reality of a system that allowed multiple offenders to thrive in plain sight. If you think the arrest of Rex Heuermann solved the problem, think again. The arrest solved one case. It didn’t close the chapter on the dozens of unsolved homicides that still haunt the island. Tonight, we pull back the curtain on the bigger truth — the truth officials don’t say out loud:  If one predator operated this long without detection, how many others walked the same shoreline? #HiddenKillers #RexHeuermann #LongIsland #TrueCrime #LISK #Investigation #ColdCases #CrimeAnalysis #Podcast #TonyBrueski Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

21 Marras 17min

Accused Gilgo Killer Rex Heuermann CLEARED in One Long Island Murder-WEEK IN REVIEW

Accused Gilgo Killer Rex Heuermann CLEARED in One Long Island Murder-WEEK IN REVIEW

In a stunning twist in the Gilgo Beach serial killer saga, accused murderer Rex Heuermann has officially been cleared in the 1994 strangulation death of Colleen McNamee, a Long Island sex worker long believed to be one of his potential victims. For years, McNamee’s name was quietly linked to the growing list of women found murdered across Suffolk County — a list that defined Heuermann as the face of one of the most disturbing serial murder cases in American history. But a new DNA analysis just ended that speculation for good. The Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that Heuermann’s genetic profile did not match the “Unknown Male A” found on McNamee’s remains. Instead, the DNA points back toward convicted killer John Bittrolff, a carpenter already serving 50 years to life for two nearly identical murders. Ironically, it was Bittrolff himself who pushed for the test — hoping it would shift blame to Heuermann. It did the opposite. This development doesn’t exonerate Heuermann from the seven brutal killings he’s charged with — victims Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Sandra Costilla, Jessica Taylor, and Valerie Mack. Their DNA trails, cell records, and forensic links remain strong. But it does sharpen the boundaries of truth: what’s proven, what’s not, and how modern forensic science continues to rewrite the Gilgo Beach narrative. In this episode, Tony Brueski breaks down the case that looked like it belonged to Rex Heuermann — and why it never did. From forensic breakthroughs to the psychology of blame, we explore how one killer tried to hide behind another, and how DNA once again cut through the myth to reveal the facts. #RexHeuermann #GilgoBeach #TrueCrime #ColleenMcNamee #DNAEvidence #JohnBittrolff #LongIslandMurders #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #TrueCrimeToday Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

16 Marras 16min

Accused Gilgo Killer Rex Heuermann CLEARED in One Long Island Murder

Accused Gilgo Killer Rex Heuermann CLEARED in One Long Island Murder

In a stunning twist in the Gilgo Beach serial killer saga, accused murderer Rex Heuermann has officially been cleared in the 1994 strangulation death of Colleen McNamee, a Long Island sex worker long believed to be one of his potential victims. For years, McNamee’s name was quietly linked to the growing list of women found murdered across Suffolk County — a list that defined Heuermann as the face of one of the most disturbing serial murder cases in American history. But a new DNA analysis just ended that speculation for good. The Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that Heuermann’s genetic profile did not match the “Unknown Male A” found on McNamee’s remains. Instead, the DNA points back toward convicted killer John Bittrolff, a carpenter already serving 50 years to life for two nearly identical murders. Ironically, it was Bittrolff himself who pushed for the test — hoping it would shift blame to Heuermann. It did the opposite. This development doesn’t exonerate Heuermann from the seven brutal killings he’s charged with — victims Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Sandra Costilla, Jessica Taylor, and Valerie Mack. Their DNA trails, cell records, and forensic links remain strong. But it does sharpen the boundaries of truth: what’s proven, what’s not, and how modern forensic science continues to rewrite the Gilgo Beach narrative. In this episode, Tony Brueski breaks down the case that looked like it belonged to Rex Heuermann — and why it never did. From forensic breakthroughs to the psychology of blame, we explore how one killer tried to hide behind another, and how DNA once again cut through the myth to reveal the facts. #RexHeuermann #GilgoBeach #TrueCrime #ColleenMcNamee #DNAEvidence #JohnBittrolff #LongIslandMurders #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #TrueCrimeToday Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

12 Marras 16min

Why the Rex Heuermann Trial Is STILL Delayed: Inside the Legal War Behind Gilgo Beach-WEEK IN REVIEW

Why the Rex Heuermann Trial Is STILL Delayed: Inside the Legal War Behind Gilgo Beach-WEEK IN REVIEW

The Gilgo Beach murders shocked the nation. The arrest of Rex Heuermann — the quiet Long Island architect accused of being a serial killer — was supposed to bring answers. Instead, it’s brought more questions. Two years later, there’s still no trial date. Why? Because behind the headlines, the justice system is waging a silent war. In this episode of Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski, we dig into the real reasons justice has stalled. Prosecutors are relying on cutting-edge DNA pulled from rootless hairs — a first for New York courts. Defense attorneys call it “junk science.” The judge allowed it, but that ruling unleashed months of follow-up litigation: new motions, new hearings, new expert reports. Every microscopic detail is being challenged to make sure the case can survive appeal. Then there’s the consolidation — seven murders, one trial. That decision means every chain of custody, every test, every autopsy from 1993 to 2010 has to hold up together. Add old phone records, outdated forensics, and a DA’s office desperate to restore its credibility, and you get one of the most complicated homicide prosecutions in modern history. This isn’t justice delayed. It’s justice under construction — a slow, grinding fight between science, law, and time itself. Tony Brueski breaks down the psychology, the strategy, and the human toll of a case that refuses to move fast. Why is the state taking its time? What’s happening behind the scenes? And what happens if the science fails? Watch now to understand why the waiting matters. #RexHeuermann #GilgoBeach #HiddenKillers #TrueCrime #DNAEvidence #JusticeDelayed #TonyBrueski #CrimePodcast #SerialKillerCase #ForensicScience Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

8 Marras 18min

Why the Rex Heuermann Trial Is STILL Delayed: Inside the Legal War Behind Gilgo Beach

Why the Rex Heuermann Trial Is STILL Delayed: Inside the Legal War Behind Gilgo Beach

The Gilgo Beach murders shocked the nation. The arrest of Rex Heuermann — the quiet Long Island architect accused of being a serial killer — was supposed to bring answers. Instead, it’s brought more questions. Two years later, there’s still no trial date. Why? Because behind the headlines, the justice system is waging a silent war. In this episode of Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski, we dig into the real reasons justice has stalled. Prosecutors are relying on cutting-edge DNA pulled from rootless hairs — a first for New York courts. Defense attorneys call it “junk science.” The judge allowed it, but that ruling unleashed months of follow-up litigation: new motions, new hearings, new expert reports. Every microscopic detail is being challenged to make sure the case can survive appeal. Then there’s the consolidation — seven murders, one trial. That decision means every chain of custody, every test, every autopsy from 1993 to 2010 has to hold up together. Add old phone records, outdated forensics, and a DA’s office desperate to restore its credibility, and you get one of the most complicated homicide prosecutions in modern history. This isn’t justice delayed. It’s justice under construction — a slow, grinding fight between science, law, and time itself. Tony Brueski breaks down the psychology, the strategy, and the human toll of a case that refuses to move fast. Why is the state taking its time? What’s happening behind the scenes? And what happens if the science fails? Watch now to understand why the waiting matters. #RexHeuermann #GilgoBeach #HiddenKillers #TrueCrime #DNAEvidence #JusticeDelayed #TonyBrueski #CrimePodcast #SerialKillerCase #ForensicScience Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

4 Marras 18min

Inside the Mind of Rex Heuermann: The Gilgo Beach Killer Psychology-WEEK IN REVIEW

Inside the Mind of Rex Heuermann: The Gilgo Beach Killer Psychology-WEEK IN REVIEW

He looked like the guy next door — an architect, a husband, a father.  But prosecutors say Rex Heuermann was also the man behind the Gilgo Beach murders, one of the most disturbing serial-killer cases in recent memory. In this psychological deep dive, Hidden Killers host Tony Brueski takes you inside the mind of control, exploring how a man can design blueprints by day and allegedly engineer horror by night. Through the lens of behavioral science, Tony examines compartmentalization, high-functioning psychopathy, and sadistic dominance — the traits that allow someone to live a double life so convincingly it fools everyone around them. From the soundproof basement to the meticulous planning, Heuermann’s world wasn’t chaos — it was choreography. This episode unpacks how his architecture mirrored his pathology and why the façade of normalcy is often the perfect camouflage for the worst kind of predator. Because monsters don’t always hide in the dark. Sometimes they wave from the driveway. #RexHeuermann #GilgoBeach #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #TrueCrimePodcast #SerialKillerPsychology #CriminalMind #FBIProfile #LongIslandMurders #BehavioralAnalysis Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

25 Loka 15min

Inside the Mind of Rex Heuermann: The Gilgo Beach Killer Psychology

Inside the Mind of Rex Heuermann: The Gilgo Beach Killer Psychology

He looked like the guy next door — an architect, a husband, a father.  But prosecutors say Rex Heuermann was also the man behind the Gilgo Beach murders, one of the most disturbing serial-killer cases in recent memory. In this psychological deep dive, Hidden Killers host Tony Brueski takes you inside the mind of control, exploring how a man can design blueprints by day and allegedly engineer horror by night. Through the lens of behavioral science, Tony examines compartmentalization, high-functioning psychopathy, and sadistic dominance — the traits that allow someone to live a double life so convincingly it fools everyone around them. From the soundproof basement to the meticulous planning, Heuermann’s world wasn’t chaos — it was choreography. This episode unpacks how his architecture mirrored his pathology and why the façade of normalcy is often the perfect camouflage for the worst kind of predator. Because monsters don’t always hide in the dark. Sometimes they wave from the driveway. #RexHeuermann #GilgoBeach #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #TrueCrimePodcast #SerialKillerPsychology #CriminalMind #FBIProfile #LongIslandMurders #BehavioralAnalysis Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

21 Loka 15min

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