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

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 Gilgo Evidence Tour: Doll, Cage, DNA, and Hair

Rex Heuermann Gilgo Evidence Tour: Doll, Cage, DNA, and Hair

Rex Heuermann Gilgo Evidence Tour: Doll, Cage, DNA, and Hair Strategy, science, stakes—start to finish. With Jennifer Coffindaffer, we unpack the joinder ruling (seven counts, one jury), what the state gains, and where the defense will press “prejudice.” Then we walk the evidence story jurors are likely to hear: the search-warrant haul (yes, including the secret room, the large doll, the cage) and why seized items aren’t guilt until they’re tied to time, transfer, and corroboration. We dig into the science. Hair genome sequencing is “new to this courtroom,” not “new to the planet.” The defense will call it junk; the state will lean on validation and careful conclusions. We also talk family witnesses: could the daughter testify? Would Asa sit out or take the stand? How those choices land with jurors matters as much as the words themselves. Finally, timing. Between discovery battles, expert disclosures, and potential added counts, 2027 is a practical horizon—not a scare tactic. Joinder gives prosecutors a narrative runway; landing the plane requires clean science, credible witnesses, and pacing that respects the jury’s patience and skepticism. Hashtags  #HiddenKillers #GilgoBeach #RexHeuermann #DNA #ForensicScience #Court #LongIsland #TrueCrime #TonyBrueski #JenniferCoffindaffer  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 Syys 202524min

Can Asa Ellerup Save Rex Heuermann? Family Fallout at Trial

Can Asa Ellerup Save Rex Heuermann? Family Fallout at Trial

Can Asa Ellerup Save Rex Heuermann? Family Fallout at Trial As Rex Heuermann prepares to face trial, his family’s role becomes a potential turning point. Could his ex-wife Asa Ellerup testify? Would their daughter take the stand? And what about documentary footage that could be subpoenaed, dragging private conversations into the courtroom? Tony and Eric unpack the risks of family testimony, the near-impossible task of seating an impartial jury in New York, and the emotional toll of putting loved ones under oath. With the public spotlight burning hot, the Gilgo Beach case isn’t just about DNA and evidence bags — it’s about families torn apart, jurors swayed by headlines, and the challenge of finding justice in a case everyone already thinks they know. Hashtags:  #RexHeuermann #GilgoBeach #HiddenKillersLive #TrueCrimePodcast #AsaEllerup #FamilyTestimony #FairTrial #TrueCrimeNews #SerialKillerCase #Justice 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

26 Syys 202512min

Inside the Heuermann Gilgo Killer’s Home Search: Secret Room, Cage, and the Eerie Doll

Inside the Heuermann Gilgo Killer’s Home Search: Secret Room, Cage, and the Eerie Doll

Inside the Heuermann Gilgo Killer’s Home Search: Secret Room, Cage, and the Eerie Doll Big procedural swing: one jury hears all seven counts. With Jennifer Coffindaffer we break down why prosecutors pushed for joinder and why the defense is already circling “prejudice” in red ink. The state’s pitch is pattern—victim type, geography, MO—one coherent story. The defense counters: decades apart, different methods, and the danger of letting weaker counts draft behind stronger ones. We also cut through the “creepy” optics of the search haul—secret room, large doll, cage. Creepy is not the standard. Agents don’t cart off curios for sport; they seize what they believe they can justify in court. Those items matter only when tied to timelines, transfer, and corroboration that shrink alternatives. There’s a trust problem too. This investigation lived under a cloud for a long time. Jurors will want clean lines, not shortcuts. That’s why joinder is both rocket fuel and a tripwire—the narrative has to stay tight. This segment lays out the rules of engagement: what gets in, what’s risky, and how you tell a decades-long story without losing a 12-person audience in the first act. Hashtags  #HiddenKillers #GilgoBeach #RexHeuermann #Court #Joinder #Evidence #LongIsland #TrueCrime #TonyBrueski #JenniferCoffindaffer 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

26 Syys 202512min

One Giant Trial: Rex Heuermann Faces 7 Gilgo Beach Murder Charges Together

One Giant Trial: Rex Heuermann Faces 7 Gilgo Beach Murder Charges Together

One Giant Trial: Rex Heuermann Faces 7 Gilgo Beach Murder Charges Together The Gilgo Beach case just changed forever. A judge ruled that seven murder charges against Rex Heuermann will be combined into one massive trial — a decision that could define justice for the victims and their families. Tony and Eric Faddis dissect what this means for the prosecution, the defense, and the jury. Does combining the cases give the state overwhelming power, or does it create unfair prejudice against the accused? How will jurors weigh a pattern of killings spread across decades? And what role will advanced DNA techniques play in sealing Heuermann’s fate? This is more than a legal technicality — it’s a move that reshapes one of the biggest serial killer cases in America. Hashtags:  #RexHeuermann #GilgoBeach #HiddenKillersLive #TrueCrimePodcast #SerialKillerCase #DNAEvidence #TrueCrimeNews #LongIslandMurders #EricFaddis #Justice 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

26 Syys 202514min

Asa and the Daughter: Will Accused Gilgo Killer Heuermann’s Family Take the Stand?

Asa and the Daughter: Will Accused Gilgo Killer Heuermann’s Family Take the Stand?

Asa and the Daughter: Will Accused Gilgo Killer Heuermann’s Family Take the Stand? “New to court” isn’t “made up yesterday.” With Jennifer Coffindaffer, we translate the court-approved hair genome sequencing into plain English: what it shows, what it can’t do, and how to explain it without turning jurors into lab techs. Expect the defense to yell “junk science”; expect prosecutors to answer with validation, protocols, and conservative takes that land. We walk the “household hair” tightrope—finding family hairs on burlap sacks is eye-catching, but transfer and secondary transfer are real. The job is to explain significance without implying guilt by osmosis. Then we talk about the witnesses closest to Rex Heuermann—could his daughter testify? Would Asa sit out or take the stand? Immunity, exposure, credibility—how those choices look from the jury box matters. And yes, the calendar. Discovery fights, expert disclosures, possible added counts—2027 isn’t dramatic; it’s realistic. The joinder win gives the state runway. Landing the plane will take clean science, credible witnesses, and pacing that respects juror skepticism. Hashtags  #HiddenKillers #GilgoBeach #RexHeuermann #DNA #GenomeSequencing #ForensicScience #Court #TrueCrime #TonyBrueski #JenniferCoffindaffer 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

26 Syys 202512min

Adelsons’ Dark Holidays, D4VD’s Body in the Trunk, Rex Heuermann’s Trial Tightrope

Adelsons’ Dark Holidays, D4VD’s Body in the Trunk, Rex Heuermann’s Trial Tightrope

Adelsons’ Dark Holidays, D4VD’s Body in the Trunk, Rex Heuermann’s Trial Tightrope In this episode of Hidden Killers Live with Tony Brueski, Stacy Cole, and Todd Michaels, the conversation swings from lighthearted Halloween chatter into some of the darkest cases dominating headlines today. The show opens with pumpkins, pasta sauce, and a creepy animatronic doll that leaves Harper screaming — but the mood shifts quickly as the hosts turn their attention to the Adelson family. Once known for wealth and influence, the Adelsons now face prison cells, empty chairs at holiday tables, and children left in the middle of a murder-for-hire plot. What do the holidays look like for a family split between freedom and incarceration? And how does Jeff Lacasse’s painful, raw testimony continue to shape public perception of Wendi Adelson and the damage she left behind? From Florida, the spotlight moves west to Hollywood. Rising star D4VD’s career collapsed overnight after the decomposed body of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez was discovered in the trunk of his Tesla. Tony is joined by defense attorney and former prosecutor Eric Faddis to unpack the legal nightmare: ownership vs. possession of the vehicle, the disturbing revelation of matching tattoos, grooming allegations, missing-person timelines, and deleted social media trails that may point to destruction of evidence. Is this the fall of a star — or could someone in his inner circle be framing him? Finally, the team shifts to Long Island, where accused serial killer Rex Heuermann faces a consolidated mega-trial after a judge ruled that seven murder charges will be tried together. With groundbreaking DNA technology, victim dignity concerns, and family fallout all in play, the Gilgo Beach case has become one of the most complex trials in recent memory. Can Heuermann’s ex-wife Asa Ellerup or even his daughter be called to testify? Can jurors truly remain impartial under this level of public scrutiny? And will new forensic science set precedent for murder prosecutions across the country? This episode blends sharp analysis, dark humor, and deep dives into three of the most haunting cases of our time — the Adelsons, D4VD, and Rex Heuermann — exposing not only the crimes, but the rippling human cost. Hashtags: #HiddenKillersLive #AdelsonCase #DanMarkel #D4VD #CelesteRivasHernandez #RexHeuermann #GilgoBeach #TrueCrimePodcast #Justice #TrueCrimeCommunity 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

26 Syys 20251h 55min

Rex Heuermann's Burlap, Hair, and Pizza: The Forensic Breaks That Nailed the Gilgo Suspect

Rex Heuermann's Burlap, Hair, and Pizza: The Forensic Breaks That Nailed the Gilgo Suspect

The DNA Breakthrough & What Comes Next Rex Heuermann's Burlap, Hair, and Pizza: The Forensic Breaks That Nailed the Gilgo Suspect After years of dead ends, the case against Rex Heuermann broke open with a slice of pizza. Surveillance teams tailing him in 2023 collected a discarded crust, extracting DNA that matched hairs found on the burlap sacks wrapped around the Gilgo Beach victims. Not just his hair—familial matches tied back to his wife and daughter, consistent with the chaotic, unclean hoarder house investigators uncovered. Forensic science has now caught up with cold cases. Whole-genome sequencing—a powerful new tool—can analyze even hairs without roots, building a near-complete profile. Defense lawyers fought to keep it out, calling it “untested.” But the court just ruled: it’s in. Jurors may not understand the science, but they’ll understand this: it’s precise, it’s definitive, and it ties Rex Heuermann to the crime scene. We dig into what that means: how genome sequencing strengthens forensic cases, why it will likely become the new courtroom standard, and why Rex’s arguments about “new science” may backfire. And we ask: what about Asa? Did she know nothing, or was she so trauma-bonded and compartmentalized that denial became her survival? Her claim that “I still feel Rex is here” after the house raid shows a connection that goes beyond ordinary loyalty. From DNA on pizza crust to notes in the basement, the walls are closing in. The trial date hasn’t been set, but with DNA admitted, the odds of Rex Heuermann ever walking free again are vanishing. This is the turn from cold case to courtroom reality—and it’s decades in the making. Hashtags #RexHeuermann #GilgoBeach #LongIslandSerialKiller #DNAEvidence #WholeGenomeSequencing #HiddenKillers #ColdCaseSolved #TrueCrime #PizzaCrustDNA #CourtroomDrama 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

9 Syys 202512min

Asa Ellerup Speaks: Why She Still Defends Rex in the Gilgo Beach Case

Asa Ellerup Speaks: Why She Still Defends Rex in the Gilgo Beach Case

Asa Ellerup Speaks: Why She Still Defends Rex in the Gilgo Beach Case What does it mean when a wife says that telling her husband “I love you” would hurt him? In a recent documentary, Asa Ellerup, wife of accused Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann, gave interviews that stunned audiences with her continued loyalty, denial, and outright disbelief. “He’s a family man. He didn’t do this,” she insists—even as evidence piles up. In this segment, we break down Asa’s words, her courtroom reactions, and her refusal to see the mounting proof. Then we contrast that with the most chilling discovery from Rex’s own basement: a typed “murder blueprint.” The document contained sectioned lists straight out of an engineering project plan: Problems: DNA, fingerprints, blood stains. Supplies: Rope (“heavy rope for neck”), saws, plastic drop cloths, acid and lye. Dump sites: GPS coordinates for multiple disposal locations. Targets: “Small women,” “remove tattoos,” “remove ID marks.” This wasn’t random scribbling. It was methodical. It even included reminders like “get sleep before hunt” and “use pushpins to hang drop cloths.” Cold, calculated, and terrifying in its simplicity. We unpack what it means when someone needs a checklist for murder, why the rigidity points to an engineering brain, and how denial in a spouse can cross from blindness into complicity. Add in the neighbors and coworkers who described Rex as aggressive, unsettling, and Jekyll-and-Hyde, and you get the full picture: a man hiding behind a suburban façade, and a wife who still insists it’s all a mistake. This is where the case stops being about “maybe” and starts staring us in the face. When you have lists that literally say “rope for neck,” how much more does it take? Hashtags #RexHeuermann #AsaEllerup #GilgoBeach #LongIslandSerialKiller #TrueCrime #MurderBlueprint #HiddenKillers #Denial #SerialKillerCase #TrueCrimeCommunity 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

9 Syys 202512min

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