No known link between Gilgo Beach murder suspect Rex Heuermann, Atlantic City slayings: Prosecutor
There's no apparent connection between Gilgo Beach murder suspect Rex Heuermann and the killings of sex workers near Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 2006, prosecutors said Tuesday.
The four New Jersey victims were found dead along the Black Horse Pike roadway in Egg Harbor Township and were believed to be murdered by a serial killer, New York ABC station WABC reported.
Detectives investigating the Black Horse Pike killings have met with Long Island authorities "to compare timelines, dates, methodologies, etc.," and concluded that "there does not seem to be a connection," Atlantic City Prosecutor William Reynolds said in a statement.
"Authorities will continue to follow all leads until the perpetrator of those crimes is brought to justice," Reynolds said of the New Jersey slayings, urging anyone with information to call the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-909-7800.
Meanwhile, Heuermann appeared in court on Tuesday in connection with the murders of three sex workers whose bodies were found on Long Island in 2010.
Prosecutors said in court that they've turned over evidence to the defense including hard drives, thousands of pages of documents and photographs, autopsy reports, DNA reports and surveillance footage from Heuermann's home.
Heuermann's attorney, Michael Brown, told reporters Tuesday that his client professes his innocence and plans to go to trial.
Heuermann, a New York City architect and father of two, was arrested on July 13 for the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello. The young women disappeared in 2009 and 2010.
Heuermann's attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Heuermann is also the prime suspect in the death of a fourth victim, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, who vanished in 2007, though he has not been charged in that case.
Brainard-Barnes' sister Missy Cann and Barthelemy's sister Amanda Funderburg attended Tuesday's hearing.
Funderburg had received several taunting phone calls in 2009 that were believed to be from her sister's killer, according to authorities.
Heuermann's wife, Asa Ellerup, filed for divorce after his arrest. She told ABC News on Monday, "[My children] have been crying themselves to sleep and I've been crying myself to sleep too."
Police last week concluded their search at Heuermann's suburban Massapequa Park, Long Island, home and investigators are now sifting through the evidence recovered there.
Police also dug up Heuermann's backyard during the search, though Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said last week that authorities had still not ruled in or ruled out whether any alleged victims were killed at the house.
ABC News' Cristina Corbin contributed to this report.
