Expert believes Gilgo Beach murders suspect Rex Heuermann's mugshot presents signs of 'evil'
LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK: Rex Heuermann, a 59-year-old architect from Massapequa Park, New York, was arrested and charged in connection to the Gilgo Beach murders. As authorities continue their investigation, a body language expert has analyzed Heuermann's mugshot, revealing details about his disturbing nature.
Heuermann was apprehended outside his Manhattan office on the night of July 13, breathing new life into a 13-year-old murder case that shook the nation. The remains of the victims, Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brianard-Barnes, and Amber Lynn Costello, collectively known as the "Gilgo Four," were found within close proximity of each other along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach on Long Island. Heuermann now faces charges of three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder, with authorities also considering him the primary suspect in Maureen Brianard-Barnes' killing.
Revealing insights into Rex Heuermann's nature
Renowned body language expert Patti Wood meticulously analyzed Heuermann's mugshot, speaking about her observations to The US Sun. Wood drew attention to Heuermann's expressive eyebrows, noting that they were pulled towards the center of his face, forming a distinctive V shape. "It makes the person look suspicious," she stated, continuing, "We might make that supposition that they're evil, that there's something wrong." According to Wood, this type of facial expression triggers an alarm in our limbic system, signaling that something is awry. "Your limbic system should alert you. Something's wrong. Something's wrong. This person's scary," she explained, emphasizing that eyebrows are highly indicative of emotional states and that the upper part of the face is less consciously controlled, revealing genuine expressions.
Lack of emotion and subdued demeanor
Wood further highlighted the lack of emotion displayed by Heuermann during media attention, describing his demeanor as subdued and his energy as down. "His energy overall is down [...] which would show a lack of energy — just subdued, down, subdued, beat," she stated. She noted the absence of any engagement with the media as Heuermann looked ahead or down while being escorted by law enforcement.
In reference to the suspect's physical appearance, Wood noted that he seemed relatively unassuming in the selfies released to the public. Upon closer examination, she observed his notably bulky body shape, commenting, "He's really, really bulky." Wood found his physique to be "unusual" for an alleged serial killer based on her expertise. "To be that tall and that, very bulky, and large, and for them to have those pictures where they look like every other guy — that's interesting," she added. The expert also drew attention to the state of Heuermann's house in the Long Island neighborhood, which reportedly appeared less maintained compared to others. She suggested that it could indicate either a desire to be noticed or serve as a location where dark activities took place. "It's a tell that something is bad there," Wood warned.
Evidence links Heuermann to Gilgo Beach murders
The investigation into Heuermann's alleged crimes has uncovered additional disturbing evidence. Despite managing to evade detection for over a decade, it was revealed that he used burner phones to contact the victims. Police also discovered a staggering 200 internet searches conducted by Heuermann between March 2022 to June 2023 related to active and known serial killers, the disappearances and murders of the four victims, and the ongoing investigations into their deaths.
Further evidence tying Heuermann to the crimes emerged when a male hair found at the crime scene matched the mitochondrial DNA profile extracted from a swab collected from a discarded pizza crust believed to be linked to Heuermann. Additionally, law enforcement located a first-generation Chevrolet Avalanche registered in Heuermann's name, matching the description of the vehicle witnessed by an individual who claimed to have seen Costello's killer. During his arraignment, Heuermann pleaded not guilty to all six charges. Defense attorney Michael Brown, who represents Heuermann, relayed that his client tearfully exclaimed, "I didn't do this." As Heuermann's case progresses, he is expected to appear in court again on August 1.