Rex Heuermann, a 62-year-old architect, was sentenced on June 17, 2026, to multiple life terms in prison without the possibility of parole for the murders of eight women. Heuermann admitted to strangling the women and disposing of their remains in remote areas of Long Island between 1993 and 2010, a series of crimes known as the Gilgo Beach killings. The sentencing took place in a Riverhead, New York, courthouse, following a plea deal that guaranteed three consecutive life sentences.
Four victims were discovered in 2010 along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach, referred to as the "Gilgo Four." Heuermann also confessed to killing four additional women. Although he maintained his innocence since his arrest in 2023, he pleaded guilty in April to avoid a lengthy trial, according to his attorney, Michael J. Brown.
During the sentencing, family members of the victims expressed their grief. Heuermann stated in court, "There are no words I can say. The words I would say have no meaning," and acknowledged his remorse. Suffolk County Judge Timothy Mazzei condemned Heuermann, labeling him as "disgusting" and "despicable," and ordered the life sentences to be served concurrently. Heuermann was arrested after forensic and digital evidence linked him to the crimes, including DNA found on a discarded pizza crust.