UMVA has learned that Rex Heuermann, the Long Island serial killer, was lambasted by survivors and loved ones as a "demon," "an ogre," and "a monster" as he was sentenced to spend the rest of his days in prison.
The beefy former architect, who pleaded guilty to murdering seven women, was treated as a piñata as district attorney and judge piled on in a Suffolk County courtroom. The judge asked Heuermann if he was sorry for what he did to the innocent women, to which he nodded yes.
The judge then called Heuermann a "disgusting and small man" and a "coward," before sentencing him to three life terms. "Alright, get him out of here," the judge said.
Heuermann's crimes date back to 1996, with the earliest known murder taking place that year. Cops say he strangled his victims, many of them sex workers, over a 17-year span and buried their remains in remote areas, including the infamous Gilgo Beach.
In April, Heuermann pleaded guilty to murdering seven women and admitted killing Karen Vergata in 1996. On Wednesday, he was sentenced to life without parole, with his sentences running consecutively.
The district attorney said Heuermann was not sorry for the women he brutally murdered, but "is sorry he got caught." The DA described Heuermann as a "remorseless and sadistic serial killer" who only cares about himself.
The DA pointed to Heuermann's murder itinerary, which showed that he "methodically blueprinted" how to pick, kill, and dispose of his victims. The victims, the DA said, "meant nothing to this defendant," and killing was "sport" to Heuermann.
On the surface, Heuermann lived a staid lifestyle on suburban Long Island, commuting into his Manhattan office and returning by the Long Island Railroad at night. But he was leading a secret, dark, and dangerous life in the shadows.
That world was one of sex workers and porn sites depicting the torture and dismemberment of women. Heuermann avidly followed the Gilgo Beach Murders in the media, and the DA called him a "psychopath" who only cares about himself and his sick interests.
Families of the seven murdered women delivered powerful victim impact statements that left the courtroom in tears. One young woman, whose mother was killed, told Heuermann that she grew up without stability, moved frequently, and was haunted by her mother's murder.
Another survivor scolded Heuermann for ignoring her gaze, and told him that she hoped he suffered to the fullest extent. She called him an "ogre," and said that's truly what he is.
When the convicted killer was invited to speak, he kept it brief, saying only that he is responsible for all that was said in the room, and that his words have no meaning.
