Netflix's Gone Girls: Where is the suspected Long Island serial killer now?

Netflix's Gone Girls tells the story of the many women whose bodies were found just steps away from New York's busiest beaches - we look at what happened and where the alleged killer is now.

Now streaming on Netflix, Gone Girls is a true-crime documentary looking into young women who disappeared from New York City and Long Island - and their families desperately looking for answers. In 2010, several female remains were discovered close to New York beaches, but the person dubbed the Long Island serial killer remained at large for 13 years.

In July 2023, there was a breakthrough in the case that also uncovered police corruption and a number of further twists and turns in a case that remains ongoing. For fans of true-crime who tuned into the likes of Con Mum and Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey, we look at the case and what's happened to the suspected killer.

What is the Long Island serial killer case?

On May 1, 2010 a woman named Shannan Gilbert disappeared after making a phone call to the police saying she believed she was in danger. The escort had been at a client's Long Island home and after telling the operator people were trying to kill her, she vanished.

In December 2010, four female bodies were discovered at Long Island's Gilgo beach, although Shannan wasn't one of them. The women found were named Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Costello, Megan Waterman and Melissa Barthelemy. The hunt was on for a serial killer.

The women all worked as escorts and in June 2010, another woman named Megan Waterman also vanished from the area. In September 2010, Amber Costello also vanished from the same area - both women worked as escorts and all the women had been arranging to meet a client who used a burner phone that couldn't be traced.

By May 2011, police had discovered six more sets of remains in the area, although there was doubt surrounding whether the same killer was responsible for all of the killings. Those found included Jessica Taylor, an escort missing since 2003, Valerie Mack, an escort missing since 2000, a toddler girl and her mother, an Asian male dressed in women's clothing and a the skull of Karen Vergata, an escort missing since 1996.

In December 2011, Shannan Gilbert's body was found, although police didn't believe she was murdered, instead stating she'd likely drowned.

There were no new developments in the case until 2022 when a new task force was assigned to take a fresh look. Six weeks later, a potential suspect named Rex Heuermann was identified - he worked as an architect in the area the women were found.

Aged 59 at the time of his arrest, Heuermann's DNA matched a male hair discovered with Megan Waterman's body, and old cellphone records linked him to the burner phones used by the killer.

Since his arrest in July 2023, Heuermann has been charged with seven murders: These include Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Costello, Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla and Valeria Mack – but not Shannan Gilbert, whose death remains not officially ruled a homicide.

Some of the bodies discovered at Gilgo beach remain unidentified and Heuermann has not been charged in relation to their deaths.

Where is Rex Heuermann now?

Rex Heuermann is currently being held at the Riverhead Correctional Facility in Suffolk County, New York, while he awaits trial - he has pleaded not guilty to the crimes he's been accused of.

He was married and lived with his wife's son from a previous marriage, and a daughter the couple shared, at the time he allegedly murdered seven women. His wife of 27 years, Asa Ellerup, filed for divorce a week after he was arrested according to Newsweek.

The publication also reports that Robert Macedonio, an attorney for Ellerup, said in a statement: "After 27 years with Mr. Heuermann, Ms. Ellerup maintains the belief that her estranged husband is not capable of committing these heinous acts."

The case remains ongoing and a trial date has not yet been set.