Despite his attorneys’ best efforts to block it, suspected Gilgo Beach killer Rex Heuermann must submit a DNA swab as requested by prosecutors, Judge Timothy Mazzei ruled on Wednesday.
“The Court finds that contrary to the defendant’s contentions, there is probable cause to believe that the defendant committed the crimes charged and, therefore, a basis to compel the buccal swab,” Mazzei wrote.
The case against Rex Heuermann
Part of the case against Heuermann was due to DNA found on a pizza crust from a Manhattan garbage, which police said had been discarded by Heuermann.
Assistant Suffolk District Attorney Michelle Haddad filed the request with the court last week to obtain a cheek swab, or a “buccal sample,” from Heuermann, saying that the DNA found from the pizza can only be “purported to be used/touched.”
Haddad added that should DNA from the swab not match the DNA from the pizza crust, the defense would have a “trial defense.”
Danielle Coysh, a member of Heuermann’s defense team, attempted to stop the court from obtaining the sample, saying that in requesting it the prosecution was admitting they didn’t have evidence that the pizza crust had been used by Heuermann.
Rex Heuermann remains charged with three deaths, suspected in fourth
Rex Heuermann remains charged with the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Lynn Costello, and is a prime suspect in the death of Maureen Brainard-Barnes.
Karen Vergata, formerly known as “Fire Island Jane Doe,” was identified last week, and although she is a suspected victim of the “Long Island serial killer,” Heuermann has not been charged or suspected in Vergata’s death.
