EXCLUSIVE: Experts split as bone-like fragments are dug up from Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect Rex Heuermann’s backyard – as they claim human remains CAN’T be ruled out
- Rex Heuermann’s house on Long Island has been the scene of an intense search since his July 14 arrest on suspicion of murdering three women
- The house where the married father-of-two lived was found to have a thickly-walled concrete basement, where some say he may have killed his victims
- On Sunday and Monday, the yard was excavated and investigators were spotted looking at several mysterious objects
Forensic cops have dug up mysterious objects in the backyard of Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect Rex Heurmann’s home.
Haunting images showed the officers crowded over a hole in the ground as they surveyed what appeared to be small fragments on a board in the soil.
Some experts speculated they could be human remains, while others warned they could be from animals or something else entirely.
Investigators have been carting out boxes of items from the house for the past week as they rigorously hunt for any evidence connected to the infamous killings.
They have discovered a huge gun cache and are probing the idea some of the victims could have been butchered at the house.
Heuermann, 59, was arrested on July 14 on suspicion of murdering three sex workers whose bodies were found on Gilgo Beach in 2010.
Forensic investigators are seen on Monday photographing objects found at Rex Heuermann’s home on Long Island. Analysts told DailyMail.com they could be human remains, but would need further scrutiny
A forensic photographer is seen bending over the tray of objects found at Heuermann’s house
Another member of the team is seen standing in the pit dug by the excavator, examining material found in the ground
Exclusive DailyMail.com photos from this week show investigators looking at a tray of objects, which experts said could be human remains.
Heuermann, 59, was arrested on July 14 in Manhattan, where he owned an architectural firm. he has been charged in connection to three murders along Gilgo Beach
The forensic cops could be seen surveying the items that had been laid out on a white board.
One stood close by with a large sack for the items to be hauled away in after they were photographed.
A doctor and a bone expert analyzed the photos for DailyMail.com and were split over the nature of the objects – but said ‘human remains can’t be ruled out’.
‘Really from a distance they definitely could be human, or animal. But it’s too far away to know for sure,’ said one doctor.
‘DNA testing is very necessary: we doctors are used to close-ups.’
Another expert, a forensic anthropologist, told DailyMail.com: ‘From my experience, they look too rectangular to be human. I wouldn’t recognize any of those objects immediately as human remains.
‘But the dark stain to them suggests we are looking at organic material, and the context in which they were found means I wouldn’t rule out human remains.’
The yellow excavator has been at the Long Island house since Sunday
The items dug up on Monday were placed in a brown bag and taken away for further analysis
Investigators have spent a significant amount of time looking inside Heuermann’s basement, the door to which is seen open by his plants
Excavation of the site was being done by machines and by hand on Monday: men with spades are seen standing to the edge of the pit
The finds are recorded on a tablet after being photographed
The search of the site could be completed as soon as Tuesday
A yellow excavator is seen on Monday outside the Massapequa Park, Long Island home of Rex Heuermann
Rodney Harrison, commissioner of Suffolk County Police, told News 12 Long Island investigators could not confirm if any of the victims had ever visited the Heuermann home.
‘We are doing a total investigation around the house to see if there is anything out there that we need to take a closer look at,’ he said on Monday.
‘Can we confirm that someone was killed inside the house? We can’t confirm that at this time.’
Harrison said the room in Heuermann’s basement was not soundproof but confirmed it had extremely thick walls.
Harrison said it might have been used to store his large collection of guns.
Over 200 firearms were found in his suburban Massapequa Park, Long Island, house – although he only had permits for 92 firearms, according to prosecutors.
The first victim, Melissa Barthelemy, 24, was discovered by Suffolk County Police on December 11, 2010. The body of Megan Waterman, 22, was found two days later
Maureen Brainard-Barnes was 25 years old when she went missing (left). Amber Lynn Costello was 27 years old. Their bodies were found near Barthelemy’s the same day
The Heuermann-Ellerup home in Long Island is pictured Saturday, as investigators remove items from the house
Police said they believe the alleged killer may have murdered at least one of his victims inside the home
One of Heuermann’s former co-workers told The New York Post the architect took time off to install the concrete-lined room.
‘It’s not just a hidden room — it’s a serious vault,’ the colleague said.
‘It had a huge, heavy-duty safe door. He went and poured new concrete walls, massive amount of concrete to encase this room. It was maybe two or three feet thick.’
Police believe Heuermann’s wife, Asa Ellerup, 59, and children had no involvement in the killings.
Analysis of phone records shows that Ellerup was out of town during the periods in 2009 and 2010 when Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello went missing.
She was in Iceland, where she was born, and visiting friends in New Jersey.
Heuermann is also a suspect in the 2007 death of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, but phone records from that era are no longer accessible.
Harrison said Heuermann’s family was stunned when they were told of his alleged crimes.
‘They were disgusted. They were embarrassed,’ he said. ‘So if you ask me, I don’t believe they knew about this double life that Heuermann was living.’
Ellerup filed for divorce last week, and has not been back to the house, which remains sealed off.
Harrison said the search at the house could end as soon as Tuesday.
‘I want to believe we will be finished up either some time tomorrow or later on this week,’ he said.
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