According to court documents obtained by The Post, the breakthrough in the 13-year-old serial killer investigation came when authorities discovered that Rex Heuermann, a local married father of two, owned a first-generation Chevrolet Avalanche, the same type of vehicle believed to have been driven by the killer.
The significance of this discovery lies in the fact that a witness to the disappearance of one of the murder victims, Amber Costello, had identified a first-generation Chevrolet Avalanche as the vehicle used by her killer. This crucial information was only revealed during an interview with a special task force set up last year, as Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison disclosed to the Daily News.
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The witness, who happened to be Costello's pimp, described the suspect as a pickup-driving john who stood at approximately 6-foot-4, resembling the physical attributes of Heuermann. The pimp recounted an incident in September 2010 when he saw the suspect and his Avalanche while planning a ruse to scare off Costello's john. The witness informed the police that the suspect had used a burner phone, which was later traced back to Heuermann's hometown of Massapequa Park, located just 15 minutes away from where Costello and the other victims' bodies were discovered months later.
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Despite being seen driving the distinctive truck on the night Costello went missing, Heuermann made no effort to dispose of the vehicle. In fact, archived Google Map street views from 2011, a year after the investigation into the "Gilgo Four" murders began, show the truck regularly parked outside Heuermann's residence on 1st Avenue in Massapequa Park.
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The exact timing of when information about the Avalanche was first provided to the authorities remains unclear. Suffolk County police have not yet responded to requests for clarification. However, Commissioner Harrison reportedly indicated that the information came to light when the unidentified pimp spoke to the task force last year, suggesting that they should investigate the "ogre" who drove the Avalanche.
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Commissioner Harrison emphasized the significance of connecting the vehicle to Heuermann, stating that it propelled the investigation forward. Heuermann was apprehended outside his midtown Manhattan office on Thursday and charged with the murders of Costello, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes. He pleaded not guilty to the charges on Friday.
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The revelation that the key piece of evidence, the Avalanche, had been visible to neighbors, passersby, and even users of online street mapping sites raises questions about why it took so long for this crucial information to come to light. It also highlights the importance of thorough investigative work and the persistence of law enforcement agencies in solving cold cases.
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As the investigation into the Gilgo Beach murders continues, it remains to be seen how the evidence surrounding the distinctive Chevrolet Avalanche and its connection to Rex Heuermann will play out in court. The families of the victims, who have been waiting for justice for over a decade, hope that this new development will finally bring closure to their loved ones' cases.
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