Video exclusively obtained by NBC New York shows the moments before the man accused in the murders of three Gilgo Beach victims was taken into custody by law enforcement in New York City.
Well after the afternoon rush, as the sun set over midtown, Rex Heuermann can be seen calmly strolling by New Yorkers on Fifth Avenue and East 36th Street with a work bag over his left shoulder, Heuermann appeared to be completely unaware he was being followed by police detectives who were about to place him under arrest in connection with the infamous Gilgo Beach murders — a decade-long mystery that has caused pain for several families.
The three detectives in dark suits can be seen on video following behind Heuermann on the sidewalk from a distance. He was arrested just after 8:30 p.m. Thursday, then arraigned on Friday on three first-degree murder charges and three second-degree murder charges in the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello, according to court documents. He is also a suspect in a fourth killing, of Maureen Brainard-Barnes.
For years, Heuermann ran his architectural firm from Fifth Avenue in midtown Manhattan, the area where detectives alleged he used a cellphone to arrange meetings with women he would later kill.
On Friday, those who worked in the same building and shared the same hallways were stunned.
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“I’m just in shock to find out he worked in my building. I could’ve been in an elevator with him,” said Jordan Resnick. “It’s insane. I can’t believe it. I’m in shock right now.”
Michelle Gargano knows the facts and lore of the Gilgo Beach murders, but she had no idea the man suspected of being the serial killer worked in her same building.
"It’s a little scary that he was two floor above me. We are on the ninth floor and no one had any idea obviously. That’s really scary and it went on for so long which is also horrifying," Gargano said. "That’s really scary. I mean, day-to-day, I’m here every single day. I come here five days a week. Work late nights and stuff too, so that’s also scary that at night I could have been walking out of the building and just passing someone who was a murderer, and I had no idea.”
Manhattan was the place investigators say Heuermann made several calls to set up meetings with potential victims. One specific call was made near the 59th Street Bridge. In midtown, investigators alleged Heuermann used a burner cell phone to taunt the family of one of his victims, saying he sexually assaulted and killed their loved one.
