The timeline of the Gilgo Beach killings investigation

Authorities began investigating the Gilgo Beach killings after human remains were found along Long Islands barrier island in 2010. Over years, forensic advances linked multiple victims to a serial killer, culminating in the arrest and guilty plea of Rex Heuermann for seven murders.

In 2010, authorities in New York discovered human remains along the barrier island parkway near Gilgo Beach while searching for a missing woman. Investigators immediately considered the possibility of a serial killer. Advances in forensic science and genetic analysis gradually connected fragmented remains to the individuals they once were, some found decades after their disappearance. The investigation ultimately led to the arrest of Rex Heuermann, who later pleaded guilty to multiple murders.

Early Discoveries

November 20, 1993: Hunters discovered Sandra Costilla, 28, deceased in a wooded area in North Sea, New York. She had been living in New York City.

1996: Karen Vergatas’ remains were found on Fire Island. Her identity was confirmed in 2022 through DNA testing.

June 28, 1997: Partial remains of an unidentified woman, nicknamed "Peaches" because of a tattoo, were discovered in West Hempstead. In 2025, she was identified as Tanya Jackson, a U.S. Army veteran from Brooklyn.

2000: Partial skeletal remains of Valerie Mack, 24, were found in Manorville, New York.

July 2003: Remains of Jessica Taylor were discovered in Manorville.

Victims from 2007 to 2010

July 9, 2007: Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, was last heard from in New York City while meeting a client. Her cellphone data later confirmed her location on Long Island.

July 10, 2009: Melissa Barthelemy, 24, was last seen leaving her Bronx apartment. Her phone records placed her on Long Island, and days later someone used her phone to contact her family.

May 1, 2010: Shannan Gilbert disappeared from Oak Beach after leaving a client’s residence.

June 6, 2010: Megan Waterman, 22, was last seen at a motel in Hauppauge, New York.

October 20, 2010: Amber Lynn Costello, 27, disappeared in West Babylon. A male acquaintance reported that a person driving a Chevrolet Avalanche was involved.

Discovery of Multiple Remains in 2010

October 11, 2010: During a routine tactical simulation on Ocean Parkway, investigators discovered skeletal fragments initially believed to be Gilbert, later identified as Barthelemy.

October 13, 2010: Authorities found the bodies of Costello, Brainard-Barnes, and Waterman along Ocean Parkway.

October 14, 2010: Police publicly suggested the possibility of a serial killer. Searches were expanded while Gilbert remained missing.

Additional Discoveries and Investigations

November 29, 2011: Fragments of Jessica Taylor were recovered along Ocean Parkway.

2011: Additional remains of Valerie Mack and her 2-year-old daughter, Tatiana Dykes, were discovered. Remains of an Asian male, estimated to have died 5-10 years prior, were also found. Further fragments of Vergatas and Jackson were recovered along Ocean Parkway. Shannan Gilbert’s remains were unearthed from Oak Beach marshland and later ruled an accidental drowning.

Renewed Investigations and Arrests

2022: Suffolk County District Attorney formed a new task force to investigate the Gilgo Beach killings.

July 13, 2023: Rex Heuermann was arrested and charged with the murders of Costello, Waterman, and Barthelemy. DNA and mobile phone data linked him to the victims.

January 16, 2024: Heuermann was charged in Brainard-Barnes’ death; a hair genetically linked to his wife was key evidence. Investigators conducted a thorough examination of his residence over seven days.

Autumn 2024: Heuermann faced charges for the deaths of Costilla and Taylor.

December 17, 2024: An indictment was unsealed, charging him in Mack’s death.

December 18, 2025: Andrew Dykes pleaded not guilty to the deaths of Tanya Jackson and Tatiana Dykes; although unrelated to Gilgo Beach, the case benefited from resources allocated to the investigation.

April 8, 2026: Heuermann pleaded guilty to seven murders, including Barthelemy, Brainard-Barnes, Costello, Costilla, Mack, Taylor, and Waterman, and also admitted to killing Vergatas. Sentencing is scheduled for June 17, 2026.

Sources:

• AP News – A timeline of the investigation of the Gilgo Beach killings
• Reuters – Long Island architect pleads guilty to 'Gilgo Beach' serial killings
• The Independent – Timeline of Gilgo Beach serial killer case as Rex Heuermann finally admits to murders
• A timeline of the investigation of the Gilgo Beach killings