NEW YORK — After a grand jury indicted a suspect in the death of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, one of the women known as the “Gilgo Four” found slain in Long Island’s Gilgo Beach in 2010, her relatives spoke out in a press conference on Tuesday. Nicolette Brainard-Barnes, who was only 7 years old when her mother was killed, addressed the public at the emotional news conference and shared how her mother’s death drastically altered the course of her life.
Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, is believed to have been one of at least four women killed by the suspect, Rex Heuermann, between 2007 and 2010. Heuermann also faces murder charges in the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Lynn Costello, and Megan Waterman. The bodies of these women, along with seven others, were discovered near Ocean Parkway on Long Island in 2010 and 2011, sparking concerns of a serial killer and launching a thorough investigation.
Heuermann has not been charged in connection with any of the other bodies found, and the Grand Jury investigation into the deaths is ongoing, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. Nicolette expressed the struggle she faced with losing her mom, and the hope that the indictment brought for her family in seeking justice for her mother’s death.
The suspect’s attorney entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf. Authorities also revealed new details in the investigation, including DNA evidence that linked Heuermann to the killings and Google searches on a newly uncovered email account that focused on the Gilgo Beach investigation, the victims’ families, serial killers, and investigative techniques.
Maureen Brainard-Barnes was last seen in 2007 after traveling from her home in Connecticut to Manhattan, where she worked as an escort for days at a time. Her body was found on December 13, 2010. The details shared by the authorities shed light on the magnitude of the investigation, the impact on the victims’ families, and the ongoing pursuit of justice for the “Gilgo Four” and the other victims of these heinous crimes.