Massapequa Park home at the heart of the Gilgo Beach case: After Rex Heuermann’s July 2023 arrest, investigators say he confessed to seven murders committed in the lower level of his childhood home. Authorities recovered 279 weapons and a document allegedly detailing methods for attacking victims. The family moved to South Carolina amid media attention and plans were made to sell the damaged property, which local agents expect may be demolished or redeveloped.
Inside Rex Heuermann’s Massapequa Park Home: What Happened to the House Where He Confessed to Seven Murders
Rex Heuermann appears in court on February 6, 2024 in Riverhead, New York; The home of alleged killer Rex Heuermann on July 26, 2023 in Massapequa Park, New York.Credit: James Carbone-Pool/Getty; James Carbone/Newsday RM via Getty
Rex Heuermann’s modest Massapequa Park house — the home he grew up in and where he lived with his then-wife, Asa Ellerup, and their children — became central to the Gilgo Beach investigation after his July 2023 arrest. Authorities say Heuermann pleaded guilty to seven murders and admitted he intentionally caused the death of an eighth as part of a plea deal. Investigators recovered disturbing evidence inside and around the property, and the family has since moved away amid intense public scrutiny.
Discovery and Evidence
Searches of the house uncovered a large walk-in vault in the basement containing 279 weapons. Investigators also reported finding a written document that allegedly detailed methods for attacking victims and disposing of remains. Crime-scene teams spent days combing the yard and removed items from the property, from large furniture to smaller personal effects.
What Heuermann Told His Ex-Wife
According to interviews and documentary excerpts, Heuermann told his then-wife that he had killed eight women, saying seven were killed in the downstairs room of their home.
Impact on the Property and Family
After the 2023 search, investigators performed invasive work inside the home — cutting floors, removing plumbing and digging in the backyard — leaving significant damage that Ellerup’s lawyer said she could not afford to repair. Public attention and frequent onlookers eventually prompted the family to relocate to another house they own in South Carolina. Ellerup reportedly planned to list the Massapequa Park home for sale after her divorce.
Market and Neighborhood Reaction
Public records cited the property’s assessed value at about $530,000 in 2023. Local agents told reporters they expect a builder — not an ordinary homebuyer — would likely purchase the lot, possibly demolish the existing structure and replace it with a new home that could sell for substantially more. Neighbors expressed relief at the family's departure and suggested demolition as a way to erase the house’s association with the crimes.
Ongoing Case Context
Investigators and prosecutors linked evidence from the Massapequa Park house to victims whose remains were found near Gilgo Beach and nearby areas. While Heuermann’s guilty plea resolves criminal accountability in this case, the house itself remains a focal point of the story — both as a crime scene and a property the family hopes to leave behind.
Police Investigators work in the backyard of Gilgo Beach murders suspect Rex Heuermann's home on July 14, 2023 in Massapequa Park, New York.Credit: J. Conrad Williams Jr./Newsday RM via Getty Images
The home of serial killer Rex Heuermann on July 26, 2023 in Massapequa Park, New York.Credit: James Carbone/Newsday RM via Getty
Rex Heuermann poses for his booking photo on July 14, 2023.Credit: Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office via Getty
Evidence is removed from the home of Rex Heuermann, the suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer, on July 18, 2023 in Massapequa Park, New York.Credit: Steve Pfost/Newsday RM via Getty
A moving container is seen outside accused serial killer Rex Heuermann's house on November 20, 2024 in Massapequa Park, New York.Credit: Alejandra Villa Loarca/Newsday RM via Getty
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