Netflix’s ‘Gone Girls’: Here’s Who The Long Island Serial Killer Was & What Happened to Him
Netflix has a knack for pulling us into gripping true-crime stories, and their latest dive into the dark world of unsolved mysteries is no exception. ‘Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer,’ a three-part docuseries that hit the platform, takes us to the eerie shores of Long Island, New York. Directed by Liz Garbus, this series isn’t just about chasing a killer—it’s about the victims, their families, and a justice system that took too long to act. If you’ve been hooked on crime tales before, this one’s got a raw edge that’ll keep you watching.
The story kicks off with a missing woman in 2010, a case that unraveled into something much bigger—bodies found along a lonely beach, a community shaken, and a hunt that stretched over decades. Garbus, who’s no stranger to this tale after directing the 2020 film ‘Lost Girls,’ brings a fresh angle here. She digs into the human side of it all, while peeling back layers of police missteps and a suspect who stayed hidden for years. Let’s break down who this killer was and where things stand now.
The Man Behind the Murders
His name is Rex Heuermann, a Long Island architect who lived a quiet life in Massapequa Park until everything changed. In July 2023, police finally nabbed him, charging him with the murders of four women—Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Costello, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes—known as the ‘Gilgo Four.’ These women, all in their 20s, worked in the sex industry and vanished between 2007 and 2010. Their remains turned up along Ocean Parkway, a grim discovery sparked by the search for another missing woman, Shannan Gilbert.
Heuermann wasn’t some shadowy drifter—he was a married guy with kids, blending into suburban life. Investigators say he used burner phones to set up meetings with his victims, luring them to their deaths. Evidence piled up fast after his arrest. They found a stash of over 200 guns in his basement, and his computer revealed hundreds of searches about the murders, the victims, and some pretty dark stuff like torture and violent porn. It painted a picture of a guy obsessed with both his crimes and the cops trying to catch him.
What’s wild is how long he stayed under the radar. ‘Gone Girls’ shows us a deleted file recovered from his hard drive—a chilling checklist of torture tips, equipment lists, and ways to ditch evidence. He’s pleaded not guilty to all charges, but the case against him feels heavy. Seven women are now tied to him, and as the docuseries rolled out, it left me wondering how someone so ordinary could hide something so brutal.
How It All Started
The whole mess began with Shannan Gilbert’s disappearance in May 2010. She was an escort who bolted from a client’s home in Oak Beach, called 911 in a panic, and then vanished. Her family, especially her mom Mari Gilbert, wouldn’t let it go—they pushed hard for answers. Months later, in December 2010, police searching for Shannan stumbled on four sets of remains wrapped in burlap along Gilgo Beach. That’s when the ‘Gilgo Four’ came into focus, and the idea of a serial killer took hold.
Shannan’s case was different—her body turned up in a marsh in 2011, and cops say she might’ve died accidentally, lost in the swamp. Her family’s never bought that, insisting she was murdered too. Either way, her disappearance cracked the case open. ‘Gone Girls’ leans hard into this moment, showing how one woman’s story led to uncovering a string of killings that had been ignored for years. It’s a gut punch to see how the system brushed off these women at first, mostly because of their line of work.
The docuseries doesn’t shy away from the early chaos. Back then, no one knew how many victims there were—over a dozen bodies, some dismembered, popped up along that stretch of beach between 2010 and 2011. The killings spanned back to the ‘90s, and the lack of leads left everyone frustrated. It’s clear this wasn’t just one bad night—it was a pattern, and it took Shannan’s case to make anyone care enough to dig deeper.
The Investigation’s Rocky Road
For years, this case was a mess. ‘Gone Girls’ digs into why it took so long to catch Heuermann, and a big chunk of the blame lands on the Suffolk County police. Corruption was a problem—former Police Chief James Burke got tangled in his own scandals, like beating up a suspect, and he blocked the FBI from helping out. That stalled things big time. The docuseries paints a picture of a department more focused on covering its tracks than solving murders.
Families of the victims, like Mari Gilbert and Melissa Cann, Maureen’s sister, fought tooth and nail to keep the pressure on. They knew the cops weren’t doing enough—sex workers weren’t a priority, and that stung. The series shows how their voices finally broke through after Burke and District Attorney Thomas Spota got busted in unrelated cases. A new team took over in 2022, and that’s when things shifted—fresh eyes, better tech, and a tip about a Chevy Avalanche linked to Heuermann turned the tide.
By 2023, they had him. DNA from a pizza crust he tossed matched evidence from the crime scenes, and suddenly, the pieces fit. ‘Gone Girls’ wraps with this breakthrough, but it’s not a tidy ending. The families got some answers, sure, but the scars from years of neglect run deep.
Where He Stands Now
As of April 2025, Rex Heuermann’s still locked up in Suffolk County Jail, waiting for his trial. He’s facing seven murder charges now—three more got added in 2024, linking him to Jessica Taylor, Valerie Mack, and Sandra Costilla. The guy’s sticking to his not-guilty plea, and his lawyers are gearing up for a fight. The case is ongoing, with hearings hashing out stuff like DNA evidence—pretty advanced stuff that could make or break it.
‘Gone Girls’ doesn’t give us all the answers because, honestly, there aren’t any yet. Heuermann’s team might push for separate trials, which could drag this out even longer. Meanwhile, investigators keep digging—some think there could be more victims tied to him, maybe even dozens. The docuseries leaves us hanging on that, but it’s clear this story’s far from over. For now, he’s behind bars, and the families are watching every move.
What hits hardest is how this isn’t just about him—it’s about the women he’s accused of taking and the people who loved them. The series keeps them front and center, not letting Heuermann steal the spotlight. I can’t help but think about how long they waited for this moment, and how much further they’ve still got to go. Justice is creeping closer, but it’s not here yet.