Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann's ex-wife reacts to his sentencing as monster who killed eight women is transferred to new prison to begin life behind bars

By JAMES GORDON, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 06:50, 19 June 2026 | Updated: 06:58, 19 June 2026 Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann's ex-wife believes he got exactly what was coming to him after he was sentenced to life behind bars for his grisly crimes. Asa Ellerup broke her silence through her attorney to address Heuermann's punishment for murdering eight women a day after it was handed down. 'She believes Rex got what he deserves,' Ellerup's lawyer Bob Macedonio told The New York Post. 'She believes the sentence was 100 percent appropriate and her thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.' The remarks came as Heuermann, 62, was transferred from Suffolk County jail to begin the next chapter of his life as a convicted serial killer in New York's prison system. State corrections officials confirmed on Thursday that Heuermann had arrived at Green Haven Correctional Facility in Dutchess County, where he is undergoing intake processing before authorities determine his permanent prison placement. 'Rex Heuermann is currently undergoing admission processing at Green Haven Correctional Facility, one of the department's designated intake facilities,' a spokesperson for the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision said. Officials have not disclosed where Heuermann will ultimately serve his sentence. Asa Ellerup, the former wife of Rex Heuermann, said through her attorney that the convicted serial killer 'got what he deserves' after receiving multiple life sentences Rex Heuermann, who lived a secret life as New York's Gilgo Beach serial killer, admitted murdering eight women whose deaths spanned nearly two decades, from 1993 to 2010 The transfer came less than 24 hours after an emotional day in court that finally brought a measure of closure to families who had waited years, and in some cases decades, for justice. On Wednesday, the towering six-foot-four Massapequa Park architect was sentenced to multiple life terms without the possibility of parole after admitting responsibility for a string of murders that terrorized Long Island and baffled investigators for years. The sentencing marked the dramatic end of one of New York's most notorious criminal investigations. For years, the disappearances of young women remained unsolved.  The mystery deepened after authorities discovered human remains scattered along desolate stretches near Gilgo Beach beginning in 2010, transforming the case into a national obsession that spawned documentaries, books and podcasts. Heuermann was ultimately tied to the serial killings through a witness tip about his pickup truck as well as damning cellphone evidence and was arrested in July 2023. Ellerup filed for divorce just days after his arrest, though she continued to stand by him in public. As part of his guilty plea, Heuermann admitted murdering eight women between 1993 and 2010 while Ellerup and their children were out of town. Those victims included Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy and Maureen Brainard-Barnes - widely known as the 'Gilgo Four' - as well as Valerie Mack, Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla and Karen Vergata. The victims clockwise from top left: Sandra Costilla, Karen Vergata, Melissa Barthelemy, Valerie Mack, Megan Waterman, Amber Costello, Maureen Brainard-Barnes and Jessica Taylor A search of Heuermann's home in Massapequa Park, Long Island, in July 2023, just days after his arrest The judge told Heuermann he was a 'disgusting' man and a 'coward' as he was sentenced to life in prison. Heuermann was transferred on Thursday from Suffolk County jail to Green Haven Correctional Facility in Dutchess County According to prosecutors, most of the victims were bound, tortured and murdered before their bodies were discarded. The horror of those crimes echoed throughout Wednesday's sentencing hearing as grieving relatives confronted Heuermann face-to-face. When Judge Timothy Mazzei finally turned to Heuermann and asked whether he wished to speak, the convicted killer offered a brief statement. 'There are no words I can say, but I am responsible for what was said in this room today,' Heuermann said. 'The words I would say have no meaning and I'm going to leave it there at this time.' The statement failed to impress prosecutors. 'There is no doubt this defendant is sorry,' Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said. 'He is sorry he got caught.' Judge Timothy Mazzei told Heuermann he was a 'disgusting and despicable small man' and accused him of being sorry only because he was caught. He is seen wiping away tears after hearing victim impact statements Judge Mazzei was equally unsparing. 'I know that you're sorry you got caught. I assume that you're sorry for what you did to your wife and children,' the judge told Heuermann. 'You've been described as a very big man but you're a disgusting and despicable small man if you're a man at all and you're a coward.' The judge then ordered court officers to remove him. As part of his plea agreement, Heuermann has also agreed to cooperate with the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit in an effort to help investigators better understand serial killers and potentially assist future cases. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.