Timeline of Rex Heuermann and Wife Asa’s Relationship Amidst Gilgo Beach Murder Case
Rex Heuermann‘s spouse, Asa Ellerup, stood by him following his accusation as the Gilgo Beach murderer.
Heuermann and Ellerup shared nearly thirty years of marriage before his arrest in 2023, linked to a string of missing persons cases involving multiple women—among them Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Costello, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes. He was charged with the murders of Barthelemy, Costello, Waterman, and Brainard-Barnes, as well as the deaths of Sandra Costilla, Jessica Taylor, and Valerie Mack.
After his arrest, Heuermann pled not guilty to all allegations, receiving public support from his family, including his children.
“We were married for 27 years. I met Rex when I was 18, and he was the kind of guy you couldn’t help but notice. A tall and handsome young man—just my type: tall, dark, and handsome,” Ellerup reminisced on The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets in June 2025. “Back then, I was completely in love with him. There’s no doubt about that.”
Continue scrolling to revisit the romance between Heuermann and Ellerup:
1980s
Heuermann and Ellerup first met when she was just 18, but their romantic relationship began later. At that time, Ellerup was married to Christopher Sheridan, welcoming a son with him, also named Christopher.
During her divorce from Sheridan, Ellerup reached out to Heuermann.
“I married my first husband, but things soured quickly. After our son Christopher was born, he transformed into someone I didn’t recognize. I was in the midst of a divorce,” Ellerup explained in the 2025 Peacock documentary. “He was unsupportive and insisted that he wouldn’t accept my happiness with another person.”
Ellerup expressed her gratitude for Heuermann, stating, “Rex was someone I could call. We were friends. When Rex heard what my ex said, he stepped up, saying, ‘Let’s get a lawyer and handle this.’ He even covered the legal fees.”
1996
After concluding her marriage with Sheridan, Ellerup embarked on a passionate relationship with Heuermann.
“There was no reason to hold back. Rex invited me over, saying, ‘I have a modest home—why don’t you come see if you’d like to stay?’ Then, I found out I was pregnant with Victoria. He proposed marriage, and I said yes. I remember on our wedding day looking up, thinking, ‘Finally, he’s mine,’” she shared on The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets.
1996
Ellerup gave birth to their daughter, Victoria, residing in Heuermann’s childhood home in Long Island.
2023
Heuermann was arrested in 2023, charged with the murders of seven women. While Ellerup defended her husband initially, she filed for divorce a week after he was implicated as the Gilgo Beach killer.
2023
Despite pursuing divorce, Ellerup continued to show support for Heuermann in court.
“That’s why I’m attending the proceedings. I need to witness his situation firsthand. It’s crucial for me to understand what he’s enduring; I want to be involved in his life,” Ellerup disclosed in the three-part Peacock documentary. “I found comfort in seeing him.”
She added, “That’s not how I perceive him. If they assert that he only acted during the short period I was away, I have to question that. If he’s truly that intelligent, manipulating everything in such a way— I doubt it.”
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2025
Peacock’s The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets showcased Ellerup communicating with Heuermann while he remains incarcerated.
“I speak with him quite often, but he has a limited time for calls,” she shared with the producers. “I try not to delve into topics that would hurt him— like expressing my love for him. That could be detrimental.”
2025
Ellerup utilized the docuseries to defend her husband, asserting, “Nobody deserves this fate. But Rex didn’t engage with [sex workers]. He’s devoted to his family. I would need to hear it directly from Rex that he murdered those girls to believe it. He never kept anything from me.”
At that moment, Ellerup expressed doubts about the evidence against Heuermann.
“They’re claiming my husband managed to go to work, solicit a sex worker, ride a train, make plans to pick them up, murder them, and then go to Atlantic City to visit us? I find that hard to accept,’” she countered. “He’s never restricted me from using his computer; there’s no secrecy with Rex. I won’t pick sides until I see the evidence. I need to hear it in a courtroom.”
2025
After settling their divorce, Ellerup confirmed she would be leaving their residence in Massapequa Park.
“Ending this chapter in our home signifies a new beginning for me,” she shared at the conclusion of the Peacock documentary. “I don’t know what this new life entails yet, but I will embrace it as best as I can. I did what was necessary to protect myself and my children.”
Ellerup and Heuermann’s daughter, Victoria, addressed the reasons behind their divorce, saying, “I understand why Mom divorced my dad. This decision was to safeguard our assets,” Victoria explained. “It’s now legally her house. She earned it through the divorce. Losing the house would mean we’d be homeless. This is our home. It doesn’t mean our family is no longer intact.”
