The tearful family of suspected Gilgo serial killer Rex Heuermann has returned home to Long Island nearly two weeks after he was first arrested.
Asa Ellerup and her two children, Victoria, 26, and Christopher, 32, looked solemn as they arrived back at the torn-up property at 10.30am on Thursday, with their family dog.
The family was last seen crossing a Best Buy parking lot after Asa filed for divorce from the suspected murderer.
Suffolk County detectives accompanied them back into their home and were seen leaving less than an hour later.
Asa clutched a black handbag as she entered the home for the first time since Heuermann’s arrest, with her daughter carrying a blue water bottle, bag and notebook.
Christopher became emotional as he sat on a bench outside the property in Massapequa Park with his mother, who looked overwhelmed.
He walked outside the home to take the pooch outside before re-entering the property in Massapequa Park. Multiple cats were removed from the property in their absence.
Heuermann, 59, had lived in the property with his wife, stepson, and daughter for more than a decade after buying the home from his mother in 1994.
Asa Ellerup and her two children, Victoria, 26, and Christopher, 32, cut solemn figures as they arrived back at the torn-up property at 10.30am on Thursday
Christopher became emotional as he sat on a bench outside the property in Massapequa Park with his mother, who looked overwhelmed
Heuermann, 59, was arrested on July 13 in connection with the murders of three women who were killed more than a decade ago in the Gilgo Beach area
His wife was at the property when authorities raided it on July 14, with her lawyer saying the family had been ‘blindsided’ by the murder charges.
Robert Macedonio said: ‘Obviously this has been a shocking time for them and a pretty difficult time to comprehend.
‘As with any family, it’s extremely upsetting and they’re totally shocked and caught off guard. The family doesn’t want to make any further comment than that.’
He added that police seized the family’s passports, computers, phones and iPads as part of the investigation.
Cops finally finished scouring the property for evidence, after digging up the backyard of the property and used ground-penetrating radar to search for any disturbances.
Authorities spent 12 days removing possible evidence from the property, after discovering a soundproof room under the home.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said cops had found a ‘tremendous amount of information’ during the search, which included cadaver dogs.
They removed 297 guns from the vault, and warned that authorities have to a ‘massive amount of material’ to catalogue and analyze which would take some time.
Asa and Christopher sat outside on a bench at the front of the property shortly after returning home
Authorities spent 12 days removing possible evidence from the property, after discovering a soundproof room under the home. Pictured: Asa with her dog outside the home
His wife (pictured) was at the property when authorities raided it on July 14, with her lawyer saying the family had been ‘blindsided’ by the murder charges
Heuermann, 59, had lived in the property with his wife, stepson, and daughter for more than a decade after buying the home from his mother in 1994
Heuermann’s daughter Victoria (left) worked as a receptionist at his architect company. She lived at the property with her father, mother and half-brother Chris Sheridan (right)
Asa clutched a black handbag as she entered the home for the first time since Heuermann’s arrest, with her daughter carrying a blue water bottle, bag and notebook
Suffolk County detectives accompanied them back into their home and were seen leaving less than an hour later
Christopher then broke cover to take the pooch outside before re-entering the property in Massapequa Park. Multiple cats were removed from the property in their absence
Melissa Barthelemy, top left, Amber Costello, top right, Megan Waterman, bottom left, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes. Authorities on Long Island are vowing to continue investigating the Gilgo Beach murders after charging an architect in the deaths of three of the 11 victims
Heuermann was arrested on July 13 outside of his property in Midtown Manhattan and charged with the deaths of sex workers Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello.
Heuermann, 59, was arrested on July 14 outside his office in Midtown Manhattan
Officials say that he is the main suspect in the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, who was discovered on Gilgo beach in 2010, and anticipate charging him with her killing.
The architect pleaded not guilty to killing the three women, and is next due to appear in court on August 1.
He is also being investigated for the murders of six others whose bodies were found in Gilgo Beach in 2011.
Sources claim that some of the victims may have been killed in the architects home, but law enforcement say they are unable to confirm if this is the case.
Heuermann is accused of killing the women while his family was out of town, with investigators finding his hair and his wife’s on the bodies of some of the alleged victims.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said cops had found a ‘tremendous amount of information’ during the search, which included cadaver dogs
The family have returned to the property following Heuermann’s arrest, taking minimal items with them
Heuermann was arrested on July 13 outside of his property in Midtown Manhattan and charged with the deaths of sex workers Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello. Pictured with colleague Katherine Shepherd
Heuermann’s wife Asa Ellerup was last seen with her daughter Victoria Heuermann, 26, and son Chris Sheridan, 32, outside a Best Buy last wee k
His wife was at the property when authorities raided it on July 14, with her lawyer saying the family had been ‘blindsided’ by the murder charges
A forensic photographer is seen bending over the tray of objects found at Heuermann’s house
He is accused of killing them, before posing them in a specific way and wrapping them in burlap bags which were later found at Gilgo Beach.
Since his bombshell arrest in Manhattan, the once quiet block where the married father lived, has become the scene of a media circus and a popular destination for crime junkies.
Dozens of people from all parts of Long Island and further abroad have been seen stopping to catch a glimpse of the active crime scene, as forensic teams comb the Massapequa Park home for evidence.
But locals say the influx of visitors has made their lives hell, and they’re fearful of how much worse it’ll get when police conclude their investigation at the property this week.
Mayor Daniel Pearl confirmed that they are looking into purchasing the First avenue home, and would possibly demolish it to discourage ghouls from seeking souvenir photos, or stealing items to sell.
Authorities finished scouring the property for evidence, after digging up the backyard of the property and used ground-penetrating radar to search for any disturbances
Heuermann’s first-generation Chevy Avalanche was seized by cops in rural South Carolina and has been taken back to New York
DailyMail.com understands Heuermann sold the vehicle to his brother who has regularly been driving it on the roads around his 18-acre compound in Chester, South Carolina
The Heuermann-Ellerup home in Long Island is pictured Saturday, as investigators remove items from the house
A yellow excavator is seen on Monday outside the Massapequa Park, Long Island home of Rex Heuermann
Officers are stationed around the property at all hours to ward off unwanted visitors and property is also under 24-hour video surveillance. Anyone found ogling the home will be issued a $150 summons.
Detectives are now looking into unsolved murders across the country to see if they are linked to Heuermann.
Cops are probing whether he operated in the Atlantic City area, and have been interviewing jailed sex workers who interacted with him.
The investigation now covers four states – Heuermann owns a time-share in Las Vegas and a property in South Carolina – and police are investigating if he could be connected to any unsolved killings there.
The finds are recorded on a tablet after being photographed
Police said they believe the alleged killer may have murdered at least one of his victims inside the home
‘No Standing, No stopping’ signs went up around the house of accused Gilgo Beach murderer Rex Heuermann’s home on Wednesday morning
Police, FBI and Crime Lab officials take toys and stuffed animals from Rex Heuermann’s home in Massapequa Park, Long Island, on Sunday
Officers executed search warrants at his home in Chester, South Carolina, and recovered a green Chevrolet Avalanche truck they believe is connected to the suspect and one of the murders and transported it back to New York.
Cops in Rock Hill, just 20 miles from where Heuermann bought the wild 18-acre plot of land, where his brother lives, confirmed they are looking anew at the case of Aaliyah Bell Hall who went missing in 2014.
Investigators revealed that they moved to arrest Heuermann over fears that the suspected murderer could strike again.
Cops had Heuermann under surveillance since last year, and had planned to continue to follow him as they built their case.
They decided to make the arrest in the interest of ‘public safety,’ Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney.
