Long Island Serial Killer suspect Rex Heuermann’s wife Asa Ellerup filed for divorce to ‘protect herself’ from any future lawsuits and has spoken with her husband in jail, her attorney revealed last night.
Ellerup has been largely quiet since her husband was taken into custody on July 18, 10 years after the bodies of his alleged victims were found on Gilgo Beach.
She has not been charged and is not believed to have been involved in any way in her husband’s alleged crimes.
Prosecutors say Ellerup, who is Icelandic, was out of town every time her husband killed. After he was charged, she was seen filing divorce papers at a Long Island courthouse.
Her attorney Robert Macedonio told CNN it was largely a precautionary step to ensure she is not liable for any future compensation the families of the victims may pursue.
Asa Ellerup filed for divorce not long after her husband Rex Heuermann, 59, was arrested. Her attorney says she did so to ‘protect herself’ from future lawsuits
Attorney Robert Macedonio told CNN that Ellerup and her husband have spoken at least once
‘It just means you anticipate there may be lawsuits, there may be financial situations she arises in.
‘She needs to focus on herself and her children moving forward.
‘This criminal trial could take two to three years to play out. And she sees it on moving on with her life and her children’s life.
‘And however that works out, she’ll deal with that at the time,’ he said.
He added that the pair have spoken since he was taken into custody, but he does not know what the nature of the conversation was.
‘I believe there has [been contact] but you have to realize any phone calls are recorded out of the facility.
‘So she’s been very basic phone calls. Everything’s recorded. She’s not to discuss anything, and nor does his attorneys want him discussing anything about the allegations,’ he said.
Ellerup broke her silence outside the family home last week. She talked about the trauma of what she had ‘seen’, and about trying to move on. Her attorneys say her home has been torn apart by forensics teams
For weeks, research and forensics teams tore through every inch of the small house and yard in Massapequa Park.
Macedonio says it destroyed the family.
‘She came home to complete destruction of her family residence where she lived and raised the children. Everything in the house was turned upside down. Dresser drawers were emptied out.
‘The bathroom tub, which was a vinyl tub, was actually cut open. The floors were ripped up.
‘The couches and the mattresses have been removed, and just piles and piles of debris that were left in the residence where you barely had walking space to get into the house.
‘They haven’t even had the opportunity to go through all the items the way it’s been left, so they’re taking the time to do that as we speak.
The chaotic scene outside the Heuermann home in Massapequa Park, where investigators worked for weeks
Ellerup’s attorney says they tore through every inch of the home
‘And each day it’s bringing more and more emotion because they’re finding items and not finding items, and it’s bringing about emotions from them and memories of living in the house and what it was like prior to all this happening,’ he said.
The Heuermann family has received support from the family of Keith Jesperson, the Happy Face Killer.
His daughter, Melissa Moore, has been in touch with Asa.
‘She is probably one of the few people have been in situations like Asa, who her father was arrested as an alleged serial killer and convicted for murdering at least eight women.
‘She has started a GoFundMe page on behalf of Asa and her family and has been extremely supportive of Asa, and, you know, getting her through this time of need,’ he said.
Heuermann is expected in court this afternoon for his second appearance.
He has so far pleaded not guilty via his attorney to three counts of murder.
He is the prime suspect in a fourth killing – that of Maureen Brainard-Barnes – and detectives continue to investigate whether or not he is linked to the murders of six other victims found on the beach.
