About this transcript: This is a full AI-generated transcript of FULL HEARING: Gilgo Beach killer Rex Heuermann sentenced to life in prison from East Idaho News, published June 18, 2026. The transcript contains 18,494 words with timestamps and was generated using Whisper AI.
"All rise, dear ye, dear ye, all persons having business in trial term, Part 7 of Supreme Court, State of New York, held in and for the county of Suffolk, we'll draw an ear, give your attendance and ye shall be heard, the Honorable King T. Mays and presiding, be seated and come to work. Good..."
[00:00:00] Speaker 1: All rise, dear ye, dear ye, all persons having business in trial term, Part 7 of Supreme Court, State of New York, held in and for the county of Suffolk, we'll draw an ear, give your attendance and ye shall be heard, the Honorable King T. Mays and presiding, be seated and come to work.
[00:00:15] Speaker 2: Good morning.
[00:00:22] Speaker 1: On the Part 7 calendar, number 1 for conference, Dennis Grandos Tercios.
[00:00:26] Speaker 2: That's June 22nd, defense request.
[00:00:30] Speaker 1: Also, number 2 for conference, Dennis Grandos Tercios, June 22nd.
[00:00:35] Speaker 2: Correct.
[00:00:38] Speaker 1: Number 4 for VOP hearing, Anthony Sands.
[00:00:41] Speaker 2: July 23rd, defense request.
[00:00:46] Speaker 1: Number 3 on for sentencing, Rex A. Heuergen.
[00:00:49] Speaker 2: Let's get him out.
[00:01:00] Speaker ?: Thank you.
[00:01:30] Speaker 2: Actually, you know, while we're waiting for the defendant to be brought out, the Office of Court Administration requires me to read the following. Before we proceed, the court is in receipt of numerous applications from media and press agencies seeking permission to video record and or photograph today's proceeding. The court is mindful of the significant public interest in this matter and the important role of the press in ensuring transparency and public access to the judicial process. At the same time, the court must ensure full compliance with New York law governing media coverage of court proceedings, and the court is duty-bound to safeguard the integrity of these proceedings. Accordingly, the court will permit limited media access as follows. One pool video camera from News 12 and one pool still photographer from Newsday will be allowed to record and photograph the proceedings. The camera persons, Mr. Ryan and Mr. Carbone, have been expressly advised that they are under order of the court to promptly disseminate the videos and photographs that are obtained herein to any and all members of accredited media agencies upon their request. It is the court's understanding that relatives of victims in this case will be addressing the court this morning. Any person who does not wish to be recorded or photographed during the address of the court, please notify the court immediately and the court will direct the camera persons to turn off their equipment. Camera persons are directly applied by the following conditions. Now, I've been advised by both sides that there is no one who does not wish to be recorded. Is that correct, Mr. Kenny?
[00:03:05] Speaker 3: Yes, Your Honor.
[00:03:06] Speaker 2: Thank you. Fixed cameras positions. No panning and no view of gallery blurred out gallery. No close-ups of victims during impact statements. No flash or supplemental lighting. No audio recording of off-record matters, private conversations, sidebars, or other court proceedings. Pool sharing required. Compliance with all courts and instructions. Like any other case, no one else here or in the overflow courtroom is permitted to film, tape, audio record, photograph, or otherwise record today's proceeding. This determination reflects the court's efforts to balance the public's right of access with the legal requirement prohibiting coverage of testimonial proceedings, as well as the need to preserve the fairness, dignity, and orderly administration of justice. The court's efforts to balance the public's right of access to the legal requirements. The court's efforts to balance the public's right of access to the legal requirements. The court's efforts to balance the public's right of access to the legal requirements.
[00:04:27] Speaker ?: The court's efforts to balance the public's right of access to the legal requirements. The court's efforts to balance the public's right of access to the legal requirements. The court's efforts to balance the public's right of access to the legal requirements. The court's efforts to balance the public's right of access to the legal requirements. The court's efforts to balance the public's right of access to the legal requirements. The court's right of access to the legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:04:40] Speaker 2: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:04:43] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:04:56] Speaker 4: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:05:00] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:05:05] Speaker 5: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:05:07] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:05:09] Speaker 2: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:05:12] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:05:25] Speaker 2: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:05:40] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:06:15] Speaker 6: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:06:23] Speaker 7: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:06:25] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:06:25] Speaker 7: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:06:29] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:06:30] Speaker 8: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:06:36] Speaker 5: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:06:40] Speaker 2: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:06:45] Speaker 6: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:06:46] Speaker 2: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:06:47] Speaker 8: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:06:49] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:06:50] Speaker 8: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:06:51] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:06:51] Speaker 8: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:07:27] Speaker 9: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:07:28] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:07:29] Speaker 8: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:07:31] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:08:07] Speaker 2: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:08:09] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:08:11] Speaker 4: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:08:18] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:08:19] Speaker 4: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:08:23] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:08:24] Speaker 4: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:08:37] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:08:39] Speaker 4: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:08:41] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:08:49] Speaker 4: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:08:51] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:08:53] Speaker 4: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:09:04] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:09:13] Speaker 10: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:09:18] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:09:21] Speaker 11: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:10:14] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:10:15] Speaker 11: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:10:26] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:10:27] Speaker 11: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:10:32] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:10:33] Speaker 11: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:10:44] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:10:46] Speaker 11: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:10:58] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:11:00] Speaker 11: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:11:10] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:11:11] Speaker 11: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:11:23] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:11:26] Speaker 11: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:11:27] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:11:28] Speaker 2: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:11:30] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:11:37] Speaker 8: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:11:43] Speaker 2: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:11:44] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:12:03] Speaker 12: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:13:11] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:13:19] Speaker 8: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:13:30] Speaker ?: The court's right of access to legal requirements.
[00:13:31] Speaker 8: The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. The court's right of access to legal requirements. Such a degree of evil and selfishness you have acted out. Warrants no possible excuse. I will leave you with this. You will reap what you have sown. No one exempt from that universal truth. Next, Ms. Jasmine Robinson and Violet Swagger. Cousins of Jessica Taylor. Wish to address the court.
[00:14:17] Speaker 13: I'll never forget how I felt when I got that call. I couldn't wrap my mind around the word torso. No way could someone do that to someone I love.
[00:14:40] Speaker 14: Torso. Headless and handless. These words haunt me. Our prefrontal cortex had barely finished. Tor. Torso? I thought that was a midriff. It's a chopped up body. No way. Disgusting. Awful. Terrifying. Monstrous. Brutal. What? Parts of her are all over the place missing? They didn't find all of her? All of her. Headless and handless. I still don't understand. That weekend. That weekend she was supposed to come home. That weekend family and friends were looking for her. Loved ones were calling her. She wasn't going to miss that weekend. She never picked up the phone. She didn't call anyone back. Because of you. I will hate Khalil forever. And I can't even put into words the eviscerating loading I have for you. My heart broke even more that there were more victims. Sick. Twisted. Heartless. There aren't enough words for these murders. My heart sinks even low for the victims that have not been named or found. May they too get justice. Twenty-three years. Twenty-three years we've waited. For a while it felt like this day would never come. The pain and devastation your murders have caused is immeasurable. Sometimes it doesn't feel real. Decades later her presence is missed. Always. Decades we have wondered who could have done that. And then the call. They found her skull. Her skull? My cousin's skull. Was found. Years. Later. Miles. Away. We had a memorial to celebrate her. I daydream of the woman she'd be today. And I smile with pride. Today she turns our age. Her half birthday was my birthday. And my half birthday was her birthday. And we would laugh. Because the calendar map is wrong. I miss her. I know she'd be just as obsessed with my nephew as I am. My sister and I are super close. And we were young. The three of those girls were weekend warriors. It was like Jazzy got a big sister cousin and I got a twin cousin. We were amazing together. Always coming up with stuff. Always creating, exploring. We knew how to be free when we were together. Weekend warriors. Eighties and nineties kids. Kids playing double dutch. And that old memory game Husker Du. Hand clapped lanes. And Nintendo when we could get a turn. Learning the Tootsie Roll at a dance party in a church basement. Being at Aunt Buck's house. Having dance parties. And movie family nights. Staying up late. Soda milk. Some people call it dirty soda. But it's soda milk. Speaking, watching tales from the cripples. With my sister when maybe she was too young. Using whatever you can to lay your edges. She was always blind. Some weekends we were country mice. Some weekends we were city mice. Slick and sly in any environment. Adaptable. We'd explore and we'd strive for more. Forever curious and longing to experience more. Longing to live full lives. We shared everything. Family secrets that will never be yours to know. We shared the good and the bad. We loved each other and knew we always had each other's backs. Even when time and distance kept us apart. And then we almost grew up. I was working and noticed my cousin's face on TV. It was her awful mug shot. And that terrible photo of her scratched up tattoo. Terrible! And the way they were describing her. Like she had no one. It's strange. And nobody. My bestie called me immediately. And told me my cousin was on the TV. And I'm not going to like how they portray her. She was right. And I had already seen it. And was more than angry. Just because someone's family doesn't want to talk to the press. Does not mean they aren't suffering extreme loss and pain. Pain and grief are different for all of us. The narrative and language regarding Jess and the other victims is finally starting to take a turn. But we can't unhear and unfeel the past. Until you came around, nobody ever questioned who is or isn't my family. The way the press has treated the victims and their families over the years is painful. Bringing out the worst of the worst. This will never be over. Maybe now strangers will stop trying to figure out our family. You won't get it. And quite frankly, I don't give a damn.
[00:19:45] Speaker 11: You won't get it.
[00:19:46] Speaker 14: But I can't let you overtake me and I will stand strong for my cousin and the many other victims. Including the ones you're holding on to. Like a carrot over the FBI because of this behavioral health study. You went from freak to clown. Better work, creep. I hope you and I believe that science and detectives will beat you to the punch. Remember when they surrounded you out of nowhere to arrest you? I love that footage. I could watch it over and over. I almost feel sorry for not publicly speaking before this. And the voices that still can't. But if ever there was a time for me to talk about Jessica Taylor. My cousin. My brave, fun, hilarious, spunky, smart, beautiful friend. There are songs that I listen to and I can still hear. He did not just say "Shave your face with some of these." Then laugh. And the 80's and 90's would not have been the same without each other. And the future won't be the same without her. A million years isn't enough. Because you won't suffer for that long. You will spend the rest of your forever in prison. And it doesn't feel satisfying. Nothing will ever make this right. This kind of grief stays. Knowing you can never do it again does give me some comfort. Just as always does.
[00:21:17] Speaker 15: Do you want to end up like Jessica? That is a question I heard many times as a teenager. Something spoken out of the fear of knowing what a monster is truly capable of. The answer was yes. I did want to end up like Jess. She was fierce, kind, compassionate, beautiful, and intelligent. She loved every person she met better than she found them. Even if they only met for a moment. She never met a stranger. She was pure sunshine. I wish all of the time that I could know her as the woman that I am today. That I could see the woman she would have become. That I would have hugged her tighter the last time that I saw her. That she could know my son. The trips us and my sister could have had. The memories we could have continued to make. Instead, I try to remember her through the memories that I'm lucky to hold onto. I pray to her and I leave flowers in memory of her. And the places that she was left behind. I fought for her when she couldn't fight. I promised her until the wheels fell off. And I never gave up. Even when it felt like I was screaming underwater. If I could say something to her murderer, I would say this. You thought you took her voice. But you didn't know that she had people who loved her. You hunted her. And I hunted you. I would say to her murderer. For someone who spent so much time perfecting his skills. You certainly were sloppy. You made a whole planning document to kill my cousin. And you couldn't even do that right. Let's go through your lists. Problems. DNA. Left it. Messed up there, huh? Supplies. Hairnet. Well, so much for that. Body prep. Roof DNA. Once again. You wrote it down twice and you still couldn't get it. And remove ID marks. Well, we know you couldn't do that because she was identified by the tattoo that you couldn't put out properly. I can wrap my head around why you would kill because who would want to be around you? What I can't wrap my head around is why would the FBI even want to waste their time with you? You're boring. You're not prolific. You couldn't even be top five. You're a nobody. You didn't invade the police. Just wasn't worked properly. If the police work and the technology was the same as 2023, you would have been locked up then. You were right there the whole time, losing control while the clock ticked. I know why you did what you did to my cousin after you killed her. It's because she saw you as the huge freak that you are. I know she let you know up until the end. I know she did not go out without a fight. You chose small women because you were nothing more than a weak, disgusting coward. It makes sense how you didn't see them as human. It's kind of the same way nobody saw you as a human in high school. You tried to fit in your whole life and you never could. Your whole life was fake. All for you to perfect a craft that you couldn't perfect. You could never get it right. You could never have full control. You want to know what it is to play God? Well, you will have to face him. Today is Jessica's birthday. She'd be turning 43 today and I would be able to make fun of her for being an old lady with my sister. When I started my fight for her, there was a piece of me who thought I could bring her back if I got answers. While unfortunately that will never be true, I know one day I will get to hug her in heaven. I'm so grateful for this day of justice and I know she is too. I hope she is singing with the angels today and we will forever celebrate her and all of you victims with love. Happy birthday, Jess. Thank you. Thank you.
[00:25:16] Speaker 8: Next, Your Honor, Melissa Missy Cannon, sister of Maureen Granite Barnes, wishes to address the court. She will be accompanied by her husband, Percy.
[00:25:39] Speaker ?: Your Honor, in this court, nothing could have prepared me for the day that Maureen didn't come home.
[00:25:45] Speaker 7: At first, I kept telling myself that she would call at any moment, that everything would somehow be okay. But as days turning to years that hope slowly faded into a devastating reality, after years of searching for Maureen, my world shattered. The day my sister was found in the brambles on the side of a dark, lonely island. She was not just murder, she was a victim of a predator, a serial killer. This was not just a murder, this was a calculated, unimaginable evil. It was a shack so profound that my mind and body could not process it. Because when Maureen was identified, it meant facing the truth that she was gone forever. And that pain is a miracle. I lived with survivor's guilt for over a decade.
[00:26:53] Speaker 11: I replayed every moment, over and over again in my mind.
[00:27:03] Speaker 7: Asking myself what if, what if I'd done something differently, when Maureen would still be here today. That question became a weight I carried everywhere. It was constant, heavy, and painfully real. That guilt changed me. I held onto it because I believed that I had to. I told myself that if I let go, then what kind of sister would I be? I didn't allow myself to feel happiness or peace for alone. Because Maureen never got that chance. Deep down. I convinced myself that somehow this was all my fault. It has taken me years to know the truth. My actions did not cause my sister's death. The guilt is not mine to carry, and never loves. This burden belongs to Rex. And Rex alone. I hope he is forced to sit with the reality to feel even a fraction of the weight, the trauma, and the pain I've carried for so long. Your Honor, I would like to tell you about my sister Maureen. Maureen was a rare soul, someone you didn't come across often. She was intelligent in a way that walked beyond books. She was deeply insightful in the kind of person who would understand you with just a few minutes of conversation. Anyone who sat with her, even for five minutes, will walk away knowing how extraordinary she truly was. Maureen was there for me through every chapter of her life that she was alive to witness it. She comforted me when I was a scared child, and thunder shook the house. She was the first person I saw when I woke up from a medically induced coma on life support after a serious car crash. Standing beside me, picking cloths and dirt out of my hair, in my most vulnerable moment, she advocated for me and made sure I was cared for. She was there on her own birthday while I was being induced into labor, and my daughter was born the very next day. When I look back on my life with Maureen, I remember her as my protector, someone who loved me unconditionally. She never judged me, or tried to change me. She loved me exactly as I was. If Maureen life had not been taken, I believe she would have gone on to touch countless lives in a deeply positive way. That's the kind of person she was. She was loving, selfless, and unforgettable. She had a nurturing spirit, always putting others before herself, her kindness, her warmth, and selflessness. It left a lasting mark on everyone who knew her. She was vibrant, and she is my sister. The last words she said to me were, "I love you, I'll see you tomorrow," because she was supposed to come home from New York City. Her words never left me. They still echoed in my mind. Maureen, my brother Will, and I were inseparable. But Will isn't here today. He died a year before Maureen was found. I will be his voice today. He lived in time not knowing what happened to her. He never stopped searching. He went to New York over and over, handing out her pictures, knocking on doors, chasing any lead he could find. He wrote on her MySpace, hoping she would somehow see it and come home. He wrote, "I love you, Maureen. I'll never forget you. And if you could see this, please contact me. You know, no matter what's going on, I'm here for you. I love you, Maureen." That loss never left him, but it changed him. He carried the weight of her disappearance every day, the guilt of feeling like he couldn't protect her, like he should have done more. And he carried that pain with him until the day he died. Your Honor, you see, this was not only a destruction of life. This has became a lifelong devastation of a family who's loved her. The trauma he created didn't end with me, has affected my children, is something that then passed down to children, mother to child and beyond. When is the lasting damage of his actions? Rex didn't just take my sister, he ripped her out of my life and shattered everything I thought I knew about safety, trust, and the world around me. When he took her life, he destroyed mine as I knew it. There is a permanent emptiness, a wound that will never heal. I am not who I was before because of him, and I never will be again. Since Maureen's murder, this case has changed the way I see the world. What once felt normal now feels unpredictable and unsafe. My mind doesn't go to what's likely, it goes straight to the most unthinkable outcome. Every situation can spiral into fear. I overthink, I panic, and the danger I imagine feels real, like it's already happening. I've spent years trying to heal, I've gone to EMDR therapy, PSD treatment, and counseling, but no matter how much work I've done, there's a wall I can't seem to break because I struggle trusting people with my story. And without trust, it feels impossible to fully heal. When Rex chose to take Maureen's life, he didn't just take her from us, he took my sense of safety, he took my peace of mind. He took the way I used to move through the world without fear. In many ways, I became one of his victims too. I live with this every day, it's like being trapped, shackled in your own mind, imprisoned by fear and constant tear, I can't escape. But I'm here today to take back my sense of safety, that was taken from me, and confront my deepest fear. Rex, while you thought you had gotten away with what you've done, I made it my life, mission, to see you found and brought to justice. Without you knowing it, I became your worst nightmare. You thought you were hidden, and you thought you were smarter than anybody else, able to live in the shadows without consequence. But you were wrong. The voices of our families grew louder, our grief turned into strength, and the determination of law enforcement and this district attorney's office only testified until the truth caught up with you. I noticed the slight smile on your face when the judge spoke about cooperating with the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit. You looked proud, almost honored to be associated with something you yourself have studied, read, and studied about. But there's no honor in this. You are not going to be part of something admirable. You are going to be a subject, confined, examined, reduced to a case study. Nothing more than a case specimen, picked apart so others could understand the depth of your cruelty. Hear this clearly. Your name will never rise above the woman you stole from this world. We will not allow it. They are the ones who matter, and they are the ones who will be remembered. In the end, they will be remembered for only what you are. Small, hallow, and defined entirely by the destruction you caused. I don't know what shaped you, or what pain or anger you may have carried, but I know this with certainty. It wasn't Maureen, it wasn't Melissa, Megan, Amber, Jessica, Valerie, Sandra, or Karen. They did not create the darkness inside you. They were innocent and paid the price for something that was never theirs to begin with. You are a coward who preyed on vulnerable, innocent women. You hid behind a mask, presenting yourself as normal. A father, a husband, someone people could trust. But that mask was a lie. The truth is who you are. A man without empathy, without a soul. Someone who hunted, tortured, and murdered women to satisfy the darkness within you. For years, we lived in the shadow of what you did. We carried the pain, the fear, the unanswered questions, but today that changes today. You are no longer the one in control of this story. Maureen was not just a victim. She is a daughter, a sister, a mother, a woman who was loved deeply and will never be forgotten. And while you try to silence her, you failed. You may have taken her presence, but you can never erase her voice and the memories of her. It lives on in every truth spoken, every tear shed, and every act of courage inspired by her memory. I found my strength through her voice. From the pain you cause, I build resilience. From the silence you try to force, I rose louder to you. This is about more than justice. This is me stepping fully in my light after years of surviving your darkness. It's about reclaiming what you try to break, and honoring what you can never destroy.
[00:36:15] Speaker ?: Love.
[00:36:23] Speaker 8: Next, Your Honor, Miss Nicolette Brainerd-Barnes and Dylan Haggett, the son and daughter of Maureen Brainerd-Barnes, wish to address the court. They will be accompanied by Marie Ducharme, Maureen Brainerd-Barnes' mother.
[00:36:42] Speaker ?: Next, Your Honor, Miss Nicolette Brainerd-Barnes and Dylan Haggett, the son and daughter of Maureen Brainerd-Barnes. Sorry.
[00:37:04] Speaker 7: Your Honor, my name is Nicolette Brainerd-Barnes. I am the daughter of Maureen Brainerd-Barnes. Before we talk about the case, I'd like to talk about my mom. She was a warm, bubbly, funny, intelligent, and artistic person. Most of all, she had the biggest heart of anyone I've ever known. When she would pass an unhoused person on the street, she would literally give them her last dollar, or at least stop to acknowledge them and see how they were doing if she didn't have any money on her. She was a language arts girly, a poet, an avid reader. She was politically outspoken and that carried through in her writing. She loved hip-hop and R&B music and would write raps in her poetry notebooks, saying she wanted to be a rapper. She had a strong sense of humor and the most contagious laugh. She was young at heart, but she was also just young. She lived for only another few weeks past her 25th birthday. When I myself turned 25, it wasn't the joyful milestone that most young people enjoyed. It was jarring and painful because I knew that it meant I'd now lived longer than my mom did. Today, I'm nearly two years older than she will ever be. Rex Herman stole decades of life from a woman who should still be here making memories with the people who love her. The loss of my mother and the circumstances surrounding her death have impacted me in many ways. I've had to go to years of therapy and I've tried many different treatments and medications. I've dealt with extreme paranoia and anxiety and experienced severe PTSD. It's affected every aspect of my life. Even now that heroine's been caught, I will never be someone who can relax because I had such overwhelming fear at such a formative age. I was only seven years old when I lost my mother. And for the next three years, she was missing. I had to wonder what happened to her. The first time I remember experiencing depression in my life was my first Christmas without her. I didn't realize at the time that that's what it was, but I remember just feeling so empty and wondering why I felt so sad when it was Christmas and I had received every present I wanted. But I didn't have my mother. I was a little girl and I needed my mom. And there are moments that have yet to come when I will need her and she will not be there. People tell me how alike we are. Our mannerisms, views on things, interests, hobbies. Those seven years of her set the blueprint for who I am. My life has been immeasurably altered by the loss of my mother. There is no part of it untouched by her absence. Her death did not create a single moment of grief. It created a lifetime of them. My life is largely defined by the countless ways it could have been different if she were still here. I often think about the person I might have been if I had the chance to grow up with my mother. That question has no answer and that is part of the injustice that I live with every day. I have been shaped as much by my mother's absence as I would have been by her presence. I want to shift focus for a moment to acknowledge the investigators and members of the task force who took over this case in 2022. Throughout an unimaginably painful process made more painful by the court of public opinion slandering my mother and the other victims. They treated my family and my mother's memory with dignity, compassion, and respect. They never allowed her to become just a file or a headline. They kept the victims and our families at the center of their work and that has meant more than I can fully express. In a case that often felt defined by stigma, they gave our family moments of humanity. My mother was not a headline, a statistic, or a label. She was not defined by one chapter of her life and she certainly was not defined by the circumstances of her death. Like every sex worker, my mom was an entire human being. When Rex Heurman took her from the world, he took someone with hopes and plans for her life. He took a mother, a daughter, an aunt, a friend. He took someone who was deeply loved and can never be replaced. He reduced vibrant women with families of personalities, dreams, humor, and histories into names on a list. They were all far more complex, compassionate, and interesting people than he will ever be. My mother lived a real, colorful, complicated life. She loved, she struggled, she mattered, and she deserved the chance to keep living. The women he targeted were not disposable. They were deeply loved and their absence has left permanent wounds in the lives of everyone who knew them. My mother's life had depth, warmth, humor, and meaning. The same is true for the other women whose lives he stole. Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Costello, Sandra Castilla, Karen Vergata, Valerie Mack, and Jessica Taylor. They will be remembered for who they were and how deeply they were loved. He will be remembered only for destruction. For all the attention this case has brought him, he remains the least interesting person in it. My mother and the other victims live full, complex lives that matter infinitely more than the men who cut them short. And to Rex, I know you want the world to think you have the capacity for love and that you love those close to you, but the mask you wear does not fool me. You are a pathetic man who thinks you're better than women. You need to believe that sex workers are subhuman because you're a coward who takes out your own shortcomings on others. I feel bad for you because your capacity for hate means that you can't possibly understand love. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person.
[00:43:08] Speaker ?: I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person. I feel bad for you because I'm not a person.
[00:43:16] Speaker 16: My name is Dylan and I am the son of Maureen. When I lost her, I was just one year old. My earliest memories are defined by anxiety, fear, and sadness. Not knowing where she had went and why I did not have her in my life. I don't remember her voice or her face or the love she gave me as a baby. I never had my mom to see me on my first days of school. I never had her when I graduated. I never had her when I needed her. And I will never have her in the future when I need her. She never got to see who I would become. And she never got to play a role in shaping who I will become. The trauma of losing my mom in such a way, at such a young age, affected every part of my life and will continue to affect every part of my life. Thank you.
[00:44:13] Speaker 8: Your Honor, next, Ms. Amanda Funderburg, sister of Melissa Bartholomew, wishes to address the court. She will be accompanied by both her mother and Alyssa's mother, Lynn Bartholomew.
[00:44:25] Speaker 17: My name is Amanda, and I am the sister of Melissa Bartholomew. Of course, she would have led her under the name Chloe. Melissa married Bartholomew, born April 14, 1985, in Buffalo, New York. Today, if she were here, she would be 41 years old, but instead, she's forever 24. Growing up, my sister was always there for me, whether it be taking care of me while my mom was at work, making me lunch, doing my hair, walking to my aunt's house, playing games, watching TV, or just sitting in silence together. She was nine years older than me, so naturally I looked up to her. She was my sister, but also like a second mom. I'd protect her, and later would become my best friend. She was thoughtful, and she always checked in. Even when she went to Texas with her father, she would call and check in with my mom and I. She'd send me letters with pictures she drew, and she would send me a nightlight she made by hand, because she knew I was terrified of the dark, which I still have to this day. I don't use it. She was a fighter for love, for family, and for a better life. She wanted to open her own hair salon one day, which made me and my family for getting things. She was a high school graduate, and even went on to cosmetology school before moving to New York City. Melissa was kind-hearted to give your shirt off her bad kind, the kind that would give someone the last of her money or a place to stay if they needed. She told you like it was, even if it was to simply tell you she didn't like you. She was strong-willed, determined, ambitious, and an amazing role model. She loved to cuddle, to laugh, she loved the color baby blue, her beauty dressed, and she loved her family, including her cats. She loved music, clothes, sneakers, food, roller coasters, and a good long island iced tea. Don't get me wrong, she had her flaws, she was stubborn, she was always right, and she was selective on who she liked. As I got older, if I did something I wasn't supposed to do, she'd even tell on me like I did with her when I was a kid. She'd pick on me in the type of I love you way, which I acquired that trait for her. She was a little conceited, and I would always laugh at her when she was getting ready in the mirror, because she would make this face like she was the most beautiful woman in the world, which truly made me admire her confidence, so I guess that's a good thing. After my sister moved to the Bronx, I'd only get to see her once or twice a year. She'd always come home for Christmas and stay until after the New Year. And if I was lucky, I got to stay with her for the summer. I remember the last holiday I spent with Melissa, I didn't hug her goodbye, thinking I'd see her again in a few short months when I went to spend the summer with her. I remember the last time I spoke with her, she was telling me how to get my plane ticket from the kiosk at the airport. Not knowing that trip would never come, that next hump would never come, and that holiday would have been the last time I'd see her. She would go missing in July of 2009, about a week before I was supposed to fly out to her.
[00:47:27] Speaker ?: And I always wonder if it would have happened if I would have been there. Would she still be here? Would she have been spared because you wouldn't have met her?
[00:47:35] Speaker 17: Or because I would have known where she was going? But those questions don't matter because you still took her from me and from all of us. You can look at me while we're talking. It's been about 17 years since we spoke, don't forget. We charged the relationship between my mother and I for a while. She was afraid for me because of you. She was afraid when I locked the house that I wouldn't with her. And it was also hard for her to be there for me the way I needed her to be. When she herself was fighting for my sister's life. For someone to take us seriously. Fighting for her own life and for her sanity. Thankfully we were able to reconcile that relationship, something you'll probably never have with your daughter. And I hope that's something that haunts you for the rest of the way holds a very short-lived life. I was forced to live with crippling anxiety, depression, PTSD, and a destroyed nervous system. I was filled with rage and sadness every single day. For a while depression had got the best of me and so I barely ate and I cried and slept on repeat. I was afraid of people that looked at me for too long. I was mortified any time I heard a noise if I was home alone. I had to check the back of my car every time I got in. I was worried about meeting new people or being in large crowds. My heart even skipped a beat until I got a call from a blocked number. Constantly staring at my phone waiting for the next call from you. Because of the several times you had called me from my sister's phone. Telling me she was a whore. And that you raped her in the ass. And that I should have seen the look on her face when you raped her in the ass. Or how I'd ask you where she was. And you'd tell me that you were letting her body rot and that maybe one day you'd come tell me where she was. I had to repeat all of this to my mother and to countless detectives. Constantly playing these words out loud and in my head. And watching my mom grieve her baby girl was one of the most gut-wrenching things I've ever had to experience. I was always focused on the possibility of a next phone call for where my sister was so much that I couldn't even focus on school. I was 15. 15 years old. I know you don't care. I was just going into 10th grade. And I never have done it. Because even when I was in school, my mind wasn't actually present. I was robbed of my youth. I was robbed of my young adulthood. And I still feel robbed to this day. There were so many years that I didn't want to be on this earth anymore. I was never taking my own life. But I got to the point where I didn't care what happened to me. I simply didn't want to be here without her. I didn't feel safe. I didn't feel loved. And I didn't feel like I belonged anywhere because part of me was missing. I had the guilt that I had hidden her work from everyone because maybe if I had told my mom, just maybe, she would have stopped. Melissa would have been angry with me, but that I could have looked with because she'd still be here. I wonder what exactly made you think she was expendable. What made you think she didn't have anyone that loved or cared about her. After all that I endured, I still chose to fight and be resilient. We all did. We did it alone and we did it together. My family and all the other families came together as one and we fought as one. You might have taken our girls from us, but we gained each other, which clearly worked against you. There was a time I almost felt bad for you, thinking, wow, someone really messed up this guy. Then I reminded myself that we're all animals. We're all capable of being monsters, whether we like to offend her or not.
[00:50:46] Speaker ?: We all have the truce of thoughts.
[00:50:48] Speaker 17: The difference between us and you is you. We don't act on them. You had a choice and you made the wrong one. You became nothing but a nuisance to society. Don't even bother saying that you're sorry or you couldn't help yourself because no one believes that even for a moment. Because of you, I never get to see my big sister again. Because of you, I've missed out on so many memories made with her. Seeing her girl, watching her interests change. Never getting to see if she'd open a salon, if she'd have a family, if she would have moved back home. Or even love her favorite song with you right now. I hope that even the thought of pizza reminds you how bad you messed up, taking away the precious lives of our loved ones. And how you've been a health accountable for your actions. And although I can't do it myself, I hope you suffer to the fullest extent of the hands of others, the way you made our girls suffer. And I hope the word ogre, you know, the media called me an ogre, I hope that sticks with you because that's truly what you are. A large man with unpleasant traits, a violent man, a repulsive monster, a demon inside and out. And don't get me wrong, I'm overjoyed that you've been taken out of society so you can't take anyone's loved ones away from them anymore. But in my eyes, justice isn't served. Our girls don't get to come back now. Justice in my eyes is our families, lifting the same pain that you inflicted on our girls and all the others, I believe, are still out there. Believe me when I say you're not the only capable person in this room. You murdered my sister, and the things I do to you are far worse than anything you've ever done to anyone, or even thought of. And just because you have a few fans, remember, you are hated by so many. And I know everyone spoke on heaven, but do me a favor, save me a spot in hell, cause I'll see you there.
[00:52:23] Speaker 8: The final two speakers who will wish to give their statements to the court are Elizabeth Miserra, the aunt of Megan Morgan, and Liliana Waterman, the daughter of Megan Morgan.
[00:52:45] Speaker 18: The honor, I stand before you as the aunt of Megan Morgan, who was loved dearly for her humor, strength, and the love of her. I am honored to be a voice of Megan Amelior Flodman. Megan was being prostituted by a King Cruz, a pimp who disguised himself as her boyfriend. And because of his trafficking of my niece, the prisoner, who sits in this courtroom today, was able to rob her of her life, and rob those who loved her from a future with her. On June 6, 2010, the prisoner not only took all of Megan's hopes and dreams, but he also shattered our family. Megan left the Holiday Inn Express in Hawpaw, New York, to meet the predator who stole her from us. I'm certain my niece fought as hard as she possibly could to come back to her daughter, whom she loved with every fiber of her being. Her loss has caused immeasurable hardship for our family, medically, financially, emotionally, and this will not end when this day ends. My niece, Megan, was much more than a statistic, a headline, or a number in the horrific crimes committed by this prisoner. Megan was a mother, a daughter, niece, sister, and a vibrant young woman who dreamed of building a wonderful life for herself and her daughter. I have worked since 2010, seeking some form of justice for Megan's death, and today reflects the result of years of pain, perseverance, and hard work by many people. Some days are easier than others for me and my family, but we continue moving forward, hoping for the day when this kind of evil no longer exists in society. It saddens me to think that my parents who raised Megan and my sister who gave her life did not live long enough to witness what is transpiring today. It took seven agonizing months from the time Megan went missing until she was identified as one of the victims filed on the beach. During that time, I spent every day wondering what was happening to her, where she was, and hoping she would come back to us. That was not to be, because the sick individual who sits here in this courtroom had fantasized about ending her life, along with the lives of many others. Through the evidence, we have learned that this prisoner did not have a type. He simply wanted to torture and kill. His searching of child pornography, gay pornography, torture pornography, and pornography in general. The prisoner is larger in stature, some have compared him to an ogre. When you consider the size of this man, and the fact that he searched for children and smaller stature victims, it becomes quite clear he was not a fearsome predator, but rather a cowardly opportunist. I was there the day Megan gave birth to her daughter, the same daughter who was left motherless, because the prisoner chose to take Megan's life. When Lilliana first learned her mother had died, she would walk around telling us that she was four, she didn't understand what deaf meant. She would tell us that her mother died of the hunger, because she was lost and couldn't find food. And then when they found her, Lilliana asked us why the police didn't bring her home, because they found her mummy. As one of the people responsible for helping to raise Lilliana, my heart broke a million times over, because her mother was not present for the milestones, such as her first day of school, her high school graduation, her college graduation. One day my great niece will marry, and she will not have her mother by her side to help her choose her wedding dress. The prisoner stole those moments from my great niece the day he took her mother from us. Forever she will hurt, and forever our family will hurt, because of Megan's absence and all the milestones and life events that lie ahead. I cannot find words to truly express how devastating Megan's loss has been to our family. The prisoners plan to erase Megan, Maureen, Melissa, Amberlynn, Jessica, Valerie, Sandra, and Karen backfired. Because it is vile and cowardly actions, our loved ones will be spoken of for years to come with love and reverence, not only by their families and friends, but by millions of people around the world who now mourn their loss. The families, friends, and supporters of these women demanded justice because their lives had meaning, purpose, and value. The justice system has spoken, and the prisoner will be banished from society for the rest of his life. He will now become the burden on the taxpayers of whichever state prison system houses him until he takes his last breath. And I am compelled to speak of the devastating re-victimizations and marginalizations that we have endured throughout this process. First, due to the corruption of the former Suffolk County District Attorney, Thomas Spokin, and the former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke, the very individuals who were responsible for investigating our loved ones' case, key evidence was never even looked at, so that light would not be shown on their corruption. First, these two vilely corrupt men who took oaths to serve and protect done their jobs, or at least allowed others who were more than willing to investigate do theirs, this case would have been closed years earlier perhaps. Second, the prisoner's ability to divest himself of assets through divorce exposes flaws in the system that deserve careful review and reform. Third, 50 Cent's production company G-Unit Film and Television Inc., working alongside Peacock Streaming Services, to produce a docu-series that paid millions of dollars to the prisoner's ex-wife, daughter, stepson, and their attorneys, is completely disgusting and inexcusable. When I read about this, I was both sickened in shock, and deeply disturbed. It's important to put on record, these individuals profited from the monstrous acts committed against our loved ones by the demon sitting in this courtroom. This is the kind of world we're living in. A demon tortures and kills our loved ones, and his family gets filthy rich off his crimes. New York State, through the authority of this court, has already demonstrated the ability to advance the cause of justice by expanding the DNA threshold through the fried hearings and decision. A decision that provided renewed hope to victims, families, just as it provided hope to our families while seeking truth and accountability. Now, New York has another opportunity to lead. For families like us, the pain of violent crime does not end with arrest or conviction. We continue to witness individuals, associates, and third parties profit or attempt to profit from the notoriety surrounding these horrific acts, through the sale of memorabilia, collectibles, and other items tied to infamous crimes and offenders. Existing Sun of Sam protections were created to prevent criminals from benefiting for their crimes. Yet, loopholes remain that allow notoriety itself to be monetized. I implore members of the legislature to vote in favor of Bill A6730, which is currently before the legislature. This legislation is designed to close those loopholes and strengthen protections for victims and their loved ones. The bill is not about restricting books, documentaries, journalism, or public discussion. It's about ensuring that criminals and those connected to them cannot exploit tragedy for financial gain while families are left carrying a life-long weight of loss. This is your opportunity to stand with victims, families, and support the meaningful advancement of Bill A6730. So future families do not have to endure the same pain and indignity that we have, and countless victims' families before us have suffered. Let us not forget Asian Doe, may he be identified soon, and may justice be brought for him and his family. And let us also not forget Shannon Gilbert, whose family still seeks justice for her death. Love is the most powerful force in the world. We will continue living our best lives while remembering and celebrating Megan, Maureen, Melissa, Amberlynn, Jessica, Valerie, Sandra, and Karen with love. Like the justice system, I too am banishing the prisoner from occupying any more space in my mind as this day comes to a close. Be gone, Howard the Demon.
[01:03:12] Speaker 19: My name is Liliana Waterman, and I am the daughter of Megan Waterman. My mother went missing when I was just three years old. Her body was not found until I was four. She was taken from me during the most important years of my life. And a little girl needs her mom. I never got the chance to know what it was like to be comforted by her after a bad day, to hear her advice, or to grow after her guidance in love. I was not fully aware of the horrific details of what had happened until I was around nine years old. Had you tell a child that her mom was brutally murdered? I remember sitting at home in fourth grade, scrolling online when I came across an article about her. That was the moment I truly understood what had happened. I remember asking my grandparents what the word prostitute, pink, meant. In an instant, my world was shattered. My heart broke all over again. Questions flooded my mind. Was she in pain? Was she scared? Was she thinking of me? What were her last words? I knew she was trying to build a better life for me. Was this somehow my fault? No child should ever have to carry anything like that, any of those questions. After my mother's death, my grandparents and my aunt became my guardians. In many ways, this was not new to me because I had lived with them for most of my life. My grandmother had already raised six of her own kids. She then helped raise my mother and my uncle, and then started over again to raise me. She gave me stability, love, and a home when my world had been turned upside down. In 2018, we lost the house we had lived in for nearly ten years and were forced to move to a new state. Then in 2019, both of my grandparents passed away just four months apart. By the age of 12, I had lost my mom, my nana, my papa who had raised me, and I had never known my dad. A few months later, my aunt moved me to yet another state. Within three years, I had lived in three different states, constantly trying to find a place where I felt like I belonged. I often found myself wondering, if my mother had never been murdered, would any of this have happened to me? Maybe I would have stayed in our home state. Maybe I would have grown up with more stability. Maybe I would have had the chance to come home to my mom every day. Maybe she would have given me siblings. Maybe I would have known what it felt like to have a parent cheered me on through life's milestones. Those are questions I will never have answered because of the choices made by the man who took her life. One of the hardest parts of this case has been living it publicly. For years, my mother's murder has been discussed in articles, television specials, podcasts, and across social media. There are weeks when I cannot bring myself to open any social apps because I am constantly confronted with reminders of the worst thing that has ever happened to me. I am grateful that people want to say her name and seek justice for her. But there is a difference between remembering who she was and profiting off of the tragedy that she has been through. Watching companies, networks, content makers, and all of them make money from the pain my family has been through is very difficult. Major news companies show up at my doorstep calling my word to get anything out of me and other people who work there answering phones. Texting me on any social site they can to make a quick buck off of my story absolutely disgusts me. While others build careers and profit from this story, my family has spent years carrying emotional, financial, and personal consequences of it. I have spent 16 mother days without my mom. I have lived thousands of days without her. I am now the same age my mom was when she was first pregnant with me, and I realized just how young she really was. I feel as though I have barely begun to understand life, yet she was denied the chance to live hers. She had hopes, dreams, and plans for the future. Nobody grows up dreaming of the circumstances she found herself in. She was a human being. She was someone's daughter, someone's friend. Most importantly, she was my mother. Every milestone in my life has been marked by her absence. She wasn't there for my first day of school, graduations, achievements, heartbreaks, or the moments that shape me into the person I am today. Every accomplishment comes with a reminder that I cannot call her and tell her anything about it. Rex Heerman did not just take my mother's life. He stole an entire lifetime of memories that me and her never got to make. He took away birthdays, holidays, conversations, hugs, advice, and every future moment a mother and daughter should have shared. The damage he caused extends far beyond the day he made this cry. His actions changed the course of my life forever. They devastated my family, but they also shattered the lives of his own family, who now must live with the knowledge that they shared a home with a serial killer. He is calculated, manipulative, remorseless, and a heartless man. The pain he caused cannot be measured, and the lives he destroyed cannot be restored. He deserves to spend the rest of his life behind bars. For so many years, this case has been a weight I carried every single day. A burden of unanswered questions, grief, and a sense that justice has not been served. Constantly having to look over my shoulder, making sure nobody was following me, or trying to see where I was headed to. Today's proceedings do not erase what happened, and they do not bring her back. Nothing ever will. But today brings accountability. Today brings a measure of justice that has been decades in the making. While my mother was robbed of her future, I stand here to make sure her voice is heard. I will continue to live for her and spread the light that Rex Heberman tried to take from her. My mother mattered. She was loved. She was more than a headline, more than a victim, more than a case number. And she deserves so much better.
[01:09:55] Speaker 8: Your Honor, moving on to the victim, Amber Lynn Costello. First, Amber's friend, Mr. Bjorn Brodsky, wished to deliver an impact statement that was delivered to Mr. Brown to the court earlier this week. And secondly, I'm going to read the statement of the sister of Amber Lynn Costello, Kim Overstreet for the court. Thank you, Honorable Judge Timothy P. Vesey, and this Honorable Court for allowing me, Kim, sister of Amber Lynn Costello, this opportunity. I offer much sincere gratitude to the dedicated task force of this case for never giving up the fight on the war for justice for my sister, Amber Costello, and other treasured women who lost their lives at the hands of a deviant man named Rex Heberman. Humbly, through the strength of Jesus Christ, on behalf of my beloved sister, Amber Costello, I do not give a victim impact statement, but a testimony of how Amber Costello's life and death was victorious, bringing glory to God, because a raging, murdering, sex addict now faces justice in this court. May this Honorable Court use the power established by God Almighty to revenge Amber Costello and the other treasured women who lost their lives at the hands of Rex Heberman. Before Amber Costello's death, she tricked Rex Heberman in more ways than one. If it were not for my sister's street smarts, the task force united to cast the serial killer could still be on the hunt. Amber's quick thinking lit the match and ignited fits of rage in the egotistical, evil narcissist, Rex Heberman. The immoral man sitting before you today could not handle being outwitted by Amber Costello. My sister's actions led this hidden murderer to show out and fits of rage. This unbridled anger for having been fooled by Amber caused Rex Heberman to not only hunt Amber, but also hunt my daughter and me. Although my daughter, myself, and countless others escaped Rex Heberman's cold, calculated clutches, my sister, Amber Lynn Costello, paid the ultimate price. However, her sacrifice and soul brings victory to this courtroom because she has strength in Jesus Christ. Although the exact details of what happened to our treasured Amber after she said her last goodbye to friends, as she climbed inside Rex Heberman's avalanche, I know her blind faith in Jesus Christ helped her endure the mental torment and the physical agony this monster sitting before you today inflicted upon her flesh. Before Amber Costello eventually succumbed to death, taking her final labored breaths with Rex Heberman's hands wrapped around her neck. Although my sister was a sinner, she was forgiven and Amber was justified through Jesus that allowed Amber's spirit to continue to wage war against Rex Heberman. Since 2011, the task force on this case was directed to the right path to catch this cold-blooded evil man because of my sister's actions. Amber Costello's spirit fights from the marsh grave where Rex Heberman threw her body. May the judgment passed down on Rex Heberman count each life lost at his hands as priceless. May this honorable court rectify the fact that the wife of Rex Heberman has benefited over a million dollars because of her relationship to these tragic murders. May the victims, their families, and our society see that God Almighty ordained power and the punishment handed down for Amber Costello's killer.
[01:13:27] Speaker ?: Thank you, Your Honor.
[01:13:28] Speaker 8: Your Honor, before Mr. Lee gives the final statement on behalf of Sandra Castillo's family, I do wish to know that the two sons of Ms. Karen Vergata, Gary, sorry, Paul and Eric Daugherty, are here at the president of the court today in support of themselves, of course, and all the other victims' families that are here.
[01:13:48] Speaker 6: Certainly.
[01:13:49] Speaker 5: This is the victim impact statement of Ruth Catherine Ramos. To the honorable Judge Timothy P. Maisie, my name is Ruth Ramos and I am the sister of Sandra Castillo. We thank Your Honor for allowing us, alongside the other grieving families, to address the court today regarding the profound impact the loss of mothers, daughters, and sisters has had on our lives. Receiving the news about my sister and the manner in which she was discovered is a level of devastation from which we will never fully recover. Today is a deeply meaningful and long awaited day, not only for Sandra's family, but for the other victims' families. Amber, Valerie, Karen, Jessica, Maureen, Melissa, and Megan. It was always my hope that the person responsible for destroying our family, and the families of so many, would someday be held fully accountable, and that day is here. While justice cannot bring Amber, Valerie, Karen, Jessica, Maureen, Melissa, Megan, and Sandra back, it ensures they are no longer forgotten, and brings our families peace, knowing that the person responsible for our irreversible pain can never harm anyone else. We had feared this day would never happen. However, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office proved us wrong. This day would never have been possible without the tireless dedication and task force with the District Attorney's Office, and I would like to specifically comment on District Attorney Raymond Tierney for his relentless pursuit of justice and leadership. The persistence and diligence shown by this team are truly commendable. We thought this was a lost case, but they proved otherwise. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who worked on this investigation, paid meticulous attention to detail, and demonstrated such deep care for the families experiencing such a horrible tragedy and loss. We cannot say enough thanks to all the participants. Sandra was a beautiful, intelligent young woman with endless potential. Her life changed completely when she had her son, Zach. He was the center of her world, and Sandra cherished every moment of being a mother. While our lives were permanently altered that day, the greatest loss was one experienced by Zach. Losing his mother at such a young age is an unimaginable hardship that has robbed him of her guidance and her love, and one that no child should ever have to endure. Zach grew up never knowing her, and the loss has had an irreversible impact on his life, and has caused significant emotional distress throughout his life. As this long journey to find justice for Sandra, Amber, Valerie, Karen, Jessica, Maureen, Melissa, and Megan comes to a close, my heart is with all the families. And it is my deepest hope that their loved ones will find peace, and will honor their lives by living their best lives. And may the children left behind carry on a beautiful legacy of their mother's, respectfully submitted to Ruth Ramos. Your Honor, that concludes the victim impact portion of the proceedings. At this time, with the court permission, I will turn it over to the district attorney.
[01:17:19] Speaker 2: Mr. Tierney.
[01:17:21] Speaker ?: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Your Honor.
[01:17:24] Speaker 3: I knew the victim impact portion of sentencing would be impactful, but that was spectacularly impactful. I want to thank the victims not only for their words in the courtroom, but I also want to thank them for their support of us, the district attorney's office, the task force in this case. I'm their loved ones, right, right in the very beginning. They're truly extraordinary people. And I want to thank the court as well, Your Honor, for the many courtesies that you extend both to myself and Mr. Brown and his team. So thank you very much for that, Your Honor, and thank you to your staff and the court officers as well. With regard to the sentence, Your Honor, the people respectfully request that the court impose the bargain for sentence of this case, which is three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole on the three murder and the first degree convictions pertaining to counts one through three of the indictment regarding Melissa Bartholomew, Megan Wartholomew, Megan Wartholomew, and Amber Costello, followed by four consecutive sentences of 25 years of between 25 years of life imprisonment to run consecutive to each other, and consecutive to counts one and three pertaining to the murder and second degree convictions regarding, in count seven, Maureen Brain of Barnes, in count eight, Jessica Taylor, in count nine, Valerie Mack. And in count ten, Sandra Castilla. I should note, Your Honor, that although the defendant didn't plead guilty, he did take responsibility for the murder of Karen Bragata. So, Your Honor, this request is made and based on, of course, the bargain for disposition in this case, the facts and circumstances of this case, the effect that this defendant's crimes have had on the victims and their families, which we've just heard about, and the defendant's character and background. All of those, uh, all of those, uh, all of those considerations, Your Honor, demand, uh, the maximum sentence allowed by law. Uh, first and foremost, I want to talk about the, uh, the, the, this defendant's crime, uh, and the effect that it's had on, uh, the victim's family. Obviously, that, that, that's self-evident, Your Honor. Eight young women were need, needlessly and brutally murdered at the hands of this defendant. Uh, and thanks to the victim's families, the court has learned a little bit about their ordeal. Uh, the ordeal that each of these families have gone through as a result of this defendant's actions. Uh, it couldn't have been easy for those people and those, those family members to stand up in court. This isn't what they do, Your Honor, but they did it anyway, because they love their family members. They got up, they told their stories, and I want to thank them for that, um, because, uh, they, they said it in a way that only they could, and they said it way better than I could, and that I will. So, uh, I'm not going to belabor the point. I'm going to let them, their words speak for themselves, uh, but suffice to say, Your Honor, that the effect, uh, that this case has had on them is overwhelming. Uh, not only on the victims, um, who lost their lives, but also on the victims' mothers, siblings, children, friends, significant others, aunts, cousins, and again, we heard a little bit about that. Uh, that pain, Your Honor, is ever, uh, present. It's intergenerational, and it's never going to end for any of those family members. Uh, but we also saw, uh, notwithstanding that, Your Honor, they were also able to rise above it and overcome it, and again, they are the inspiration, uh, to our team, and they are what this case should be about. Uh, their strength, uh, and their resilience. Again, Your Honor, they said it best, I'm not going to belabor the point, uh, but suffice to say, that the defendant has earned a maximum sentence in this case based solely upon the effect that he has had on the victims and the victim's families. But, of course, Your Honor, that's not all. Uh, the particular facts and circumstances of this case, and the defendant's character or lack thereof, cry out for the maximum sentence as well. Uh, this is a defendant who meticulously planned the murder of eight young women. He obsessed over every detail as a means to both prepare for the next murder and also to relive the twisted gratification and sick pleasure he derived from taking the lives of eight young women. There is nothing the defendant can say or do in this courtroom that could mitigate what he has taken from those women and their families. But, uh, the only thing remorse shown is insufficient and far too little. It is all too little and too late. As the court is aware, uh, the defendant has permitted certain information to trickle out, uh, through statements made to his ex-wife and his therapist. But those are nothing more than pathetic attempts by this defendant to continue to manipulate his family and control that family, control both his family and the message of this case. The true message of this case was delivered by those victims today, Your Honor. That's what this case is about. And I submit that nothing that this defendant has to say, past his arrest, which occurred in July of 2023, anything he says beyond that, is meaningless and self-serving. It's meant merely to deflect from his own guilty actions. I have no doubt that this defendant is very sorry, Your Honor. He is sorry. He is sorry he got caught. What is important, Your Honor, is the statements made by this defendant prior to his arrest, uh, his arrest, and the actions taken by his defendant prior to that arrest as well. Because those things reveal what this defendant is truly about. Who this defendant truly is, is seen in that planning document that was recovered from one of the defendant's electronic devices, uh, that was recovered by the task force during the execution of the first search warrant. In that document, the defendant coldly plans out the murder of multiple women as though he was addressing a math problem or filling out a shopping list. Absent from that document is any regard or concern for the humanity of those women and the lives he took. It is clear that these victims meant nothing to that defendant. He addresses issues and problems arising out of the mass, uh, out of mass murder only in the context of how those issues affect him. He gives himself, uh, reminders regarding his own comfort, and he has no regard for the pain being inflicted upon those victims. And just real briefly, Your Honor, from that, you see when he talks about, uh, what he needs to dispose of, he talks of props, toys, wood items. Wood items that he made himself, with members of his own family, that he kept in his house, and he used during the execution of his murders, only to destroy them. He talks about how sound travels, i.e. a bird outside. What he's saying is, if I can hear a bird outside, that means people outside can hear what I'm doing, uh, inside my house. So I need to control the amount of air in and out of the victims, so he can control the noise made. Again, to avoid detection, to avoid responsibility. He says, he reminds himself to get sleep before the hunt, because he's too tired and creates problems. Again, he's treating this as though it was sport, the taking of lives as though it were sport. He talks about hitting too hard, he talks about hitting harder, uh, and consider a hit to the face to take down the victims the next time. He's already thinking about the next time. In another part of the document, he says small is good. This is a hulking individual who is going after a petite woman. He is a coward. He's talking about, uh, if he has more sleep, he's able to control the noise, he will have more playtime. Again, this is sport to this defendant. The taking of life is sport. Uh, again, Your Honor, no concern for the victims and the pain and terror he inflicted upon them whatsoever. He wards these victims to his home, murders them, and disposes of them in the same house he lives with his wife and two children. The same house his ex-wife still lives in. And then he joins that same family on a nice vacation that he only planned so he could have, could be, so that he could be alone with those victims in the first place. That, Your Honor, is who this defendant is. Uh, this defendant is also someone who continually, uh, purchased burner phones and created fictitious email addresses to use with those phones. He thought those email addresses and burner phones could not be traced back to him. He was wrong, Your Honor. Throughout the investigation, uh, we, we saw that this defendant continued to use those burner phones up until the time he was arrested. In fact, on the day of, of his arrest, we recovered two such burner phones from his possession. We were able to trace those burner phones as far back as 2007. So, at least as far back as, between 2007 and 2023, he was using these burner phones. And what did he use those burner phones for? To patronize sex workers and commit murder. He had separate phones in which he had contacted hundreds of sex workers. Once someone was marked for death, the defendant also had four separate burner phones he used exclusively to war and kill the Gilgo Four. Maureen Brandon Barnes, Melissa Barthelme, Amber Costello, and Megan Water, Megan Waterman. He was able to, uh, we were able to trace, uh, the defendant's, uh, patronization of sex workers all the way back to 1993. From 1993 to the day of his arrest. That, your honor, is who this defendant is. Uh, what else did the defendant use the burner phones for? Fictitious email accounts used to make Google searches and access websites. The defendant thought these accounts couldn't be traced. The defendant was wrong. The defendant searched, uh, thousands of, uh, sex worker sites. He visited countless pornographic websites featuring the torture, uh, and dismemberment of women. He excessively searched websites featuring the status of the Gilgo Beach investigation, hoping to gain insight into our investigation. He searched for photos of the victims and their family members. He tried to learn where the family members were living. He thought these actions couldn't be traced. They could be. He thought he was being smart. He wasn't being smart at all. That, your honor, is who this defendant is. The defendant would like us to believe that these murders just happened. They didn't, your honor. These murders were meticulously planned out by a psychopath who thought nothing of the victims and the consequences of his actions. But almost just as bad, your honor. You also never thought about the effect and consequences that his actions would have on those he claims to care about most of all, his wife and two children. Moreover, rather than express remorse or contrition for his heinous actions, he has sought to enrich himself to this conduct through his own family. Who he continues to manipulate and control behind the bars. If there is one thing that this case shows, it's that this defendant cares only about himself and his sick interests. He is incapable of caring about any, he is not capable of caring about anything else. And that includes his own family. I've been primarily talking about the defendant's actions. Now I'm going to talk about his words, again, prior to his arrest. We've already heard about this. In July and August of 2009, a few weeks after this defendant murdered Melissa Bartholome, he contacted Melissa's 15-year-old sister. Melissa's then 15-year-old sister, Amanda, who we just heard from. He used the same cell phone that he stole from Melissa after he murdered her. So he stole Melissa's life and then he stole her cell phone and used it to kill her, to call her 15-year-old sister. Murdering, torturing, and tormenting Melissa Bartholome wasn't enough for this defendant. He also wanted to torture and torment a 15-year-old child. And what this defendant said to that 15-year-old child after he murdered her beloved sister is detailed in the pre-sentence investigation. And Amanda talked about it. I'm not going to get into the details of that. But suffice to say, Your Honor, any person who would say those things to a grieving 15-year-old child desperately trying to find her missing sister, that person is not good as this defendant self-described himself to probation personnel in the pre-sentence investigation report. Quite the opposite, actually. This defendant is a monster, incapable of remorse, redemption, or rehabilitation. But there's one portion of that conversation that I am going to talk about that I want to highlight. And that's the end of the portion of the series of conversations with Amanda. When Amanda asked this defendant if she was ever going to see her sister again. And the defendant told her, and I'm paraphrasing, "I can't tell you whether you're going to see your sister again, but I am going to wait, and then maybe I'll come tell you myself." Again, trying to torture that 15-year-old girl. And that, Your Honor, is all you really need to know about this defendant and who he is. He is smug, confident, not nearly as smart as he thinks he is. He delights in terrorizing others. He's always obsessed with himself and his own desires, and he cares nothing about the consequences of his own actions or the effect those consequences have on other people, including his own family members. But getting back to that statement, Your Honor, there's irony in that statement. Because on that day that that statement was made, it marked the time that Rex Yerman went from being the hunter to becoming the hunted. The defendant never got the opportunity to come and look for Amanda and the other victims' family members like he tried to do in his internet searches. In fact, it was Amanda and the other families and their loved ones who stayed strong, stuck together, and came looking for the defendant. And on July 13, 2023, when the task force came knocking on the defendant's door, it was his turn to be tormented and terrified. And he's tormented and terrified because of what he did and because of who he is. And it was his own arrogance, overconfidence, and missteps that led the task force directly to his door. So now, Your Honor, for the first time, this defendant stands before this court as the person he really is. A remorseless and sadistic serial killer who only cares about himself. Accordingly, Your Honor, we ask that the court deliver the only sentence that this defendant deserves. The only just sentence in this case based on the facts and circumstances, which is the maximum sentence allowed under New York State law. Thank you, Your Honor.
[01:34:14] Speaker 2: Thank you, Mr. Tierney. How are you doing? All right. Mr. Brown, you want to be here? Thank you.
[01:34:23] Speaker 6: Yes, thank you, Your Honor. Thank you, Mr. Tierney. Can I briefly address the family? Of course. Thank you. Folks, I've never spoken to you over the last three years. I am sorry for your loss. As Mr. Tierney indicated, you folks are the reason why this case has come to this point. Your dedication, devotion, and insistence on making sure that this investigation came to this point. That's why we're here today. I've never met your sister, your daughter, your mother, your cousin, your friend. But I've been researching and studying this case day in, day out for the last three years. So even though I've never met them, I honestly feel like I know them. And I've obviously listened to what you had to say today. They were beautiful young ladies. Their memories will last forever. And I do sincerely apologize for the loss. In regards to the court judge, I just want to indicate we appreciate the defense team, and your experience and knowledge in leading this case and handling this case. This obviously was a very difficult case for both sides, and we appreciate that. In regards to the district attorney, I just want to point out, Judge, from the beginning of this case, they have exhibited true professionalism, and they've exhibited what attorneys should be. I will say the same about my defense team. I have nothing further. Thank you.
[01:35:40] Speaker 2: Mr. Hewerman, is there anything you wish to say before I pronounce sentence?
[01:35:49] Speaker ?: Yes. There are no words.
[01:35:52] Speaker 9: Stand up. There are no words I can say. I am responsible for what was said in this room today. The words I would say have no meaning, and I'm going to leave it there at this time. Speak up.
[01:36:18] Speaker 2: Mr. Hewerman, as Mr. Tierney said, I know that you're sorry that you got caught. I assume that you're sorry for what you've done to your wife and children. Are you a little bit sorry for what you did to these poor innocent women? Eight women that you strangled to death? At least eight that we know of? Are you at least a little bit sorry for that? Yes?
[01:36:48] Speaker 9: Yes, I am. You know what?
[01:36:54] Speaker 2: 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! As a result of your plea of guilty to murder in the first degree in the count one of indictment 735-44-2024, it's a sense of the court that you served the rest of your life without the possibility of parole. With respect to count three, plead guilty to murder in the first degree, it's a sentence of the court that you served the rest of your life without the possibility of parole. Those three sentences to run consecutive with each other. With respect to count seven, murder in the second degree, it's a sentence of the court that you served an indeterminate term of imprisonment with a minimum of 25 years and a maximum of your life. With respect to count nine, murder in the second degree, it's a sentence of the court that you served an indeterminate term of imprisonment with a minimum of 25 years and a maximum of your life. And finally, with respect to count ten, murder in the second degree, it's the sentence of the court that you served an indeterminate term of imprisonment with a minimum of 25 years and a maximum of your life. All of those sentences to run consecutive with each other. Mr. Tierney, with respect to counts four, five, and six. I move to dismiss your iron satisfaction with that sentence. All of those sentences to be taken.
[01:38:46] Speaker ?: All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken.
[01:38:50] Speaker 2: All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken.
[01:38:58] Speaker ?: All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken.
[01:39:15] Speaker 1: All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken.
[01:39:18] Speaker ?: All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken.
[01:39:25] Speaker 17: All of those sentences to be taken.
[01:39:26] Speaker ?: All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken.
[01:39:32] Speaker 10: All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken.
[01:39:34] Speaker ?: All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. All of those sentences to be taken. Thank you.