Gilgo Beach trial: DA says his office lacks funds to meet judge's 'ambitious' deadlines

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office in New York lacks the resources to meet "ambitious" deadlines imposed by the judge overseeing the Gilgo Beach serial killing case, DA Ray Tierney said Wednesday.

Tierney called on the Justice Department to release some money tied up in an ongoing investigation into the office to help defray the cost of a prosecution that he said presents "a singularly unique strain on our budget."

Alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann, a New York City architect, was arrested in July 2023.

Heuermann is charged in the murders of six women: Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Costello, Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costilla. The first victim was found in 1993 and the last victims were found in 2010.

He has pleaded not guilty.

Judge Timothy Mazzei said he wants to set a trial date at the next hearing, which is scheduled for Dec. 17.

Tierney called the schedule "ambitious" because of the large amount of evidence amassed in the case against Heuermann.

"I think the timeline right now is very ambitious and very compressed given the ridiculous nature of our discovery laws, where I have to provide every single piece of paper that was generated in a case that started in 1993," Tierney said.

Tierney is asking for millions in federal asset forfeiture proceeds frozen by the Justice Department as part of an ongoing investigation into a previous district attorney. He estimated about $13 million is tied up in that investigation.