The ex-wife of confessed Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann has revealed she now sleeps in the basement of their former home, where he admitted to killing and dismembering seven of his eight known victims. Asa Ellerup disclosed this in the Peacock documentary The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets, which premiered on July 27, 2023.
Ellerup, who was married to Heuermann for nearly three decades, said she moved into the basement roughly a month before he pleaded guilty to the murders in Suffolk County Court on April 8, 2026. She stated that she wanted to 'get to know' the side of her ex-husband responsible for the killings, expressing a desire to understand his motivations. 'I want to know why Rex killed these women, what his triggers were,' she said in the documentary.
Heuermann, a 62-year-old architect, led a double life as a serial killer between 1993 and 2010, targeting vulnerable women. His victims included Karen Vergata, Valerie Mack, Jessica Taylor, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Lynn Costello. Heuermann was arrested in July 2023 after a lengthy investigation.
Ellerup has visited Heuermann 12 times since his confession, describing the experience as haunting. 'Every night that I go to bed and go to sleep, I am haunted by dreams,' she said. 'It will never go away. It will follow me for the rest of my life.' She also expressed that she feels no justice will ever be served for the victims.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney previously detailed how Heuermann lured and killed his victims, maintaining a facade of normalcy even to his own family. The case has drawn significant attention due to its gruesome nature and the killer's ability to evade detection for years.