Rex Heuermann's attorneys ask judge to exclude some DNA testimony from Gilgo Beach trial
RIVERHEAD, Long Island (WABC) -- Accused Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann is charged in the murders of seven women, but his attorneys say DNA results from hair found at six crime scenes should be excluded from the trial.
Heuerman's attorneys are asking the presiding judge to exclude expert testimony related to nuclear DNA results from hairs found at the crime scenes. They say the technique used is not reliable.
Successfully dismissing the evidence could weaken the prosecutors' case at trial.
"We're not going to engage in what ifs, obviously that's among many other key components of our case, so we're prepared to defend it," said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney on Tuesday.
Tierney has led the charge with the Gilgo Beach Task Force in charging Heuermann -- an architect, husband, and father of two from Massapequa Park -- with seven of the at least 10 Gilgo Beach murders.
Tierney said he welcomes the pre-trial hearings on the DNA and its admissibility.
"We'll abide by the mandates of the court, we'll have the hearing and we're looking forward to doing so," Tierney said.
Heuermann's defense attorneys in Central Islip filed a motion this week. They argue that the scientific technique used by the California lab, called Astrea Forensics, has not been generally accepted as reliable in the scientific community.
The motion filed Tuesday is the first step in establishing a hearing this winter to determine if the DNA profile obtained by Astrea Forensics linking the Massapequa Park architect to the alleged killings will be admissible at trial.
"If we we're not confident in the efficacy and the admissibility of that evidence, we would not have used it," Tierney said.
Depending on the amount of evidence challenged during the pretrial hearings, Heuermann's murder trial could start later this year or early 2026. He is due back in court on Jan. 15.
When asked if Heuermann is a suspect in the remaining Gilgo Beach cold case murders, Tierney said not right now.
"We don't make any assumptions, we just continue to work the evidence and see where that evidence leads," Tierney said.
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