South Carolina police probe potential ties between Rex Heuermann and teen who vanished in 2014
Aaliyah Hill, 18, was reported missing in 2014 in Rock Hill, South Carolina, just 20 miles from vacant lots owned by Mr Heuermann
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South Carolina investigators are probing potential links between alleged Gilgo Beach murder suspect Rex Huermann and the disappearance of a teen nearly a decade ago.
Eighteen-year-old Aaliyah Hill was reported missing in November 2014 in Rock Hill, just 20 miles from vacant lots owned by Mr Heuermann.
Local authorities had been searching the piece of land following Mr Heuermann’s arrest on 13 July over the murders of three women whose bodies were found in the Long Island community of Gilgo Beach in New York back in 2010.
“Our investigators have been reviewing any information to see if there is a correlation between the disappearance of Aaliyah Bell and Rex Heuermann,” Rock Hill Lieutenant Michael Chavis told ABC News in a statement. “So far there is no indication that leads us to identify Heuermann as a suspect in this case. We will continue to investigate Bell’s disappearance and follow up on all tips and leads.”
Ms Hill was last seen two days before Thanksgiving nine years ago. Several sightings were reported but those turned out to be different women, according to WBTV.
In the aftermath of Mr Heuermann’s arrest, it has emerged that he has ties to both South Carolina and Las Vegas, owning properties in both locations.
In a statement to The Independent on Tuesday, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department also confirmed that the department is probing a link between Mr Heuermann and unsolved cases in the area.
“We are aware of Rex Heuermann’s connection to Las Vegas. We are currently reviewing our unsolved cases to see if he has any involvement,” a spokesperson said.
Former NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce told ABC’s Good Morning America that law enforcement agencies across the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut and even nationwide are also reviewing cold cases that Mr Heuermann may be tied to.
“I made some phone calls yesterday to see what they were doing. They’re looking at all missing persons who have never been found and see if they can put those together,” he said. “Not just in Suffolk, but throughout the tri-state area to see what they can put together. There’s also the FBI looking at national issues as well.”
An NYPD official told ABC News that the married father-of-two’s DNA has been entered into a statewide database and that his alleged MO is being compared to other cases across New York state – including those during the period he was allegedly active in Gilgo Beach.
So far, Mr Heuermann is charged with the murders of Amber Costello, Megan Waterman and Melissa Barthelemy, who vanished between 2007 and 2010, before their bodies were found dumped along Gilgo Beach.
He is also the prime suspect in the murder of a fourth woman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes. The bodies were all discovered in December 2010, along with another seven bodies that are yet to be tied to the accused killer.
Mr Heuermann has pleaded not guilty to the murder charges against him.