Long Island police crack down on morbid tourists gawking at Rex Heuermann’s home
The police crackdown comes after neighbors have tried to deter onlookers from lingering around the suspected serial killer’s property
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People gawking at the Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect’s home will be fined $150 if reported by Long Island residents.
Long Island residents congregated on Monday at Massapequa Park Village Hall, where Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder discussed the commotion surrounding suspect Rex Heuermann’s home, according to the Daily Mail.
“The county executive has made it very clear that we are protecting the neighborhood and we are not allowing this to turn into a side-show,” Mr Ryder reportedly said.
“If you don’t live on that street or visiting someone on that street and are there to stop and take pictures and break the law you will be issued a summons… no questions asked.”
Some residents, the publication reported, complained at the meeting that their driveways have been blocked, their lawns have been destroyed, and they have found trash scattered in the area.
Some have tried to deter visitors before the police got involved, including one person putting up her own crime tape, while others have put metal barricades or turned on sprinklers in front of their properties, the outlet described.
The police commissioner added that people found on Mr Heuermann’s block that do not live there or are visiting someone who does will be fined $150, although the outlet said it was unclear whether he was referring to drivers or people arriving on foot.
“I am going to trust my professional police officers to make that decision,” he said. Police will put up “overt” cameras around the block too to reduce the chaos, as well as to watch the “street to make sure kids are not climbing through yards and taking pictures of the property.”
Mr Ryder also said that he didn’t want visitors to block traffic and didn’t want to disrupt the community: “This is a community where there are a lot of kids playing. We gotta give them back their streets.”
The police commissioner also said he didn’t want visitors to take photos or video of the crime scene. “That is private property. If you walk on their [the residents] property you will get a criminal summons for criminal trespassing. Be prepared it is zero tolerance,” he warned.
There’s no shortage of activity at the home, unrelated to onlookers. Investigators were seen conducting a “major excavation” in the backyard of Mr Heuermann’s residence after reports claimed there may have killed at least one victim inside his basement.
The suspect was arrested on 13 July, and was charged with three counts of murder in the first degree and three in the second degree over the deaths of Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy and Amber Costello.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney also said this week he was “confident” that the suspect would also be charged with the murder of Maureen Brainard Barnes.