Rex Heuermann’s saga began with his arrest in 2023, when he was accused of being the Gilgo Beach killer linked to the unsolved murders of several women, including Megan Waterman and Melissa Barthelemy. Married for nearly three decades, Heuermann’s wife, Asa Ellerup, stood by his side despite the grave accusations. Following his arrest, Heuermann pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his family, including their children, publicly expressed their support for him. In interviews, Ellerup reminisced about their early romance, recalling how she fell for the “tall and handsome” man when she was just eighteen.
Their love story traces back to the 1980s when Ellerup was initially married to Christopher Sheridan, with whom she had a son. However, as her marriage deteriorated, she sought solace in Heuermann. Their friendship blossomed into romance, culminating in marriage after Ellerup’s divorce from Sheridan. The couple settled into Heuermann’s childhood home in Long Island, welcoming a daughter, Victoria, shortly thereafter. The early years of their marriage were marked by joy and stability as they navigated family life together.
However, the foundation of their family was shaken in 2023 when Heuermann was arrested. Though Ellerup initially defended her husband, she filed for divorce shortly after the shocking accusations came to light. Despite the separation, she continued attending court proceedings to support him, expressing a deep emotional connection and the need to understand his experiences during this tumultuous time. She maintained that the individual charged was not the Rex she knew, questioning the validity of the evidence against him.
Ellerup used the 2025 docuseries “The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets” as a platform to reinforce her husband’s innocence. She argued against the prosecution’s claims, asserting that Heuermann was a devoted family man and that the evidence suggested an implausible scenario. With fervent skepticism, she declared that she would need to hear the allegations from Heuermann himself before believing them, emphasizing the need for concrete evidence to be revealed during the trial.
As the case progressed, Ellerup finalized her divorce from Heuermann, a move that allowed her to secure their shared assets and protect her family’s stability. She expressed the emotional weight of leaving their home, symbolizing not just the end of a chapter but the potential for new beginnings. Her focus shifted towards securing a future for herself and their children while coping with the tumult of the legal proceedings surrounding her estranged husband.
Their daughter, Victoria, reflected on the divorce’s motivations, emphasizing it was a strategic decision to safeguard their family’s assets amidst the legal chaos. The family dynamic remained intact despite the divorce, as Victoria reassured that the separation didn’t diminish their bond. This complex narrative underscores the multifaceted nature of familial loyalty, love, and the harsh realities faced in the aftermath of unimaginable allegations. The Heuermann case, with its intertwining themes of betrayal and support, paints a poignant picture of a family caught in a legal storm, underscoring the profound impact of crime on personal relationships.
