Wife of Gilgo Beach murders suspect says she's giving husband "benefit of the doubt"

The wife of Rex Heuermann, the man suspected of killing four women around Gilgo Beach on Long Island in New York, issued a statement Wednesday saying she is giving her husband "the benefit of the doubt."

Asa Ellerup said in a statement through her attorneys that she sympathized with the victims and their families and that "nobody deserves to die in that manner."

"I will listen to all of the evidence and withhold judgment until the end of trial," she said. "I have given Rex the benefit of the doubt, as we all deserve."

Ellerup filed for divorce after her husband's arrest, but her attorneys noted that she visits Heuermann every week and believes he is "not capable of the crimes he is accused of."

Heuermann was charged in July of last year with the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello. Then in January of this year, he was indicted in the killing of Maureen Brainard-Barnes. 

The four women, dubbed the "Gilgo Four," were found in 2010 buried in close proximity to each other along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach. All four were sex workers who had gone missing between 2007 and 2010.

Heuermann has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Bob Macedonio, one of Ellerup's attorneys, told "48 Hours" in September 2023 that Ellerup "had no idea any of this was going on. Nobody wants to think that they've been living with, sleeping next to a serial killer for the past 25 years."

Investigators say they have evidence Ellerup was out of town when the murders occurred, and she has not been charged or named as a suspect, "48 Hours" reported.

Ellerup appeared at one of Heuermann's court hearings back in November 2023.

In:
• Gilgo Beach Murders

Jordan Freiman

Jordan Freiman is an editor and writer for CBSNews.com. He covers breaking news, trending stories, sports and crime. Jordan has previously worked at Spin and Death and Taxes.