Court proceedings are underway regarding the admissibility of DNA evidence in the trial of Rex Heuermann, a New York architect facing charges related to the Gilgo Beach killings, a series of murders that have occurred over the years. The hearings began last Friday, with Heuermann’s defence arguing against the inclusion of DNA tests conducted by Astrea Forensics on hairs found on the victims. They contend that the lab’s methodologies, particularly its use of nuclear DNA and whole genome sequencing, are not recognised by New York courts.
During the pre-trial hearing at Riverhead, Dr. Kelley Harris, a professor at the University of Washington, supported the validity of the testing methods employed by Astrea Forensics, describing them as a credible means to match hair samples. However, Heuermann’s lawyer, Michael Brown, attempted to undermine her credibility by highlighting her lack of forensic science experience and her professional relationship with Dr. Richard Green, a co-founder of Astrea Forensics.
Brown went further to criticise Astrea’s reliance on the 1000 Genomes Project as a reference pool for comparison, arguing that the project has not been utilised in forensic cases due to its insufficient sample size. He pressed the point that such evidence should not be permissible in a criminal court.
Prosecutors, however, maintain that whole genome sequencing is established in peer-reviewed scientific literature and has been accepted by various scientific fields. They argue that the findings from Astrea Forensics were corroborated through mitochondrial DNA testing from another lab, which is recognised in New York’s legal system.
No trial date has yet been set for Heuermann, who faces multiple murder charges related to the deaths of several women, predominantly sex workers, whose remains were recovered along a remote Long Island highway from 2010 onwards. He was arrested in 2023 and has pleaded not guilty to all charges, maintaining his innocence.
Furthermore, Heuermann’s defence team has proposed splitting the case into multiple trials to mitigate evidence’s cumulative effect, a suggestion opposed by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Judge Timothy Mazzei is set to make decisions on these matters in upcoming hearings, where additional expert testimonies are scheduled.