Heuermann's former family sued over alleged exploitation of tragedy

The shadow of Rex Heuermann, charged in the Gilgo Beach serial killings, has deepened with a wrongful death lawsuit targeting his former wife and daughter, alleging they profited from the suffering of one of his alleged victims. Benjamin Torres, son of Valerie Mack, is pursuing legal action, painting a harrowing picture of his mother’s final moments and accusing the family of exploiting her death for financial gain.

A son’s accusations: torture and exploitation

The lawsuit, filed by attorney John Ray, claims Mack endured “ferocious torture” and dismemberment before her death, a brutal account that underscores the alleged depth of Heuermann's crimes. Torres, who was just six years old when his mother disappeared, argues he has been irrevocably deprived of her care and support. But the legal action takes a sharper turn, alleging that Asa Ellerup, Heuermann’s ex-wife, and Victoria Heuermann, his daughter, actively participated in documentaries related to the case, receiving “monies they were given to exploit the slaughter of plaintiff and to publicly attenuate defendant Rex Heuermann’s atrociousness via media exploitation.”

The timeline of Mack’s disappearance remains murky, with investigators believing she was murdered between September 1 and November 19, 2000. Heuermann’s arrest in July 2023, followed by charges in December 2024, brought a semblance of closure, but the legal fallout continues to spread.

Mack, a 24-year-old sex worker operating in the Philadelphia and Atlantic City areas, was identified years after her remains were discovered – some near Manorville, Long Island, and others a decade later near Gilgo Beach, the grim site where authorities believe Heuermann discarded the bodies of several victims. Prosecutors connected Mack’s case to Heuermann through a startling piece of forensic evidence: a hair found on her body, whose mitochondrial DNA reportedly matched profiles of both his wife and daughter, alongside other evidence pulled from his electronic devices.

But the defense is pushing back. Robert Macedonio, representing Ellerup and Victoria Heuermann, dismissed the lawsuit as a “reckless attempt by John Ray to keep himself relevant,” questioning the involvement of Shannan Gilbert, whose remains were also found near Gilgo Beach and who had no apparent connection to the other victims. Macedonio emphasized that Victoria Heuermann was only 13 years old at the time of Mack's murder, a detail he believes renders any suggestion of her involvement absurd. “What person in their right mind would think a 13-year-old would be involved with a homicide with a serial killer?” he challenged.

Heuermann has vehemently denied involvement in the deaths of seven other women – Sandra Costilla, Jessica Taylor, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Lynn Costello – and now faces the possibility of a guilty plea in all eight cases, including the disappearance of Karen Vergata in 1996. Suffolk County prosecutor Ray Tierney remains tight-lipped about the plea negotiations, stating simply, “Nothing is done, and so we wait.” The weight of these accusations hangs heavy, a stark reminder of the devastating impact of Heuermann’s alleged crimes and the enduring pain of the families left behind.