A female interior designer who once networked with suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann has revealed a creepy voice message that he once left her. Dominique Vidal, an interior designer revealed that she met Heuermann through a networking group for architects and designers.
This initial meeting resulted in a disturbing conversation at a bar in New York City and subsequently led to several "odd" telephone calls. In one of these messages, Vidal recounted, that the alleged murderer once asked her if she "knew about the notorious Gilgo Beach murders." Heuermann, 59, was arrested on Thursday in the murders of three women, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello more than ten years ago.
Chilling Voicemails
Vidal told ABC 7 she was in a networking organization with Heuermann, a lawyer and an architect, in February. Soon after their meeting, he started leaving her voicemails which made her feel "uncomfortable."
Vidal shared the voicemail on TikTok on Sunday where a man can be heard saying in February "Hey, this is Rex from the ... group."
"I actually heard you are no longer part of the group. I still wanted to talk to you," Heuermann said, according to Vidal.
"I had a question for you. Did also want to touch base. So if you get an opportunity, you can always find me at the office or feel free to use my cell," he said. "Hope you're doing good. Hope to talk to you soon.Thanks."
Vidal shared that she had an unsettling feeling in the presence of Heuermann even before learning about his alleged crimes.
She expressed discomfort around him and eventually decided to leave the networking group for architects and designers, citing her busy work schedule as one reason, but also acknowledging that Heuermann's behavior, which she described as arrogant, sweaty, and creepy, contributed to her decision to distance herself from the group.
"He left this [voicemail] for me end of February after I left the group," she said on TikTok on Sunday. "Previous to that, he did call me a couple of times. I answered the phone. Nothing really significant. I found it odd he was calling me because I had no work for him. There's no ongoing relationship. We were just two people who used to be in the same networking group.
"There's nothing incredibly scary about the voicemail, besides the fact that he is the Gilgo Beach murderer," Vidal said, referring to the charges against Heuermann, which he has denied.
Talking About His Own Murders
During one encounter, Vidal recalled that Heuermann brought up the Gilgo Beach murders which was totally out of context. This mention of the infamous murders added to her discomfort and raised further concerns about his behavior and mindset.
In another clip, Vidal said she told Heuermann that she had an interest in true crime, and he inquired about her "favorite case." When the topic of the Gilgo Beach killings came up, and Heuermann mentioned that he lived in the area, she made a lighthearted comment saying, "Anybody could be a serial killer."
Instead of responding seriously or dismissing the comment, he reportedly laughed, which further added to the discomfort Vidal felt in his presence.
"Back then I would say, 'Oh, you know he's just from that area, maybe you know, he's just a local talking about [it] and would think I'd find it interesting.' But now I see it as a serial killer trying to put it in somebody's face," Vidal said.
"I just cannot stop running that conversation over and over in my head, and I'm really disturbed,' she said.
"I'm still processing all of this, thinking over and over again about how I shook his hand and how his hand felt. And I'm listening to the voicemails on my phone from him, and I'm going over his emails and looking at the photos of us all at the Christmas party and the photos of him at our networking meetings and I'm just seeing a monster hiding in plain sight.
"It all makes so much sense. He was so full of himself."
Heuermann, 59, a lawyer and a father of two, was arrested on Thursday and arraigned on Friday in the murders of three women, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello more than ten years ago and a year after he came onto officials' radar as a potential suspect. He is also being investigated as the main suspect in the killing of another woman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes.
In his professional life, Heuermann was seen by some as an arrogant person. Paul Teitelbaum, who worked with Heuermann on a project involving a building in Brooklyn Heights, noted that the suspect had a distinct 'swagger' about him.
"I'm the expert, you're lucky to have me" was Heuermann's attitude, according to Teitelbaum.
According to neighbors and reports, Heuermann is married to Asa Ellerup, who is said to have Icelandic heritage. Ellerup, 59, is listed as residing in the same Massapequa Park residence. There is a single photo on her Facebook page where Heuermann can be seen looking in her direction.
Heuermann also has a 26-year-old daughter, Victoria, was is prominently featured as one of the key members of his "team" on his company website until it was taken down shortly after he was identified as a suspect.
Heuermann also has a special needs son. Neighbors had less interaction with him, and there were suggestions from some sources that he might be his stepson.
Heuermann often spoke proudly of his father, Theo, stating that he worked as an aerospace engineer involved in building satellites, while also pursuing a career as a cabinet maker.
Heuermann inherited his father's skills and expressed his own passion for furniture making, claiming that he continues to create furniture. Through his father's teachings, he learned the importance of reliability and likely applied that principle to his work.
