The New Jersey State Police are aware of an apparent investigation into suspected serial killer Rex Heuermann for potential links to the unsolved 2006 Black Horse Pike Homicides, Your Content is first to report. The perpetrator was ultimately dubbed the ‘Eastbound Strangler.’
Rex Heuermann, already suspected in at least ten murders in New York, may now be implicated in a series of brutal killings that have baffled investigators in Atlantic County, New Jersey, for nearly two decades. The “Black Horse Pike Homicides” involve several women who were found brutally murdered along the Black Horse Pike, a notorious stretch of road in the county, in 2006.
“The New Jersey State Police, specifically Cold Case Unit detectives, consistently work to identify new information that could aid in the investigations of unsolved homicides in New Jersey. Detectives routinely engage in information sharing with neighboring states and jurisdictions to identify new evidence as it becomes available,” a spokesperson for the New Jersey State Police told Your Content.
“The Atlantic County Prosecutors Office is the lead investigating agency for the 2006 Black Horse Pike homicides. All inquiries regarding that investigation should be directed to their office.”
While the New Jersey authorities have refrained from commenting on the ongoing Gilgo Beach investigation, they did affirm that the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office is leading the investigation into the 2006 Black Horse Pike homicides.
The ‘Eastbound Strangler’ is an unidentified serial killer thought to have murdered four women in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 2006. Despite a $25,000 reward, no substantial information leading to the capture of the killer has been provided.
On November 20, 2006, the bodies of four women, believed to be sex workers, were discovered in a water-filled drainage ditch behind the Golden Key Motel on the Black Horse Pike in Egg Harbor Township. The bodies were arranged face down, all facing east, with about sixty feet between each. They were fully clothed, except for the absence of shoes and socks. The cause of death for all is believed to be strangulation.
The victims were identified as Barbara V. Breidor, Molly Jean Dilts, Kim Raffo, and Tracy Ann Roberts. Breidor, a 42-year-old sex worker, battled a cocaine addiction and had gone missing in October 2006. Her severely decomposed body was identified through dental records. Dilts, 20, originally from Pennsylvania, was last seen a few days before she disappeared. Despite having no prostitution record, she was suspected to have been involved in the profession. Her cause of death couldn’t be confirmed due to the advanced state of decomposition.
Kim Raffo, a 35-year-old former waitress from Brooklyn, had left her family to work as a prostitute in Atlantic City. She was last seen a day prior to the discovery of the bodies and is thought to be the final victim. Evidence suggests that she was strangled with a rope or cord. Tracy Ann Roberts, a 23-year-old former erotic dancer from Delaware, had resorted to prostitution to fund her drug habit. She was last seen in November 2006 after an altercation with a man who wanted to be her pimp. It was determined that she had been asphyxiated.
If the current investigations verify any connections between Heuermann and the 2006 Black Horse Pike Homicides, this could solidify his status as one of the most prolific serial killers in recent history. For the victims’ families and the communities tormented by these unsolved murders, justice may finally be within reach.
“We cannot comment specifically about the Gilgo Beach investigation or any suspects in that case as we are not involved,” the spokesperson continued. “The Atlantic County Prosecutors Office is the lead investigating agency for the 2006 Black Horse Pike homicides.”
Heuermann, recently making headlines for his connection to the Gilgo Beach murders, has been charged with the murders of three women known as the “Gilgo Four.” The victims, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello, were found near Gilgo Beach in 2010. Heuermann pleaded not guilty to all charges.
In addition, Heuermann is the primary suspect in the disappearance and murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes in 2007. However, charges in connection with Brainard-Barnes’ case have yet to be filed. He is also under investigation for the murders of six other women whose bodies were found near Gilgo Beach in 2011.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating Heuermann for potential links to this and other cold cases, as Your Content previously reported.
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This is a developing breaking news story. It will be updated momentarily.