Ever since Rex Heuermann was arrested in July 2023, his family has been suffering. The former Manhattan architect is the primary suspect in the Gilgo Beach murders, a grisly set of homicides spanning from 2014 – 2022. The women, all in the prime of their lives, we found just a few miles away from Heuermann’s childhood home, where he lived with his unsuspecting wife Asa Ellerup, his stepson, and his daughter.
Asa Ellerup might not fully believe her husband was capable of such horrific things, but she’s definitely being proactive – just 6 days after Heuermann was arrested, Ellerup filed for divorce.
Who is Asa Ellerup?
Asa Ellerup is the ex-wife of Rex Heuermann. The 59-year-old has kept incredibly mum since news broke about her husband, and little is known about her personal life. She’s a native of Farmingdale, New York where she lived for most of her life. She attended college in Long Island, but her degree is unknown. Most recently she worked at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center, but other than that, Ellerup is a mystery.
Since his arrest, she has spoken to him via phone call but has made no attempts to visit him in jail. She was left “depressed and Traumatized” after authorities raided her home for evidence. The families home was left in a horrific state after the search, which, turned up no human remains on property.
While female DNA was found in the key piece of evidence for the case, Ellerup’s lawyer claims that she was never involved. No charges have been levied against her at the time of this article.
What happened with Asa Ellerup in Court?
While Ellerup adopted a stance of silence after her husband’s arrest, she’s finally speaking out about her experience. Well, maybe “speaking out” isn’t the right way to phrase it. Ellerup has refused to speak to the media in the months since her former husband was charged. Instead, she is leveraging the misfortune into a small fortune. The recently divorced 59-year-old sold the rights to her story to a documentary crew for a whopping $1 million. The crew will follow her throughout the trial, and she is under contract to appear in court every day while they film.
When Heuermann appeared in the courtroom on Monday, Ellerup offered him the barest hint of a smile. Her ex-husband’s lawyer isn’t sure if his client actually saw Ellerup, but he knows Heuermann appreciated her presence saying, “…They were married for so many years, and they raised a family together. And my understanding is, is that she doesn’t believe that he was capable or committed these acts.”
She may still have faith in her husband of more than 25 years, but Ellerup is ready to face the evidence and decide for herself. Since his arrest, she has spoken to him via phone call, but has made no attempts to visit him in jail. Despite the lucrative payout coming her family’s way, Ellerup can use all the help she can get.
Though her ex-husband is said to be worth millions, Ellerup’s recent struggles with breast and skin cancer have quickly drained her remaining funds. She also has a special needs adult son, who remains in her care. Add that to the absolutely horrendous state her home was left in after police finished their search, and it’s doubtless the money is going to help her rebuild her and her children’s lives.