The families of Gilgo Beach victims have labeled NBC’s streaming service Peacock as “evil” for paying “at least $1 million” to the wife of murder suspect Rex Heuermann for her participation in a documentary.
Asa Ellerup, 59, the estranged wife of Heuermann, 60, agreed to take part in the mega deal, which will see a crew film her family during her husband’s trial, which is set to begin next year.
However, families of the victims have torn up the reported payments. Sherre Gilbert, the sister of Shannan Gilbert, whose remains were found in 2010 and led to the discovery of other victims, took to social media to express her shock, saying: ‘disappointed…disgusted…stunned… .’frustrated.’
“The way the media buys stories to re-victimize, re-traumatize and exploit the families and victims of serial killers is evil!”, Sherre said.
Authorities have said Ellerup was unaware of her husband’s alleged murders. The money she made from the show won’t go to his defense either, as New York law prohibits suspects from selling their story to the media.
Asa Ellerup, the estranged wife of accused murderer Rex Heuermann, agreed to take part in the mega deal for a Peacock documentary, in which a crew will film her family during Heuermann’s trial, which is likely to begin next year.
60-year-old Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann will appear in court on November 15
The first victim, Melissa Barthelemy, 24, was discovered by Suffolk County police on December 11, 2010. The body of Megan Waterman, 22, was found two days later.
Maureen Brainard-Barnes was 25 years old when she went missing (left). Amber Lynn Costello was 27 years old. Their bodies were found the same day near Barthelemy
A Peacock spokesperson confirmed to DailyMail.com that Peacock is developing a multi-part documentary series.
“Asa Ellerup was not paid for her participation in the series and has no creative control over the outcome of the series,” the spokesperson said.
‘As usual with documentaries, she received a licensing fee for the use of her archive material; the payment cannot go to the defendant or his defense funds.”
The spokesperson added that they had also “contacted the families of all victims to appear in the documentary, all of whom did not respond or declined.”
According to Ellerup’s lawyer Robert Macedonio, part of the documentary is being developed by rapper 50 Cent’s G-Unit Productions. The New York Times.
Gilbert Family Attorney John Ray didn’t seem surprised by the deal Ellerup struck with the streaming giant.
“The woman is a ghoul who feeds on the dead, murdered by the head of her family. She takes big risks, just like her husband with whom she conspires, and she has continued to do so over the years, and she continues to do so even now, for greater profits,” he told DailyMail.com.
“She risks her own legal destruction by the words she speaks to her filmmakers. She may lose more than she currently deserves, including her freedom. The hunger for money usually wreaks havoc on the greedy.
The families of the victims are shocked. We look forward to the day when Asa Ellerup is brought to justice.”
Heuermann, 59, a married father of two adult children, is currently being held in a Suffolk County jail in connection with three murders. In July, he was charged with the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello, who disappeared in 2009 and 2010.
Authorities said he is also the “prime suspect” in the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes.
Ellerup, the estranged wife of Rex Heuermann, arrived in court on Wednesday to hear evidence presented by the court as he faces murder charges over the deaths of three sex workers.
John Ray, the attorney for Shannan Gilbert’s family, and former Suffolk County Police Chief Rodney Harrison spoke at a news conference last month about new evidence that had emerged in the case.
On November 15, Ellerup appeared in court for the first time since her ex-husband’s arrest in July.
She wanted to see for herself whether there is evidence that her husband is guilty of the atrocities he is accused of.
Her appearance at the Arthur Cromerty Criminal Court Complex in Riverhead, New York, turned into a media circus with a slew of reporters, photographers and camera crews.
She was dragged into the courthouse by the documentary crew, who had been seen at Ellerup’s home in Massapequa Park earlier that week.
Robert Macedonio, Ellerup’s attorney, declined to confirm or deny that they collaborated on the film and no information has been shared about what they might be paid.
While the actual amount Ellerup will be paid remains unclear, a report in News Nation said Ellerup would receive $1 million, Macedonio would receive $400,000 and Vess Mitev, an attorney for the children, would receive $200,000, the Times reported.
At the courthouse, Ellerup spoke to no one and was led away after the hearing.
Ny Breaking exclusively reported that a week prior to the hearing, she went to visit Heuremann in prison for the first time since his arrest in July. She had spent an hour with him.
The mother of two adult children filed for divorce from Heuermann six days after he was accused of killing three sex workers whose bodies were found on the deserted stretch of coast near their Long Island home between 2010 and 2011.