This idyllic US town was full of police families – and a serial killer in their midst

This idyllic US town was full of police families – and a serial killer in their midst

Massapequa, a town whose residents often highlight its status as a “cop town,” lies on Long Island’s idyllic South Shore. Just a short train ride from Manhattan, it has long been a hub for law enforcement professionals, including NYPD detectives, officers from Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and members of numerous other agencies. The community’s close-knit nature and strong police presence made it a prime setting for a chilling mystery that unfolded in 2010.

When body parts began appearing on Gilgo Beach, not far from where local teens work as lifeguards and families gather during summer months, it became clear that a serial killer had been operating in the area for years. The rumors spread quickly. Was the perpetrator a local resident? Still active in the region? And could they be a police officer, given the town’s heavy law enforcement presence?

The 2023 arrest of architect Rex Heuermann put those theories to rest. At 62, the married father of two was apprehended in July 2023 after his DNA was found on a discarded pizza crust near his midtown office. His daily commute from Massapequa Park to New York City passed by Johnny McGorey’s, a popular pub where officers often gathered. The bar, situated next to a rail station, became a focal point for discussions about the Gilgo Beach murders, with Heuermann’s unkempt home just a short walk away.

“It’s a great relief,” said Craig Garland, a retired NYPD detective and Massapequa resident. “There were people out there trying to pin this on a cop and… it brings great closure to the law enforcement community at large [that] this wasn’t a cop that was a serial killer.”

McGorey’s owner Joanne Fountain recalled how the homicide unit’s officers became frequent visitors. “They would come in, and we would be like, ‘What the hell is going on down at the beach, at Ocean Parkway?'” she said. “Then it was all day, every day, on the news.” Despite their efforts, the community remained unaware of how close the killer was—until Heuermann’s arrest.

Bob Livoti, president of the Association of Retired Police Officers, noted that Massapequa is home to “probably more cops than any other part of Long Island.” The town’s legacy of law enforcement extends beyond policing: it also hosts firefighters, medics, and officers from other agencies. This tradition was particularly tested on 9/11, when Nassau County lost around 350 people, many of them first responders.

However, the Gilgo Beach case presented unique challenges. John Azzata, Nassau County’s retired homicide chief, described the frustration of years-long investigation. “As an administrator and someone who was a cop, it was very frustrating that it took so long to discover… [who’s] responsible for these murders,” he said. The situation worsened in 2013 when Suffolk County Police Chief Jimmy Burke was arrested on charges involving sex toys, pornography, witness coercion, and a cover-up.

Burke entered the home of Christopher Loeb, a man arrested for probation violations, to retrieve stolen items from his department-issued SUV. He then beat Loeb while in custody and attempted to conceal the incident. In 2016, Burke pleaded guilty to reduced charges and received a 46-month prison sentence. The scandal also led to convictions for former Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas J Spota and Christopher McPartland, the former chief of investigations, who served five-year sentences.