A psychologist said Rex Heuermann could have used the images to 'amp him up' for the Long Island killings
A fair-haired, child-sized doll, an unnerving portrait of a blonde woman with blackened eyes and "a lot of torture porn" are among truckloads of evidence extracted from accused serial killer Rex Heuermann's home and electronic devices.
Investigators this past week continued their week-long search of the Gilgo Beach murder suspect's run-down Long Island home, where many of the items removed were typical of a suburban household.
Throw pillows, a hockey stick, boxes of stuffed animals, Christmas ornaments and fabric flowers for crafting projects were among the possessions seized from Heuermann's New York home.
However, in their ongoing search for "trophies" in the accused serial killer's household, police discovered that the 59-year-old father of two kept secrets far more vulgar than the Playboy magazine found under his family's roof.
Last week, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney announced a half-dozen charges against Heuermann – first- and second-degree murder for each of the three women whose bodies were among the remains found along New York's Gilgo Beach in 2010. He has been charged in the killings of Melissa Barthelemy, 24; Megan Waterman, 22; and Amber Costello, 27, and is a suspect in the death of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25.
Tierney said after the arrest that investigators have uncovered "a lot of torture porn" and "depictions of women being abused, raped and even killed."
Rex Heuermann, who owns a Las Vegas timeshare, was charged with murder in New York on July 14, 2023. Las Vegas police are looking to see if he is involved in any of their unsolved cases. (Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
Dr. Katherine Kuhlman, an Arizona-based psychologist licensed in police and public safety psychology, told Fox News Digital that Heuermann's interest in visual, sexual images of violence could have preceded his alleged killings – or, could have been used to "trigger [memories of his killings] and amp him up to do what he did."
On Monday, a poster depicting a blonde woman with extremely dilated pupils, blackened eyes and pallid skin was removed from the Heuermann residence.
Days earlier, forensic experts in hazmat suits could be seen carrying a doll entombed in a dusty glass and wooden display case embossed with flowers out of the ramshackle home.
CSI police look at a drawing of a woman with two bruised eyes, part of the items that were removed from the home of Rex Heuermann, the suspect in the Gilgo Beach murders. (Kevin C. Downs/Redux)
Posed upright within the case, the blonde doll appeared to have waist-length curly hair, adorned with a red ribbon, and wore an ornate red and green dress.
Another framed photo, recovered Tuesday, depicted a cherubic blonde child's face.
GILGO BEACH MURDERS: THE INVESTIGATION IN PHOTOS
Authorities execute a search warrant of Rex Heuermann’s home in Massapequa Park, New York, on Tuesday, July 18, 2023. (Mega for Fox News Digital)
Police also dredged up numerous boxes of evidence from the architect's basement, including cabinets and at least one toolbox that took multiple investigators to drag upstairs.
More than 200 firearms have been seized from the property since the search began. Along with Heuermann's home, investigators continue to search two Omega Storage lockers in nearby Amityville and executed a search warrant at the Fifth Avenue Manhattan office of his architectural firm, RH Consultants & Associates, last Friday.
Police officers from NYSP, Nassau and Suffolk County police searched suspected killer Rex Heuermann's home Friday, removing evidence in bags. Heuermann has been charged with murder in connection to the deaths of the "Gilgo Four." (Fox News)
Kuhlman referenced Heuermann's reported interaction with Nicole Brass, a former escort who told media outlets this week that she went on a date with him in 2015, and the pair discussed the Gilgo Beach murders.
"When he talked about the Gilgo killings, his eyes glazed over – it seemed like he was getting off on it," Kuhlman said about Heuermann's reported conversation with Brass. "He obviously really likes to reminisce and think about what he did – these pieces of art may trigger that and get his fantasy going."
Police remove items, including a rocking horse, from the home of Rex Heuermann in Massapequa Park, New York, Thursday, July 20, 2023. (Mega for Fox News Digital)
Kuhlman characterized Heuermann as an "organized" serial killer suspect: an FBI classification describing an alleged criminal who suffers from antisocial personality disorder, plans their crimes in advance, uses deception to trick their victim and takes steps to cover their tracks.
"Typically, serial killers will have some kind of souvenir," she said on Thursday. "I know law enforcement is looking for what may be a souvenir – something that belongs to a victim – but maybe these paintings work as that. It's safer – if you're a safe serial killer and don't want to get caught, it may be smart to have something that represents what you did."
Dr. Katherine Kuhlman is a licensed clinical and police psychologist in Scottsdale, Arizona. ( )
Historically, Kuhlman noted, many serial killers have created art or written about their crimes – like Samuel Little's paintings of many of his 90 claimed victims or the Zodiac Killer's written confessions and cryptograms to Bay Area media outlets.
"But with the low base of serial killers," she said, "it's common that we're going to have some outliers that do something a little different."
Some of the items – the doll in particular – could have been used as "something else to take [his] aggression out on" when he was in between alleged offenses.
Police remove items, including pillows, from the home of Rex Heuermann in Massapequa Park, New York, Thursday, July 20, 2023. (Mega for Fox News Digital)
"His victims, they weren't minors, but they were younger and more petite adults. The doll could represent youthfulness [to him]," she said.
Per a motion to deny bail issued by Suffolk County Court on July 14, some of Heuermann's alleged pornographic internet search queries included: "10 year old blonde hair girl"; "chubby 10 year old girl"; "blonde young girl depressed"; "preteen girl with makeup"; "age 12 child girl with blonde hair and blue eyes"; and "girl hog-tied torture porn."
Kuhlman said that, while she would "not love to see his porn history," it would "provide some really interesting data" into the mindset of the alleged killer.
"That's going to fuel into that desensitization. That's going to make him feel like this is OK and feel less guilty when he engages in it."
Christina Coulter is a U.S. and World reporter for Fox News Digital. Email story tips to
