Rex Heuermann is now synonymous with one of the most chilling criminal cases in recent American history. The Long Island architect, who pleaded guilty in April 2026 to the murders of eight women, led a double life that concealed a depraved killing spree spanning nearly two decades behind the facade of a seemingly normal family man. While the world focuses on the monstrous acts committed in the basement of the family home in Massapequa Park, New York, the story of his family—his wife, kids, and the devastating aftermath of his crimes—is a tragic saga of betrayal, public shunning, and a relentless struggle for survival.
For 27 years, Asa Ellerup was married to a man she believed was a devoted husband and father. She met Rex Heuermann when she was just 18 years old and has described falling “madly in love with the man”. The pair married in April 1996, and together they raised a family that included their daughter, Victoria Heuermann, and Asa’s son from a previous relationship, Christopher Sheridan, whom Heuermann adopted as his stepson.
The family’s world was shattered on July 13, 2023, when Heuermann was arrested and charged with the gruesome murders of women whose remains were found along the notorious Gilgo Beach coastline. In the immediate aftermath, a stunned Ellerup filed for divorce the same month, beginning the process of legally severing ties with the man she now realizes was a stranger.
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The Collapse of a Marriage and a Family’s Fight for Normalcy
The swift dissolution of the Heuermann marriage was finalized in March 2025, marking the end of an era for a family that has been “completely blindsided” by the revelations. The divorce settlement was signed and filed in Suffolk County Supreme Court. However, the end of the legal marriage has done little to ease the family’s suffering.
Their lawyer has stated that they are now “completely unemployable” and financially distraught, as their association with the serial killer makes them pariahs in the job market. Their home has become a morbid tourist attraction, with strangers constantly taking pictures and pointing, forcing them to live in a state of social isolation. Their attorney, Robert Macedonio, has described their situation as being “stuck in [a] house of horrors,” a grim reality that is inescapable.
Perhaps the most haunting symbol of their predicament is Ellerup’s decision to remain in the very home where Heuermann committed his atrocities. In a chilling confession, Heuermann told his then-wife that he had killed seven of his eight victims in a downstairs room of their Long Island home. Despite this horrifying knowledge, Ellerup has moved her bedroom into that space, which she has now “completely gutted”. She has described being “haunted by dreams” every night, a permanent psychological scar from the betrayal she experienced.
Her decision to stay is a complex mix of financial necessity and a spiritual act of remembrance, as she has stated she wants to apologize to the victims in her own way. Their struggle for normalcy is further complicated by a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the son of one of Heuermann’s victims, Valerie Mack, which Ellerup and her daughter are currently fighting to have dismissed.
The Children: Victoria and Christopher
Rex Heuermann’s kids, Victoria Heuermann and Christopher Sheridan, have been caught in the crosshairs of this deeply unfortunate case. Victoria, the couple’s biological daughter, had even worked at her father’s Manhattan architecture firm, making the revelation of his crimes all the more personal and devastating.
Despite the overwhelming evidence, Victoria has spoken about the difficulty of reconciling the father she knew with the monster who has been convicted. She has described her father as an “open book” who had rare moments of frustration but was not abusive. However, in a painful turn, she has also admitted that she believes her father is likely the Gilgo Beach killer. Both Victoria and her brother Christopher, who has special needs, continue to live with their mother in the Massapequa Park home, trying to navigate a life that has been irrevocably altered.
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As the legal proceedings have progressed, Heuermann’s family has made the difficult decision to distance themselves from the final act of his criminal case. On the day of his sentencing, Asa Ellerup, Victoria, and Christopher were notably absent from the courtroom. Their lawyer issued a powerful statement explaining that Ellerup believes the day “should be centered on the victims, their families, and the profound impact these crimes have had on their lives”. She stated that she did not wish her presence to be a distraction.
In choosing to stay away, the family has made it clear that while they are victims of Rex Heuermann’s deception, their priority is to allow the families of the murdered women the space to grieve and seek the closure they deserve.
