Asa Ellerup, the former wife of convicted Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann, believes her ex-husband received exactly the punishment he deserved after a New York judge imposed the maximum sentence available for a series of murders that terrorized Long Island for years.

Speaking through her attorney days after the sentencing, Ellerup made clear that she supports the outcome of the case and does not believe there should be any leniency for the man she was once married to.

“She believes the sentence is appropriate for his crimes, and obviously he got what he deserved,” attorney Bob Macedonio said. “You can’t kill eight people. She’d never condone any of that.”

The comments came shortly after Heuermann, 62, was sentenced in a packed courtroom in Riverhead, New York, where family members of victims, prosecutors, investigators, and reporters gathered to witness the final chapter of one of the nation’s most notorious serial murder cases.

Judge Timothy Mazzei sentenced Heuermann to three consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole, followed by four additional consecutive sentences of 25 years to life. The punishment ensures that Heuermann will spend the remainder of his life behind bars.

The sentence followed Heuermann’s guilty plea to the murders of seven women whose deaths were linked to the Gilgo Beach investigation. During a court hearing in April, he also admitted responsibility for the killing of an eighth victim, Karen Vergata, although he was never formally charged in that case.

For Ellerup, the sentencing represented a moment of accountability after years of revelations that transformed her life. Since Heuermann’s arrest in July 2023, she has repeatedly maintained that she had no knowledge of the crimes and has attempted to separate herself from the man prosecutors described as a sadistic serial killer.

According to Macedonio, Heuermann has not contacted Ellerup or their children since his transfer from Suffolk County Jail following sentencing. Authorities moved him out of local custody and began processing him through Green Haven Correctional Facility in Stormville, New York, though officials have not publicly confirmed where he will permanently serve his sentence.

The silence between Heuermann and his family comes after nearly three years of extraordinary public scrutiny. Investigators allege that for decades Heuermann lived a double life, presenting himself as a suburban architect and family man while secretly carrying out a series of brutal killings.

The contrast between those two identities has been at the center of both the criminal case and the public fascination surrounding it.

Ellerup recently drew renewed attention after appearing in Peacock’s documentary series “The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets.” During the program, she revealed that she now sleeps in a room of the family home that prosecutors say was used during several of the murders.

“The brutal truth is that Rex Heuermann said he dismembered the bodies in this room,” Ellerup said in the documentary. “That is the brutal truth.”

She explained that remaining in the room was part of her own personal effort to process what happened and acknowledge the suffering endured by the victims.

“Now, there’s me. I’m in this room,” she said. “And I’m here because I do feel spiritual. I am trying to say spiritually, in my own way, that I am really sorry for what these victims went through.”

The statement offered a rare glimpse into how Ellerup has attempted to cope with the reality that the man she shared a life with admitted responsibility for a string of murders spanning nearly two decades.

During the sentencing hearing itself, Judge Mazzei showed little sympathy toward Heuermann. The judge delivered some of the strongest remarks of the proceedings after asking whether the convicted killer felt remorse for his actions.

“Mr. Heuermann, as Mr. Tierney said, I know that you’re sorry you got caught,” Mazzei told him.

The judge then asked whether Heuermann felt sorry for the women he murdered.

“Eight women that you strangled to death — at least eight, that we know of,” Mazzei said. “Are you at least a little bit sorry for that?”

“Yes, I am,” Heuermann replied.

The response did little to soften the judge’s opinion.

“You know what, you’ve been described as a very big man, but you’re a disgusting and despicable small man, if you’re a man at all,” Mazzei said. “And you’re a coward.”

The courtroom grew emotional as family members listened to the judge’s condemnation. Many relatives of the victims had spent years waiting for answers before investigators finally identified Heuermann as a suspect.

The Gilgo Beach investigation remained unsolved for more than a decade despite extensive media coverage and law enforcement efforts. The case centered on the discovery of human remains along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach on Long Island, where investigators eventually connected multiple killings.

Authorities ultimately linked Heuermann to the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Costello, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor, Valerie Mack, Sandra Costilla, and Karen Vergata.

Many of the victims were young women whose disappearances initially received limited attention before investigators realized their cases were connected.

The breakthrough came after a multi-agency task force reexamined evidence and identified Heuermann through a combination of DNA analysis, phone records, digital evidence, and surveillance.

His arrest outside his Manhattan office on July 13, 2023, shocked both the public and residents of Massapequa Park, where he had lived for years with his family.

Soon after the arrest, investigators descended on the family home, executing extensive searches that lasted weeks. The property became one of the most recognizable locations associated with the case as authorities gathered evidence and reconstructed timelines.

Ellerup filed for divorce shortly after the arrest, signaling a formal break from the man she had been married to for decades.

Since then, she has repeatedly maintained that she was unaware of the crimes and has attempted to rebuild her life amid continuing public attention.

Meanwhile, prosecutors have remained cautious about whether the known victims represent the full extent of Heuermann’s crimes.

Although he has admitted responsibility for eight killings, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney has repeatedly declined to speculate about whether additional victims may exist.

Tierney has said that personal opinions are irrelevant and that any future charges would depend entirely on evidence uncovered through ongoing investigative work.

“If investigators obtain more evidence,” he has explained, “it would be presented to a grand jury.”

That position reflects the reality that some questions surrounding the case remain unresolved despite the guilty pleas and sentencing.

For victims’ families, however, the sentencing marked an important moment of closure. While no prison term can reverse the losses they suffered, the sentence guarantees that Heuermann will never again be free.

For Ellerup, the outcome appears equally clear.

According to her attorney, she believes justice was served and that the punishment imposed by the court appropriately reflects the severity of the crimes.

As Heuermann begins serving what will almost certainly be the remainder of his life behind bars, the focus now shifts away from the courtroom and toward the lasting impact left behind by a case that shocked Long Island, devastated numerous families, and exposed a dark secret hidden in plain sight for decades.

The legal proceedings may be over, but the emotional consequences continue to ripple through the lives of everyone touched by the murders. For the families of the victims, for investigators who spent years pursuing answers, and for the relatives of the man who committed the crimes, the legacy of the Gilgo Beach killings will endure long after the courtroom doors have closed.