The streaming service Peacock is paying a financial sum to the family of an architect from Manhattan accused of killing three women whose remains were found on Gilgo Beach in Long Island, to participate in a documentary series about his trial, according to a report by The New York Times on Tuesday, which has raised the ire of the victims’ families as the decades-old mystery comes to the forefront once again.
Key Facts
Asa Elorb, who filed for divorce from her husband Rex Heuermann days after his arrest in July, was seen in court with a filming crew from Peacock, according to the newspaper, although NBC has not yet commented on the planned production.
According to a Deadline report, the couple’s adult daughters have sold the rights to their story, and they will receive financial sums for their participation along with Heuermann’s attorney.
No one close to the case has publicly commented on the production or the financial amounts they will receive, although NewsNation reported that the family will receive a million dollars and the attorneys will earn between $200,000 and $400,000.
Elorb’s lawyer, Robert Macedonio, told The New York Times that the production will be partially developed by G-Unit, a production company affiliated with 50 Cent.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney, who is handling Heuermann’s case, told The New York Times that the documentary “will affect Elorb’s credibility,” and described it as a “blow to the families who have lost a loved one.”
Representatives for NBC and G-Unit did not respond to Forbes’ request for comment on Tuesday.
Important Quote
“Disturbed, disgusted, shocked, frustrated are some words that come to mind now,” wrote Sherri Gilbert, sister of murder victim Shannan Gilbert, in a post on X about the upcoming documentary. “The way the media buys stories to re-hurt and re-traumatize and exploit families and victims of serial killers is evil!”
Main Background
Heuermann was arrested on July 13 and declared himself innocent of the murder charges of Amber Lynn Costello (27), Melissa Barthelemy (24), and Megan Waterman (22), whose remains were all found on Gilgo Beach between 2010 and 2011. Police say he hired the women as escorts before killing them, wrapping them in burlap, and burying them on Gilgo Beach, which is midway between the suburb where he lived and his office in New York City. A police dog first found Barthelemy’s body in December 2010 while searching for another missing woman, Shannan Gilbert. Two days later, the remains of three other women were discovered. Seven other bodies were found, including a man and a baby, in the following months. John Ray, the legal representative for Gilbert’s family, stated he feels “strongly” that there is “no doubt” about another suspect in 11 murders. Heuermann lived in Massapequa on Long Island with Elorb and their two children. The couple had been married for 27 years. Elorb has not been charged in the murders, and police say she was away when they occurred. Macedonio stated that his client was unaware of the crimes.
What to Watch For
Heuermann’s trial. The accused appeared in court on November 15 for a pretrial hearing and is expected to face a jury next year.
Note
Podcasts, documentaries, dramas, and other media related to true crime have proliferated in the last decade, raising concerns about the ethics of consuming entertainment based on real victim stories. Media tracking company Parrot Analytics reports that documentary growth reached 63% between January 2018 and March 2021, with true crime being the largest and fastest-growing subcategory of documentaries. Google searches for “serial killers on Netflix” rose by 45% in 2022, and searches for “true crime drama” increased by 32%, according to digital agency Evolved. Time reports more than 1.6 million print copies of true crime books were sold in 2018, compared to 976,000 copies in 2016. The hashtag #truecrime on TikTok has garnered over 50.2 billion views. Meanwhile, true crime makes up 24% of the most popular podcasts in the country, according to the Pew Research Center, and Apple Podcasts revealed on Tuesday that “Crime Junkie” is the most popular podcast in 2023. “Dateline NBC” and “Morbid” were also among the top shows of the year.
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Additional
The wife of a suspect in Gilgo Beach lands a documentary deal
Who is Rex Heuermann? Suspect in Gilgo Beach charged with murder
A massive amount of evidence against a suspect in the serial killings includes terabytes of documents, images, and videos, according to prosecutors
Follow me on Twitter. Send me a secure tip. Mary Witvil Roeloffs
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