Wife of suspect in Gilgo Beach killings files for divorce

The wife of the New York architect charged with killing three women whose remains were found on a Long Island beach more than a decade ago filed for divorce Wednesday, her lawyer said.

Attorney Robert Macedonio said a summons and a complaint had been filed on behalf of Asa Ellerup in Suffolk County Supreme Court. He declined to comment further.

Authorities have said Ellerup was out of state at the time of the killings and isn't considered a suspect.

Rex Heuermann, 59, was charged Friday with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, 24; Megan Waterman, 22; and Amber Lynn Costello 27.

The women were believed to be sex workers who advertised online, police have said. Their remains were discovered in December 2010 in Gilgo Beach on Long Island’s South Shore.

Heuermann, of Massapequa Park, is also suspected in the disappearance and death of a fourth woman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, whose remains were also found near Gilgo Beach. That investigation continues, according to a bail application.

The remains of the four women, known as the "Gilgo Four," were discovered during the search for another missing woman, Shannan Gilbert, 23, who was reportedly last seen running through the nearby gated community of Oak Beach after having left a client's home, according to a police timeline.

Michael J. Brown, an attorney for Heuermann, told reporters that his client has denied any involvement in the killings and that the allegations are “extremely circumstantial in nature.”

Brown described Heuermann, who pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail, as "clearly distraught" over the allegations.