Melissa Barthelemy, 24, was living in a basement apartment in the Bronx when she disappeared. She worked as an escort and advertised her services on platforms such as Adult Friend Finder, according to law enforcement.

On the evening of July 12, 2009, Melissa told a friend she was going to meet a man and expected to return later. She was not heard from again. After several days of silence, her mother reported her missing on July 18, 2009.

More than a year later, on December 11, 2010, Suffolk County Police Officer John Mallia was conducting a training exercise with his cadaver dog, Blue, along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach. During the exercise, the dog discovered human remains, later identified as those of Melissa Barthelemy.

Two days later, on December 13, police returned to the area and uncovered three more sets of remains within a quarter-mile radius of where Melissa was found. These discoveries would eventually become part of what is now known as the Gilgo Beach serial killings.

In the weeks following Melissa’s disappearance, her teenage sister Amanda began receiving disturbing phone calls from an unknown man. The calls, which never lasted more than three minutes, were traced to public locations in Manhattan. The caller taunted Amanda and, in one instance, admitted to killing Melissa.

Here is a detailed chronological timeline of Melissa Barthelemy’s life events from 2006 to the discovery of her remains in 2010, with a focus on her move to the Bronx, her work, and the circumstances leading to her disappearance:

Melissa Barthelemy – Detailed Timeline

April 14, 1985
Melissa Barthelemy is born in Buffalo, New York.

Childhood and Adolescence
Melissa was raised primarily by her mother, but had contact with her biological father, Mark.
During her teenage years, she began dating a local drug dealer, a relationship that concerned her family.

Circa 2001–2002
As a response to her behavior and influences, Melissa was sent to live with her father in Texas.
She remained there for over two years, until an incident in which she stole her father’s work van.
She was sent back to Buffalo to finish her education.

2003
Melissa graduates from South Park High School in Buffalo.
While finishing school, she worked at a local pizzeria to support herself.

2004–2005
Pursuing her dream of becoming a hairstylist, she enrolled in Continental Beauty School, where she earned her cosmetology license.
Her goal was to one day open her own salon.

After graduating, she began working at a Supercuts salon in the Buffalo area.

2006

• Early 2006: Melissa traveled to New York City with her then-boyfriend, Jordan. During the trip, she met Johnny Terry, also known as “Blaze”, who offered her a hairstyling job.
•  Mid–to–late 2006: Melissa ended her relationship with Jordan and moved to the Bronx, where she became involved with Blaze.
• Blaze was a known pimp operating in the area.
• Melissa soon began working as one of his “girls.”
• She received a tattoo on her lower back with Blaze’s name.
• She later rented a basement apartment at 1149 Underhill Ave., Unionport, Bronx, NY 10472.

2008

• September 12, 2008:
  Melissa was arrested for soliciting prostitution.
• She pleaded guilty but did not receive jail time or a fine.
• Her sentence was five days of community service.
• December 2008:
  Melissa returned to Buffalo for Christmas to visit her family.
• A few weeks after her return to New York, she was attacked by several women while a man stood nearby.
• A witness later identified the man as Johnny Terry (Blaze), reportedly saying, “This is what you get for disrespecting me.”
• This incident occurred after Melissa had begun working independently, violating her arrangement with Blaze.

2009

• Early 2009:
  Melissa started advertising her services independently on Craigslist, Adult Friend Finder, and through an escort agency called James Bond Entertainment.
• She used aliases “Chloe” and “VerySexyChloe.”
• Her phone and address were registered under the name Chloe.
• She was known to meet clients in bars, restaurants, and hotels on Manhattan’s West Side.
• She charged:
• $100 for 15 minutes
• $150 for 30 minutes
• $250 for 1 hour
• $1,000 for overnight
• She began using cocaine during this time.
• Tattoos included:
• “Blaze” and “Focus” on her back
• Lettering on her chest
• July 3, 2009 (Friday):
  The Long Island Serial Killer (LISK) contacted Melissa through her online profile using a burner phone.
• July 6, 2009 (Monday):
  Melissa received another call from the same burner phone used by the suspect.
• July 9, 2009 (Thursday):
  Melissa texted her younger sister Amanda, encouraging her to visit again.
• July 10, 2009 (Friday):
• Melissa deposited $1,000 at her bank, reportedly earned from a client.
• Bank security footage confirmed her deposit and a $100 withdrawal before she left.
• She was last seen sitting on the curb outside her Bronx apartment, likely waiting for a ride.
• That evening, she told a friend she was meeting a man and would return in the morning.
• Melissa’s final phone call was placed to Johnny Terry (Blaze)—he did not answer.
• Cellphone records later showed she traveled from the Bronx to Manhattan, likely by taxi.
• July 11, 2009 (Saturday),
  1:43 a.m.: Melissa’s phone pinged near Massapequa, indicating she had been transported to Long Island.
• July 18, 2009 (Saturday):
  Her mother reported her missing to the New York Police Department (NYPD).

2010

• December 11, 2010 (Saturday):
  Suffolk County Police Officer John Mallia and his K9 partner Blue discovered Melissa’s remains during a training exercise near Gilgo Beach, Long Island.
• December 13, 2010 (Monday):
  Authorities returned to the scene and discovered three more sets of human remains nearby.
• These women—like Melissa—had worked as escorts and advertised online.
• All were found wrapped in burlap and buried near Ocean Parkway.
• This discovery marked the beginning of what became known as the Gilgo Beach serial killings.

Shortly after Melissa Barthelemy disappeared on July 10, 2009, her killer used Melissa’s personal cellphone to place a series of disturbing, taunting calls to her 15-year-old sister Amanda.

These calls:

• Were brief, typically under three minutes
• Occurred only in the evening or midday
• Were made exclusively to Amanda (he would hang up on others)
• Included cruel, explicit taunts and threats
• Originated from crowded areas in Manhattan, suggesting deliberate evasion tactics

Call Content and Behavior

According to law enforcement, particularly former Suffolk County Police Commissioner Richard Dormer, the caller’s messages were “extremely descriptive”, and sadistic in tone:

• Monotone voice, emotionally flat, possibly indicating a controlled or psychopathic demeanor
• Targeted Amanda directly with offensive remarks:
• “Are you a wh*re like your sister?”
• “I heard you’re a half-breed.”
• Admitted to murder, saying:
• “I killed Melissa.”
• “I’m going to watch her body rot.”
• “Maybe I’ll come show you one day.”

The killer’s refusal to speak to anyone else, even hanging up on Melissa’s mother, Lynn, showed clear intent to psychologically torture Amanda something law enforcement concluded was indicative of a sadist.

Timeline of Calls

Friday, July 17, 2009 – 12:40 PM

• First known call made to Amanda, using Melissa’s phone.
• The caller spoke only to Amanda, refusing to speak to Melissa’s mother.
• Tone: Calm, low, monotone, and taunting.
• Taunt included: “Are you a wh*re like your sister?”
• Location of call: Unknown (likely New York City)

Thursday, July 23, 2009 – 6:42 PM

• Caller made another brief call, continuing verbal abuse and sexual insults.
• Again, he spoke only to Amanda.
• Hung up if anyone else answered.
• Location: Presumed Manhattan

Wednesday, August 5, 2009 – 6:50 PM to 7:11 PM

• Multiple short calls made within a 20-minute window.
• Taunts included: “I killed Melissa,” “I heard you’re a half-breed.”
• Cell towers pinged at:
• 4 Penn Plaza
• 275 West 39th Street
• 249 West 36th Street
• 408 West 34th Street
• These locations were near Rex Heuermann’s office at 19 West 36th Street.

Monday, August 10 – Tuesday, August 18, 2009

• No calls made during this period.
• Heuermann was in Iceland, per travel records.
• Investigators believe this pause aligns with his absence.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009 – 7:23 PM

• Calls resumed the day after Heuermann returned from Iceland.
• New taunt: “I’m going to watch her body rot.”
• Location: Midtown Manhattan cell towers again

Wednesday, August 26, 2009 – 11:29 AM to 11:34 AM

• Final call placed to Amanda.
• Caller stated: “Maybe I’ll come show you [Melissa’s body] one day.”
• Phone pinged briefly in Massapequa, then returned to Manhattan.
• Melissa’s phone, the burner phone used to arrange her meeting, and Heuermann’s personal phone all converged during this time.

Aftermath

• End of August 2009:
• Calls stopped permanently after a TV report revealed their existence, likely scaring the killer into silence.

Johnny Terry, known on the street as “Blaze,” was Melissa Barthelemy’s alleged pimp after she moved to the Bronx in 2006.

He reportedly:

• Controlled her bookings early in her time in New York.
• Used his laptop to post escort advertisements online, including on Craigslist.
• Accompanied her to client meetings, including one at the Holiday Inn Express in Hauppauge, Long Island.

Blaze stated that Melissa was becoming more independent by 2009, cutting him out of her earnings and working on her own.

He claimed:

• Melissa had booked a $1,000 date with a new client on Long Island the night before she vanished.
• He offered her a ride, but she refused.
• He knew the location and the identity of the client, though this was never publicly confirmed or verified.

Terry told investigators he received several disturbing phone calls, similar to those made to Melissa’s sister, Amanda.

According to Terry:

• The caller knew specific details about his life, including:
• His tattoos
• His travel routines
• Where he lived
• Where he worked
• The man on the phone had a deep, older-sounding white male voice, and sounded intoxicated during at least some of the calls.
• He claimed the caller taunted him, but it is unclear what was said in detail.

Police investigated Terry’s report and confirmed that the calls originated from a disposable phone registered under the fictitious name “Mickey Mouse.”

Amanda, Melissa’s teenage sister, also described the caller’s voice as that of a middle-aged white man.

Both Amanda and Terry said:

• The caller was taunting, deliberate, and cruel.
• The calls were brief and anonymous, and the caller avoided detection by using public areas and burner phones.

erry’s experience helped reinforce Amanda’s account of the psychological tactics used by the Long Island Serial Killer (LISK).

The “Mickey Mouse” burner phone used to contact Terry was consistent with the killer’s use of disposable phones to:

• Contact Melissa
• Call Amanda
• Avoid being tracked

This pattern supports the theory that LISK intentionally tormented people connected to his victims, suggesting a sadistic element to his crimes and a high degree of planning.

Initial Investigation (2009–2010)

• July 18, 2009:
  Melissa Barthelemy’s mother reported her missing to the New York Police Department (NYPD) after not hearing from her for several days. The case was initially treated as a missing persons investigation.
• Summer–Fall 2009:
  Melissa’s 15-year-old sister, Amanda, received disturbing calls from an unknown man using Melissa’s phone.
• The caller taunted Amanda with sexually explicit language.
• He claimed to have killed Melissa.
• Calls were placed from busy Manhattan locations (e.g., Times Square, Madison Square Garden), making it difficult for police to trace him.
• Despite efforts by the NYPD and FBI, no arrest was made, and the calls eventually stopped.
• 2010:
  No major leads surfaced in Melissa’s disappearance until December 2010, when a routine police training exercise dramatically shifted the case’s trajectory.

December 11, 2010:
Suffolk County Police Officer John Mallia and cadaver dog Blue discovered skeletal remains wrapped in burlap along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach, Long Island. These remains were identified as Melissa Barthelemy.

December 13, 2010:
Police found three additional sets of female remains nearby. These women—Megan Waterman, Amber Lynn Costello, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes—had similar victim profiles:

• All were petite sex workers,
• All had advertised their services online,
• All were last seen meeting clients.

These four women became known as the “Gilgo Four.” Their discoveries triggered a massive investigation and introduced the theory of a serial killer operating on Long Island.

Expanded Investigation (2011–2022)

• Over the next decade, investigators:
• Searched additional areas along Ocean Parkway and uncovered more human remains, totaling at least 10 sets of remains by 2011.
• Identified some victims while others remain unidentified to this day.
• Considered and dismissed multiple suspects over the years.
• Worked with the FBI, NYPD, SCPD, and other agencies.
• Despite extensive forensic testing, no solid lead emerged for years. Frustration grew among victims’ families and the public.
• In 2020, Suffolk County Police created a Gilgo Beach Homicide Investigation Task Force. It included:
• FBI
• Nassau County Police
• State Police
• District Attorney’s Office
• Use of modern forensic techniques, cellphone mapping, and DNA databases intensified.

Breakthrough and Arrest (2023)

February 2022:

• Investigators zeroed in on a suspect based on burner phone records, cell tower data, and online communications with victims.
• A green Chevrolet Avalanche, seen near the last-known location of Amber Costello, was traced to a Long Island man named Rex Heuermann.

July 13, 2023 – Arrest of Rex Heuermann

• Rex A. Heuermann, 59, an architect from Massapequa Park, Long Island, was arrested and charged with the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Lynn Costello.
• He was formally named the prime suspect in the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes.

Key Evidence Linking Heuermann to Melissa’s Murder

Burner Phones:

• Heuermann allegedly used burner phones to communicate with Melissa before her disappearance.
• The same phone later contacted other victims and was tied to locations near his home and work.

Cell Tower Analysis:

• Melissa’s burner phone communications pinged near Midtown Manhattan, Heuermann’s office, and Massapequa Park, close to his residence.

DNA Evidence:

• A pizza crust discarded by Heuermann was recovered by investigators during surveillance.
• DNA from the crust matched DNA found on burlap used to wrap one of the victims.

Online Activity:

• Heuermann had searched for violent pornography and Gilgo-related content.
• He accessed the victims’ online profiles and escort ads.

Post-Arrest Developments

• Heuermann pleaded not guilty to the charges. He is currently held without bail in Suffolk County.
• Prosecutors are expected to pursue additional charges, including the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes.
• Investigators continue to search Heuermann’s properties, including his Massapequa Park home, storage units, and office.
• The case remains open and active, with a focus on identifying other possible victims and accomplices.