Getty Images

Key Takeaways:

A New York judge ruled DNA evidence obtained from a cutting-edge technique can be used in the upcoming trial of Gilgo Beach murder suspect Rex Heuermann.

DNA-based identity testing was discovered by accident in 1984 and first used in a murder case in 1987.

DNA testing methods continue to advance, and the Gilgo Beach case could mark a new era for finding criminal suspects.

A New York judge has allowed crucial DNA evidence in the trial of Gilgo Beach murder suspect Rex Heuermann , a decision that could fundamentally change how criminal profiling is used in court.

Heuermann, 61, is accused of killing seven women on Long Island between 1993 and 2011. Police arrested him in July 2023 after DNA obtained from rootless hairs on six of the victims provided a link

See Full Page