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The son of a victim of the accused Gilgo Beach serial killer has filed a lawsuit against Rex Heuermann and members of his family over the alleged torture and dismemberment of his mother – just days before he is expected to plead guilty to the brutal killings of seven women.
On Monday, attorney John Ray filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Benjamin Torres, the only child of Valerie Mack, according to court documents obtained by Fox News.
The civil filing alleges that Mack’s death deprived Torres of his “mother’s care, guidance, protection, nurture, society and economic support.”
ACCUSED GILGO BEACH SERIAL KILLER REX HEUERMANN EXPECTED TO PLEAD GUILTY IN MURDER CASE: REPORTS
Accused Long Island serial killer Rex A. Heuermann appears with his attorney, Michael Brown, during a hearing in Suffolk County Court in Riverhead, New York, U.S., July 17, 2025. (James Carbone/Reuters)
Mack, a 24-year-old from Philadelphia, vanished when her son was just 6 years old in 2000. Her partial remains were discovered in Manorville, New York after a group of hikers stumbled upon a suspicious black bag that November.
According to the lawsuit, Mack was “tortured ferociously” before allegedly being killed and dismembered by Heuermann.
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An undated photograph of Valerie Mack, one of 11 victims whose remains were discovered during the search for Shannan Gilbert near Gilgo Beach in New York. She was dismembered, and police recovered more of her body parts in Manorville, about 50 miles away. (Suffolk County Police Department)
As a result, Torres is seeking unspecified “recovery for the wrongful torture and murder of Valerie Mack, for the terror, restraint, pain, mutilation, and dismemberment inflicted upon her before and after death, for the concealment and mutilation of her remains, and for the profound and prolonged harm thereby inflicted,” the lawsuit said.
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Alleged serial killer Rex A. Heuermann is escorted into Judge Tim Mazzei’s courtroom at Suffolk County Court in Riverhead for a frye hearing on Thursday, July 17, 2025. (James Carbone/Newsday)
The suit also aims to seek compensation from Heuermann’s ex-wife, Asa Ellerup, and daughter Victoria Heuermann stemming from profits made from the Peacock documentary, “Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets.”
The family received over $1 million from the documentary, according to Newsday.
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“Asa Ellerup and Victoria Heuermann at some point in time knew of, concealed, deliberately ignored, or consciously avoided learning of material facts concerning the assault, murder, dismemberment, concealment, and disposal of Valerie Mack,” the lawsuit added.
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The lawsuit also addresses New York’s two-year deadline for wrongful death lawsuits to be filed, arguing the limit should be waived for Torres due to his age at the time of his mother’s murder and authorities’ delay in identifying her remains.
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Heuermann was charged with Mack’s death in late 2024, marking the seventh and final victim prosecutors say he killed between 1993 and 2010.
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He is expected to plead guilty to all seven counts of murder as part of a plea deal offered by Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. He is due back in court on Wednesday.
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Heuermann is accused of killing Mack, Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla and Amber Lynn Costello.
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Tierney, and the attorneys for Heuermann, Ellerup and Torres did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Ellerup’s attorney is expected to address the lawsuit at a 4 p.m. news conference.
Fox News’ Jennifer Johnson and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.