Megan Waterman: How Did She Die? Who Killed Her?

In June 2010, Megan Waterman was last seen leaving her hotel in Hauppauge, New York, around 1:30 am. After she failed to make contact with her family, they grew concerned and filed a missing person report. Despite their efforts, months passed without any leads or answers. Then, in December 2010, the remains of four individuals were discovered along Gilgo Beach. Known as “The Gilgo Four,” one of the victims was eventually identified as Megan. Netflix’s ‘Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer’ delves into the circumstances of her disappearance and sheds light on the investigation and the evidence that ultimately connected her death to the suspected killer.

Megan Waterman Had Talked to Her Family Hours Before She Disappeared

Megan Amelia Waterman was born on January 18, 1988, in Portland, Maine. She was the daughter of Lorraine Ela and Gregory Gove and had a brother, Gregory Jr., who was a year and four months older. Megan shared a close bond with her brother and deeply admired and loved him. Her childhood was far from ideal, as her parents had separated before her birth, and her mother admitted that she struggled with alcohol dependency during that period. Some accounts indicate that Megan spent time in foster care before she and her brother eventually moved in with their grandparents, Muriel Benner and Douglas Osgood.

In 2005, at the age of 17, Megan shared with her family that she was expecting a child. By that time, Lorraine had been sober for two years. Megan moved in with her mother and her half-sister, Amanda Gove, who was also pregnant. In 2006, Megan welcomed her daughter, Lily, who became a source of joy and purpose in her life. Determined to provide Lily with a safe and stable environment, she dedicated herself to motherhood. However, as financial pressures grew and opportunities felt limited due to her decision to drop out of high school, she reportedly struggled with substance abuse and battled both drug and alcohol dependency. During this time, she met Akeem Cruz, who allegedly became her pimp she got into sex work. He was also allegedly abusive and would take her to New York, believing she could earn more money there.

On May 31, 2010, Megan and Akeem traveled to Long Island, New York, and checked into the Holiday Inn Express in Hauppauge. She left her three-year-old daughter, Lily, in the care of her mother, Lorraine, and remained in frequent contact, calling every day to speak to her daughter, even if just for a few minutes. On June 5, she made her usual call during the day, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Later that evening, she also spoke to her grandmother at around 9:50 pm. After that, no one heard from her again. Months later, on December 13, 2010, police discovered the remains of four women near Ocean Parkway in Long Island, all found in close proximity. One of the victims was identified as Megan. Her cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation, and the police were already trying to find the answers.

Fresh Leads in Megan Waterman’s Case Emerged During Another Investigation

After June 6, 2010, when Megan Waterman failed to call her family, they grew deeply concerned. Her loved ones knew she would never willingly stop contacting her daughter, and they decided to officially file a missing person report. The family received an outpouring of support from their community and several nonprofit organizations. Flyers were distributed, and a vigil was held in her hometown to raise awareness and gather information, but no significant leads emerged. In August 2010, Akeem Cruz was arrested on an unrelated drug charge. By November of that year, he was convicted, but there was no evidence to prove that he was connected to Megan’s disappearance.

The police worked to retrace Megan’s steps on the night she disappeared. On June 5, 2010, at around 8 pm, she was seen on hotel surveillance footage leaving the Holiday Inn Express with Akeem Cruz, but she returned alone about 30 minutes later. Later that night, she spoke to her grandmother around midnight. At approximately 1:30 am on June 6, CCTV captured the 22-year-old leaving the hotel on foot, alone. This was her last known sighting. Investigators theorized that she may have gone out to meet a client and never returned. Leads in her case emerged in December 2010 during the search for 24-year-old Shannan Maria Gilbert, who had gone missing.

Megan Waterman’s Accused Killer is Yet to Stand Trial

While investigating, police discovered the remains of Melissa Barthelemy along Ocean Parkway in Long Island, New York, on December 11. Continuing their search, just two days later, they found the remains of three more women: Megan Waterman, Amber Lynn Costello, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes. The remains were sent for analysis, and in January 2011, Megan’s family was informed that one of the bodies was hers. As the investigation progressed, authorities uncovered the remains of numerous other individuals, most of whom were young women working as sex workers and had a petite build. Police concluded that the crimes were the work of a serial killer, but the identity of the perpetrator remained unknown.

In March 2022, a witness in one of the murders identified a dark green first-generation Chevrolet Avalanche, which led police to Rex Andrew Heuermann, a resident of Massapequa Park, Long Island. He lived there with his wife and two children. According to court records, Heuermann’s online searches included “sadistic materials.” Additionally, DNA evidence from hair found near the victims’ remains was linked to his wife and daughter. However, authorities stated that his family was out of town during each of the disappearances and theorized that they could have been transferred through him. In July 2023, he was arrested and charged with Megan Waterman’s murder, along with others. He has yet to stand trial, and Megan’s family remains hopeful that justice will finally be served.