This idyllic US town was full of police families – and a serial killer in their midst

A Cop Town’s Dark Secret

Massapequa, often described as a “cop town,” is situated along Long Island’s picturesque South Shore, only an hour away by train from Manhattan. The area is home to NYPD detectives, multi-generational law enforcement families, and officers from Nassau and Suffolk Counties, alongside representatives of numerous other agencies. However, when body parts began appearing on Gilgo Beach in 2010—nearwhere local teens serve as lifeguards and families gather during summer—the community realized a serial killer had been lurking in their midst for years.

The Search for the Killer

Speculation surged as the grim discoveries unfolded. Were the perpetrators local? Had the killer remained undetected? And could someone with a badge be responsible? The 2023 arrest of architect Rex Heuermann finally silenced these questions. His recent courtroom confession to the murders of eight women has provided a sense of resolution to Long Island’s law enforcement community, according to Craig Garland, a retired NYPD detective and Massapequa resident.

“It’s a great relief,” Garland said. “There were people out there trying to pin this on a cop and … it brings great closure to the law enforcement community at large that this wasn’t a cop that was a serial killer.”

A Legacy of Service

Heuermann, a 62-year-old married father of two, was apprehended in July 2023 in Manhattan after his DNA was found on a discarded pizza crust near his downtown office. His daily commute from Massapequa Park to the city took him past Johnny McGorey’s, a local pub where officers often gathered to discuss the hunt for the murderer. The bar’s owner, Joanne Fountain, recalled the homicide unit as frequent visitors, describing their shock upon learning of the gruesome findings.

“They would come in, and we would be like, ‘What the hell is going on down at the beach, at Ocean Parkway?'” Fountain said. “Then it was all day, every day, on the news.”

Community and Corruption

Massapequa’s law enforcement families are deeply embedded in the community, with generations of officers contributing to its reputation. Fountain highlighted a typical family dynamic, noting, “His dad was a cop, his grandpa was a cop, and he just got hired onto NYPD, too.” This legacy extends beyond police, as the town also hosts many firefighters, EMTs, and personnel from other agencies. The 9/11 tragedy struck especially hard, with Nassau County losing approximately 350 lives, including numerous first responders.

Fractured Trust

The Gilgo Beach case tested the town’s law enforcement in unexpected ways. In 2013, Suffolk County Police Chief Jimmy Burke, who oversaw the investigation, was arrested on charges involving sex toys, pornography, witness coercion, and a cover-up. According to the US Attorney’s Office, Burke entered Christopher Loeb’s home to recover stolen items, then assaulted him while in custody and attempted to conceal the incident. He admitted guilt in 2016 and received a 46-month sentence. This scandal also implicated former Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas J Spota and Christopher McPartland, the DA Office’s chief investigator, who were sentenced to five years in prison for related offenses.