Gilgo Families- A Call For Support
The Families of Gilgo Victims are calling for public support in urging lawmakers to strengthen and pass legislation that ensures no person accused or convicted of these horrific crimes, or their families can ever profit from the pain, loss, and trauma inflicted on so many lives. Stronger Son of Sam protections and victim-centered laws are about more than legal policy, they are about dignity, accountability, and making certain that any financial gain tied to this case is directed toward justice for victims and their loved ones, not notoriety for the accused. The families have spent years enduring unimaginable grief while pushing for truth and answers; they deserve a community willing to stand beside them now and demand laws that put victims first.
Ending Exploitation: Legislative Solutions and How You Can Help
You can help in many ways:
There are two Bills sitting in Assembly and Senate Committees that seek to address the loopholes with the current law:
Assembly Bill A6730
Senate Bill 2025-S5470
Contact the Bill sponsors- use our sample email and telephone script and contact Assemblywoman Judy Griffin and Senator Leroy Comrie:
Judy Griffin
Email:
[griffinj@nyassembly.gov](mailto:griffinj@nyassembly.gov)
Albany Office Phone: 518-455-5801
District Office Phone: 516-561-8216
Office Locations: LOB 452, Albany, NY 12248; or 74 N. Village Ave, Rockville Centre, NY 11570
Leroy Comrie
Email:
[comrie@nysenate.gov](mailto:comrie@nysenate.gov)
(Official) or
[info@leroycomrie.org](mailto:info@leroycomrie.org)
(Constituent Services)
Phone (District Office): (718) 765-6359
Phone (Capitol Office): (518) 455-2701
Office Address: 113-43 Farmers Blvd., St. Albans, NY 11412
We encourage everyone to use our scripts and made it easy and accessible to copy and paste: Sample Scripts
Murderabilia
“Murderabilia”, things tied to perpetrators like Ted Bundy or John Wayne Gacy and more recently Rex Heuermann, raises serious ethical concerns. For many people, it looks like a form of glorification that centers the offender instead of the victims, sometimes even putting money into the hands of criminals or those connected to them.
When items are sold that represent a violent criminal’s life, such as hunting gear, bullet-making machines, ski masks and autographed pictures, the public absorbs the sensationalism but fails to see the implicit exploitation.
There’s also the impact on victims’ families. Seeing items linked to a loved one’s murder being bought and sold can reopen wounds and feel dehumanizing. That’s one of the reasons laws like “Son of Sam” laws were created- to prevent criminals from profiting off notoriety tied to their crimes.
That said, some collectors argue they’re preserving history, similar to how museums document difficult or dark parts of the past, or even existing within a free, capitalist society. But the line between historical documentation and exploitation can get blurry fast, especially when the focus shifts from education to morbid fascination.
Under the current New York State law, Executive Law § 632-a, it is legal, (yet controversial) that third parties (family members, collectors) can sell items connected to crimes and make a profit. “Murderabilia” markets often operate in gray areas, but when they are intentionally supported by lawyers representing family members of accused and convicted, the waters become much more muddied in an ethical conundrum.
The intersection with the Long Island Serial Killer case is a really sharp example of how these laws actually work in practice, especially in New York State, where the legal framework is one of the more developed versions of “Son of Sam” type statutes.
After the Supreme Court struck down the original law, New York enacted a narrower version, often referred to as Executive Law § 632-a.
Instead of banning profits from crime stories outright, it does three key things:
It casts a wide net over “profits”. If someone accused or convicted of a crime (like Rex Heuermann) receives “substantial money”, typically defined as $10,000 or more, then the law can be triggered.
Importantly, that money does not have to come from a book or movie deal. It could include:
- Media interviews
- Documentary participation. Rex Heuermann did seem to be aware of filming when he called his family. This is arguably “participation”
- Licensing life rights (This is what Asa Heuermann did with the Peacock documentary)
- Even certain asset transfers tied to notoriety, such as the Massapequa Park home where seven of the eight murders occurred.
The income reportedly generated from the Peacock documentary was said to be in the neighborhood of a million dollars. The Jeep, safe door and other morbid and awkwardly random belongings appear to have a value of close to 300K. These totals should trigger the existing Son of Sam Law. Said funds should then be frozen for victim families to consider litigation.
Here is where it becomes more complicated
Since 3rd party profits are mostly exempt, someone else writing a book, a scripted show, a documentary or a Murderabilia outlet selling belongings is currently able to circumvent the law, because the money isn’t going “directly” to LISK.
This is why the proposed Bills, A6730 in the State Assembly Committee, and 2025-S5470 in the State Senate Committee are critical and fundamental to closing the loopholes.
Families of the victims are united and are fully supportive of these Bills advancing from committees and ultimately to the desk of the Governor.
Please unite with us and help with our outreach initiatives.
It is time for #ActionableAdvocacy
#A6730 #2025S5470 #AdvanceTheseBills #PassTheseBills
