Greater Long Island coverage is funded in part by Toresco & Simonelli, a boutique injury and family law firm in West Islip. They fight for their clients. Click here to get in touch.
UPDATE: The eBay listing for Rex Heuermann’s Vietnam-era jeep — after coming down temporarily from the online auction site — is live again. And as of Tuesday afternoon, the highest bid was $20,000. There have been 20 bids in the auction, which ends about dawn Wednesday morning.
Below is a previous update and the story as it originally appeared on Greater Long Island.
The online auction site eBay has pulled the listing for Rex Heuermann’s Vietnam-era jeep after determining the post violated its “Violence and Violent Criminals” policy.
The anonymous seller’s repeated references to Heuermann, the alleged serial killer, were deemed impermissible under eBay rules.
Items associated with violent felons, their crimes, or crime scenes within the last 100 years may not be listed if it glorifies or gains profit from violence, according to eBay’s policy. The platform strictly removes listings even if the item itself is generic — it’s the context and connection to a violent individual that triggers a violation.
The removal underscores the broader ethical tension surrounding “murderabilia” — collectibles tied to violent criminals. Although the jeep had drawn bids and collector fascination, eBay determined the sale crossed the line from historical vehicle to commodified criminal notoriety. Before its removal, bidding had reached $5,100.
Greater Long Island will continue to monitor to see whether the seller revises the listing to comply with policy — or pulls it altogether.
[Below is the original version of GLI’s story.]
Normally, a Vietnam-era Army jeep would sell for a few thousand bucks.
But when it belongs to an accused serial killer — one who reportedly used it for personal hunting trips — the price, and the creep factor, shoots up.
A 1972 M151A2 military jeep once owned by alleged Gilgo Beach murderer Rex Heuermann is now up for grabs on eBay, listed by an anonymous family representative, Newsday reported on Tuesday. Proceeds will go to Heuermann’s ex-wife, Asa Ellerup, the report says.
And should Heuermann be convicted in the chilling series of killings, the vehicle’s notoriety may only grow.
The camouflage-colored jeep, complete with a military trailer, axe and shovel, was towed from the Massapequa Park property after Heuermann’s arrest last summer. It became a point of morbid curiosity for true-crime sleuths online when it popped up in old Google street view images of the home from more than a decade ago.
Prosecutors don’t believe the vehicle, which has a mileage of 52,256, played a role in the crimes, so it was eventually returned to the family. Still, it bears haunting connections to the timeline of the murders — and still has a Suffolk County Police impound lot number on the windshield.
Bids steadily rising
The starting bid was $1,000. As of early Tuesday afternoon, the highest bid was $5,100. The eBay post, which includes a trailer for the Jeep, has received 30 bids and nearly 850 views. The online auction ends next Tuesday.
The listing by the anonymous account holder romeo_echo_xray_72 describes the items for sale as “1972 Jeep AMC & 1963 HO/MA Trailer owned by ‘LISK’ [Long Island Serial Killer] Rex Heuermann.”
“The 1972 Jeep offers a nostalgic experience and is sure to turn heads on the road with its cool design and, if you are a true crime buff, this Jeep and trailer have quite a history,” the eBay listing reads. “The owner was none other than, The Long Island Serial Killer, Rex Heuermann.”
‘Big deal’
“This is a big deal,” David Adamovich, a Freeport man who collects serial killer memorabilia, told Newsday. “A large collectible, like the jeep — it’s an interesting item.”
Adamovich, whose trove includes items linked to Charles Manson, John Wayne Gacy and Jeffrey Dahmer, said that if Heuermann is convicted, the jeep’s value as a crime collectible will skyrocket.
Classic car experts peg the jeep’s market value at around $16,700 in good condition — but that’s before adding the alleged dark allure of its former owner.
Heuermann, a Manhattan architect, has been behind bars at the Suffolk County jail since July 2023. He faces murder charges in connection with the deaths of seven women — including Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Lynn Costello and Maureen Brainard-Barnes, whose remains were found along Gilgo Beach.
He’s also accused in the killings of Jessica Taylor and Valerie Mack, whose partial remains were found both near Gilgo and in Manorville, and Sandra Costilla, whose body turned up in North Sea, more than 65 miles from the beach.
Heuermann is due back in court July 17 for a hearing on DNA evidence. He has proclaimed his innocence, pleading not guilty to all charges.
Prior coverage
Photos: Ebay. Top Inset: Alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann (James Carbone/Newsday via AP).
