The wife of the New York architect accused of killing three women whose remains were found on a Long Island beach more than ten years ago filed for divorce on Wednesday July 19, her lawyer said.
Solicitor Robert Macedonio said a summons and complaint had been filed on Asa Ellerup’s behalf in the Suffolk County Supreme Court. He declined to comment further.
Authorities said Ellerup was out of state at the time of the murders and is not considered a suspect.
Rex Heuermann, 59, was charged on Friday with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder in the death of Melissa Barthelemy, 24; Megan Waterman, 22; and Amber Lynn Costello 27 years old.
The women were suspected of being sex workers who advertised online, police said. Their remains were discovered in December 2010 at Gilgo Beach on the south shore of Long Island.
Heuermann, of Massapequa Park, is also suspected in the disappearance and death of a fourth woman, 25-year-old Maureen Brainard-Barnes, whose remains were also found near Gilgo Beach. This investigation is continuing, according to a bail application.
The remains of the four women, known as “Gilgo Four”, were discovered during the search for another missing woman, Shannan Gilbert, 23, who was last seen walking through the nearby gated community of Oak Beach after leaving a client’s home, according to a police timeline.
Michael J. Brown, an attorney for Heuermann, told reporters that his client had denied any involvement in the murders and that the allegations were “extremely circumstantial in nature.”
Brown described Heuermann, who has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bond, as “clearly upset” by the allegations.
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com.
This article originally appeared on TODAY.com