Expert Casts Doubt on DNA Lab Used in Gilgo Beach Murder Case Against Rex Heuermann | Crime Alert 11AM 07.18.25

Rex Heuermann, the alleged serial killer linked to the Gilgo Beach murders, appeared in court once again on Thursday, marking just over two years since his arrest. The much-anticipated Frye hearing regarding DNA evidence continued, drawing significant attention.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Crime Alaric hourly update Breaking crime News Now.

Speaker 2 (00:03):
I'm Nicole Parton. Rex Huerman, the alleged serial killer link
to the gilgol Beach murders, appeared in court once again yesterday,
marking just over two years since his arrest. The much
anticipated friar hearing regarding DNA evidence continued, drawing significant attention.
Deman from Massapequa Park, charged with the killings of seven women,

(00:25):
listened intently as a defense called forensic DNA expert profiler
doctor Dan Crane to testify. Crane expressed reservations about the
DNA testing methods employed in this case, suggesting that this
particular program being utilized, which involves cutting edge DNA analysis techniques,

(00:46):
signifies a quote paradigm shift from traditional protocols. As previously reported,
This hearing commenced in March and focuses on the potential
admissibility of specific DNA evidence in the trial. The decision
made here could greatly influence the proceedings of an already
intricate and highly scrutinized case. Despite the highlighted public interest,

(01:09):
the actual trial may still be far off, with the
defense indicating that it is unlikely to start before twenty
twenty six. Before setting a trial date, the court must
first rule on the admissibility of the DNA evidence and
address the defense's request to separate the cases or crime
and Justice news after this and now to California, where

(01:38):
the U. S. Department of Justice reported that a former
bishop of the ame Zion Church Stattack Doe Powell, sixty
five from wake Force, North Carolina, has pleaded guilty to
charges of federal fraud and conspiracy. He was found to
have used deceit and forged documents to take control of
church properties in California. In twenty twenty two, and Sheila

(02:01):
Quintana were indicted. Quintana, who served as CFO for Powell's organization,
admitted to conspiracy charges in April twenty twenty five. After
his election as bishop in twenty sixteen, Powell established the
Western Episcopal District WED, Incorporated to serve as the representative
body for the ame Zion Church's Western district. He acted

(02:24):
as the CEO while Quintana held the CFO position. Powell
directed ame Zion pastors to transfer the titles of their
church properties, including buildings, parking lots, and residences used by
the pastors, to WED Incorporated. Under his guidance, Quintana and
other officers processed the necessary grant deeds. Starting in twenty seventeen,

(02:48):
Powell instructed Quintana and others to leverage church properties as
collateral for securing loans. To deceive lenders, Powell orchestrated the
creation of fraudulent documents that false let indicated church approval
for wed Incorporated loans. Request He directed the fabrication of
counterfeit church resolutions, which Quintana was tasked with creating and signing,

(03:12):
using the names of the local church officials without their consent.
From twenty seventeen to twenty nineteen, Powell and Quintana unlawfully
employed five ame Zion churches in California as collateral to
obtain millions of dollars in loans, often relying on forged
documents without the knowledge or approval of the congregations involved.

(03:35):
The churches implicated include Kyle's Temple, First ame Zion, Greater
Cooper University ame Zion, and First ame Zion in Los Angeles,
with total unauthorized loans surpassing eleven million dollars. Paal admitted
to orchestrating five point five million in new loans against
ame Church properties to settle previous debts. He misappropriated some

(03:59):
of these funds for pertional experiences, including purchasing property for
his children and covering his own mortgage. In July twenty twenty,
Powell initiated bankruptcy proceedings for w D Inc. Declaring assets
from eleven churches, a parsonage, and his official residence, which
he valued at over twenty six million dollars, against debts

(04:20):
that exceeded twelve million. As part of the plea agreement,
Powell will make restitution payments ranging from three million to
twelve point four million, and forfeit any claims to ame
Zion Church properties currently out on bond. Powell is scheduled
to be sentenced on September twenty three, twenty five. He
faces a potential maximum sentence of twenty years in prison

(04:42):
and two hundred and fifty thousand dollars fine for each count,
with the final sentencing determined by federal guidelines.

Speaker 1 (04:49):
How could a beautiful, young first grade teacher be stabbed
twenty times, including in the back, allegedly die of suicide?
US Yes, that was the medical examiner's official ruling after
a closed door meeting, he first named it a homicide.
Why what Happened to Ellen Greenberg a huge American miscarriage

(05:13):
of justice. For an in depth look at.

Speaker 3 (05:17):
The facts, see What Happened to Ellen on Amazon. All
proceeds to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Speaker 2 (05:29):
For the latest crime and justice news, follow Crime Alert
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I'm nico partner