Podcast Summary: Monster: Hunting the Long Island Serial Killer

Episode 4: "The Hunter"

Release Date: November 17, 2025
Host: Josh Zeman
Production: iHeartPodcasts & Tenderfoot TV

Overview

In "The Hunter," filmmaker and true crime journalist Josh Zeman investigates the hunting analogy so often referenced in the Long Island Serial Killer (LISK) investigation. He explores the literal and psychological significance of the killer's "hunting grounds," how a culture of hunting and gun clubs may have intertwined with the killer's rituals, and how a web of police incompetence, missed clues, and chilling planning allowed Rex Heuermann to evade capture for decades. The episode also examines the connection and eerie overlaps between two suspects—Rex Heuermann and John Bittrolf—while underscoring the devastating toll on victims’ families and the mounting evidence that was “hidden in plain sight."

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Remembering the Victims & The Families’ Pain

• The episode begins by listing and honoring the known victims, emphasizing the importance of discussing them as people, not just crime statistics.
  • Victim List: Shannon Gilbert, Maureen Brainard Barnes, Megan Waterman, Melissa Bartholomew, Amberlynn Costello, Jessica Taylor, Valerie Mac, Karen Vergata, "Asian Doe," Tanya, Denise Jackson, Tatiana Marie Dykes. (02:53)
• Kim Overstreet’s Story: Kim, sister of victim Amberlynn Costello, recounts her personal investigation and the emotional devastation:
  • “I just want to know who killed my sister. I just want to see for myself in my own two eyes.” (05:34)

2. Turning the Tables: From "Hunter" to "Hunted"

• Zeman describes law enforcement and media framing LISK as a “hunter” and the decision to flip the narrative—proactively engaging with the killer’s methods and haunts.
• Filmmakers posted on Backpage.com, hoping to provoke a response from the killer himself, leveraging backchannel tactics to “hunt” the hunter. (06:18)
• A cryptic caller responded, sharing rumors and leading to speculation about whether Heuermann himself contacted the filmmakers. Audio experts have since analyzed the call, with some believing it could have been Heuermann. (10:27)
  • "Rex Heuermann may have called a documentary filmmaker seven years ago. In a sick effort at pinning the crime spree on somebody else..." (11:32)
  • "It's a cat and mouse game with Lisk that stretches all the way back to our 2015 interview..." (11:58)

3. Investigating the Crime Scenes: Ocean Parkway & Burlap

• Zeman and partners explore why Ocean Parkway was chosen: its desolation, darkness, and easy cover for body disposal. (13:06)
• The detail of the victims being wrapped in unusual burlap led to speculation about the killer’s ties to hunting or clamming.
  • Police Chief Dormer confirms some media leaks about burlap but says specifics were always kept secret. (13:58)
  • Online sleuth “Inspector Gadget" was correct in positing the culprit was a duck hunter.
  • Post-arrest, it’s confirmed Heuermann was a licensed hunter, avid in duck hunting, with more than 92 gun permits and a passion for hunting and guns. (15:00)
  • The burlap used was specifically for duck blinds—an answer “painfully obvious” only in hindsight. (16:46)
  • "Ocean Parkway was more than just this killer's dumping grounds. It was also his hunting grounds." (17:41)

4. Profiling the Killer’s Psychology and Rituals

• Serial killer criminal profiler Peter Brent shares his theories about the link between the landscape, the killer’s rituals, and his psychopathy. (17:43)
  • "This guy is a collector. He parked his victims in nice, equal distances to each other, like a trophy guard, always reminding him of his achievement." (20:05)
• Brent suggests the killer needed only to drive by the dump sites to revisit the memory—the landscape provided a macabre “trophy garden." (19:30)

5. Manorville Murders & the Bittrolf Connection

• Manorville, a remote hunters’ spot, emerges as another body disposal site—later tied to both LISK and convicted killer John Bittrolf. (21:00)
• Bittrolf:
  • Local hunter and carpenter; DNA linked to two 1990s prostitute murders.
  • While some suspected he was LISK, his methods (“blitz”-style bludgeoning) didn’t match those attributed to LISK (who dismembered or wrapped bodies).
  • District Attorney backtracked post-conviction, suggesting the possibility of overlap between Bittrolf’s and LISK’s victims. (24:00)
  • This overlap and prosecutors’ scapegoating tactics fueled years of speculation and confusion.

6. The Sandra Castillo Shock

• In 2024, prosecutors indicted Heuermann for a 1993 victim, Sandra Castillo, previously suspected to be a Bittrolf victim. (28:22)
• Forensic evidence: Two hairs found on her remains, one of which matched Heuermann with astronomical statistical certainty.
  • “That same male hair was 4.347 x 10^332 more likely to have come from someone genetically identical to Rex Heuermann than from an unrelated individual.” (29:30)
• The murder of Castillo (mutilation, location, MO) differed from Bittrolf’s two confirmed victims, prompting reevaluation of connections, timelines, and a shifting understanding of the killer’s evolution. (31:17)
  • Raises questions: Is this the killer evolving? Developing “forensic countermeasures”? (32:35)
  • The timelines of Heuermann and Bittrolf weirdly overlap, especially with body disposals in the same locales.

7. Hunting, Gun Clubs, and the Killer’s Routine

• The so-called “coincidences” mount when examining hunting clubs, the Peconic River Sportsmen’s Club near Manorville (where Heuermann was a volunteer), and body drop locations. (35:38)
• “You can't ignore the fact that hunters were involved in two of those three cases out there. And you have all these gun clubs out there also.” — Joe Jacalone, cold case investigator (34:55)
• The implication is that the geography of Heuermann’s life—via hunting clubs and gun ranges—directly informed his selection of dumping grounds.

8. Breakthrough Evidence: Digital Documentation of Murder

• In 2024, prosecutors revealed damning evidence: a Word document found in Heuermann’s basement detailing step-by-step murder planning and disposal. (42:46)
  • Detailed pre, prep, and post-murder checklists, including DNA removal, body mutilation, disposing gloves, changing tires, misleading investigators, etc.
  • “Holy. This is just unbelievable... Remove ID marks tattoos. Remove head and hands..." (43:14-43:33)
  • “No wonder he lasted over 30 years.” (44:41)
• The thoroughness and cold-blooded nature outlined in these plans is described as “the stuff what nightmares are made of.” (44:44)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Families’ Ongoing Suffering:
  • “I just don't know if I'm going to ever be able to come back from this.” —Kim Overstreet (04:55)
• On the Hunter Narrative:
  • “Heuerman was an alleged predator who terrorized and killed sex workers for his gratification. He liked the idea of having a prize. Stalking prey. And winning. He liked to win.” —Josh Zeman (07:57)
• On Profiling the Killer:
  • “This guy is not your garden variety sexual predator... He parked his victims in nice, equal distances... like a trophy guard, always reminding him of his achievement.” —Peter Brent (19:55)
• On the Digital Evidence:
  • "This is a deviant evil person. He was thorough in his attempt to hide the murders he was committing. This is a thorough serial killer. He had it all planned." —Joseph Jacalone (44:12)
  • "Why did Rex allegedly get away with so much for so long? Because as we were about to find out, this is the stuff what nightmares are made of." —Josh Zeman (44:51)
• On the Role of Hunting & Gun Clubs:
  • “Gun club records show Heuermann took part in public shooting competitions and courses in the early 2000s in Manorville at the Peconic River Sportsman's Club.” (36:50)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Victims List & Family Stories: 02:53–06:18
• Turning the Tables/Backpage Tactics: 06:18–12:19
• Crime Scenes & The “Hunter” Angle: 13:06–17:41
• Profiling: The Trophy Garden: 17:43–21:00
• Manorville/Bittrolf Overlap: 21:00–24:00
• Sandra Castillo Revelation: 28:22–34:00
• Hunting Clubs & Body Disposal: 34:55–36:50
• Digital Murder Planning Evidence: 42:46–44:51

Conclusion

"The Hunter" peels back the layers of the Long Island Serial Killer case, uncovering how law enforcement missed critical patterns and overlooked connections rooted in hunting culture and geography. Josh Zeman’s deep reporting and personal involvement add an urgent, somber tone, especially as new evidence reveals the meticulous, almost clinical nature of the crimes. The narrative is shaped by both heartbreak and frustration for victims’ families and unrelenting pursuit for justice, culminating in a chilling picture of how a killer’s obsession with hunting, collecting, and evading led to decades of terror hidden in plain sight.

Content Warning: This episode deals with graphic and distressing subject matter regarding murder and its investigation.

Further Listening: The full series is available ad-free and in binge format via iHeart True Crime Plus on Apple Podcasts. For more of Josh Zeman’s true crime content, visit his YouTube channel, "Sinister with Josh Zeman."