The remains of 24-year-old Melissa Barthelemy were the first to be found on Gilgo Beach, the year after her disappearance. One of the Gilgo Four, she was also one of the three women that Rex Heuermann was initially charged with killing. A native of Buffalo, New York, she had been living in New York City for about three and a half years before she vanished, and according to what her uncle, Jim Martina, told The Wall Street Journal, her family had believed she was working in cosmetology. It was only when they reported her missing that they learned that not only was she a sex worker and an exotic dancer, but because of the industry she was in, it would be a full 10 days before law enforcement took her disappearance seriously.
A grim confirmation that something terrible had happened to their beloved daughter came quickly: According to The New York Times, the killer phoned Melissa’s younger sister, Amanda, six times in the weeks following her disappearance. The content of the messages wasn’t made public, but the Barthelemy family reported that each time, a calm voice mocked them — and Melissa.
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Melissa’s landlady described her as a kind, quiet girl who loved her cats. Her uncle described her similarly, saying, “She had the most wonderful personality I’ve ever seen. She was just so full of life. … She loved New York City. She loved the excitement of the city. She loved to shop.”
