What to Know About Rex Heuermann’s First Wife as Details Remain Limited
As more details emerge about Rex Heuermann’s life, questions about his first wife remain largely unanswered.
Published April 9 2026, 12:33 p.m. ET
When a case as high-profile as Rex Heuermann’s unfolds, it’s not unusual for attention to extend beyond the accused to those connected to him. That includes questions about his personal life before his more widely known marriage.
For those searching for information about Rex Heuermann’s first wife, the reality is that there’s very little publicly available. While some reports confirm that he was previously married, details about that relationship remain limited. Keep reading for what little information has been made available about his first marriage.
Rex Heuermann’s first wife has largely remained out of the public eye.
It is a well-known fact that Rex Heuermann was married to and had children with Asa Ellerup. She, however, wasn’t his first wife. According to The New York Post, he was previously married to a woman named Elizabeth Ryan when he was just 26. His first wife graduated from St. Peter’s High School in New Brunswick before obtaining a degree in business administration at Montclair State College.
Per internet sleuths on Reddit, Rex Heuermann and Elizabeth Ryan's divorce was finalized on May 3, 1994. Multiple outlets attempted to reach out to his first wife with no luck. Unfortunately, it is unclear why his first marriage ended. Her neighbors, however, did confirm she has lived in the same house for the last 15 years.
On Reddit, conversations about his first wife are all over the place. There are many who believe she likely has a lot of stories about him and knows what kind of monster he was. Others, however, believe she probably doesn’t want to be associated with and hopes the public will just leave her alone.
Rex Heuermann’s later family life has been more widely documented.
Most of the available information about Rex Heuermann’s personal life centers on his second marriage to Asa Ellerup, whom he married in 1996. According to People, the couple has a son and a daughter.
After Rex Heuermann was identified as a suspect in the Gilgo Beach killings in 2023, Asa Ellerup filed for divorce the same month. Authorities have indicated that family members were not believed to have been aware of what he was doing in the shadows.
Interest in Rex Heuermann’s first marriage has grown alongside broader coverage of the case. There, however has been no public statement from his first wife. Furthermore, she has not appeared in court proceedings or media interviews.
While public interest in Rex Heuermann’s past relationships continues, the absence of detailed information about his first wife appears to reflect her decision to stay out of the spotlight and away from this case.
In cases like this, individuals connected to the accused often choose to remain out of public view. For now, what is known about Rex Heuermann’s first wife remains minimal. And unless more information is confirmed through reliable sources, that is unlikely to change.