Melissa Barthelemy's Sister On Long Wait to Face ‘Repulsive Monster’ In Court
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This week, we have another special Gilgo Beach Murders interview. Amanda Funderburg is the younger sister of one of serial killer Rex Huerman's victims. Amanda played a unique role in the history of Huerman's crimes. She was just 15 when her 24-year-old sibling went missing in July 2009. Her family in Buffalo, New York tried frantically to get help from the police. It was a year before Melissa's remains were found. Melissa B. was a sex worker, like Huerman's other victims. After Melissa was murdered, the mysterious fiend who took her life tortured Amanda by calling her from Melissa's cell phone and bragging to the terrified teen about the horrible things he'd done to her. It was not the only time he called and the chilling communications put Amanda in the heartbreaking position of having to convey to her parents and police repeatedly what the then unidentified caller had been telling her.
Police finally captured Rex Heuermann in 2023 after pleading guilty in connection to the murders of eight women. He was sentenced last month to more than three life sentences. It was about 17 years after his chilling calls to Amanda began.
Who is Amanda Funderburg and what role did she play in the Gilgo Beach case?
Huriman avoided eye contact with the now-grown woman when she addressed him. Amanda is a mother now and trying to heal from a life that is centered around her family's tragedy. In court, she delivered a powerful message to the courtroom and the world.
And although I can't do it myself, I hope you suffer to the fullest extent at the hands of others the way you made our girl suffer. And I hope the word over, you know, the media called me an ogre, I hope that sticks with you because that's truly what you are. unpleasant traits, a violent man, a repulsive monster, a demon inside and out.
In this episode, Amanda joins male reporters Ruth Byszynski and Rachel Sharp to reflect on the events that changed her life. Her story is a meaningful reminder that murder can alter an entire family's history. They break down Hureman's conduct, discuss his ex-wife Asa, and answer other key questions. I'm Kayla Brantley, and this is The Trial USA. We'll be back in just a moment.
You already know the story. A guy has admitted his involvement. But there's a version you haven't heard yet. I'm Alex Matthews, editor of the Crime Desk from the Daily Mail. Every week on our new podcast, On The Case, I sit down with our expert journalists who work the biggest exclusives and get them to take you inside the story. It's the twist they didn't publish. So we will not really know exactly what happened. The truth behind the story you thought you knew. Listen to On The Case wherever you get your podcasts.
Amanza, could you tell us about Melissa? So Melissa was nine years older than me. I was her baby sis, and she didn't let anyone mess with me. She was taking care of me. My mom worked on an early shift, so she was on babysitting duty. She'd make me breakfast, make me lunch, and take me to the park. And, you know, my... Aunt lived about a block away from us. So we'd take walks over there and hang out there for the day and watching movies together, hanging out. And she was just always there playing board games, doing my hair for me. She was like a second mom? Yeah, basically. Yeah. Even as I got older, I mean, guys would try to like, Kat called me when I was like a preteen and she's like, she's just a child.
Don't you talk to my sister like that. Do you have any other siblings? Two brothers and another sister. We lived in Buffalo together until she was around 16. And then she moved to Texas with her dad for a little while. She didn't like it there too much. So she came back.
Okay.
But while she was away, we would talk on the phone all the time and she'd send me letters in the mail. She'd draw, you know, drawings and she made me a nightlight because she knew I was afraid of the dark. So she tried to help with that. And she'd send me my first pair of real earrings when I finally got my ears pierced. Before that, she would send me the sticker kind.
Yeah.
She took me to the first time I visited her in the Bronx.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:03–1:18
2
Who is Amanda Funderburg and what role did she play in the Gilgo Beach case?
1:18–13:15
3
What were Melissa Barthelemy’s relationships and life circumstances before she went missing?
13:15–34:11
4
How did Melissa’s disappearance unfold and when did the family first raise the alarm?
34:11–41:23
Speakers
4 identifiedMore from The Trial: USA
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