A young New York woman’s creepy train ride just took a horrifying turn, months after the fact. What started as a routine commute for 21-year-old Kaylin Morales is now making headlines after she realized the unsettling man who made her skin crawl that day was none other than Rex Heuermann, the accused Gilgo Beach serial killer.
Morales, who was just trying to get from point A to point B on a Long Island Rail Road train on July 1, 2023, says she immediately felt uneasy when a large, middle-aged man sat directly beside her, despite the train being nearly empty. The move was already weird enough, but what followed left her feeling truly trapped and frightened. She later discovered that the man was Rex Heuermann.
“I just thought he was this big, fat, ugly white man,” Morales recalled in an interview with the New York Post. “I obviously didn’t know who he was at the time.” The man made inappropriate comments almost instantly, allegedly telling her, “Oh, you don’t have to move your pretty legs. I won’t bother you.”
Morales, like so many women forced into these uncomfortable moments, did what she could to protect herself. She kept her headphones in, ignored him, and discreetly started recording. Her instincts were right, and those recordings would later become evidence.
New York Woman’s Scary Run-In With Alleged Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Rex Heuermann Shocks TikTok
Heuermann, now 60, was arrested less than two weeks after the encounter, on July 13, 2023. By then, the world had learned that the seemingly quiet architect from Massapequa Park, Long Island, was allegedly living a double life as one of the most terrifying serial killers in recent history.
At the time of his arrest, Heuermann had already been charged in the murders of three women — Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello — all of whom were found dead in burlap sacks along Ocean Parkway between 2010 and 2011. In early 2024, a fourth charge was added for the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, expanding the chilling case against him.
But it didn’t stop there. As the investigation deepened, new charges dropped like bombs. In June 2024, Heuermann was charged with the murders of Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costilla, dating all the way back to 1993. By December, Valerie Mack’s 2000 murder had been added to the list. That brings the official count to seven murder charges — and investigators believe there could be more.
Back on that train, Morales had no idea she was sitting next to a man who may be responsible for years of horror. She told the Post she felt “creeped out” and even considered moving seats, but Heuermann’s size and proximity made her feel “trapped.” After learning his identity, she handed her footage over to Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and participated in interviews with detectives. She only recently felt safe enough to share the story publicly.
In classic internet fashion, Morales took to TikTok to post the clips she recorded, warning other women about trusting their gut in situations that just don’t feel right. The videos quickly gained traction as more details of the Gilgo Beach case emerged, and viewers were floored by her close call.
While Heuermann has pleaded not guilty to all charges, the evidence continues to stack up. Investigators have even expanded their search for victims into the Otis Pike Preserve in Manorville, hoping to bring closure to families still waiting for answers.
TikTok In Shock
Of course, the TikTok community had plenty to say about the shocking video and Marales’ close call.
“They walk among us,” one person commented.
“She sat next to Dexter Morgan,” said another.
“This is actually terrifying,” a third person chimed in.
“This is pretty traumatic,” a fourth comment read.
Morales’ terrifying New York encounter may be one of the last known brushes someone had with Rex Heuermann before his arrest, and her decision to record him could help shed even more light on the kind of man he really is. If this case proves anything, it’s that true crime isn’t just something we binge on Netflix. Sometimes, it’s sitting right next to you on a train.
Sofia Bassett 
Emma Taylor 
