Melissa Barthelemy Wiki, Age, Death Cause, Family, Boyfriend, Parents, Net worth, Career & More

Melissa Barthelemy was one of the victims of the Gilgo Beach murders, a series of unsolved killings of sex workers in Long Island, New York. She was abducted in 2009 and her body was found in 2010 near a beach. Her killer was recently arrested and charged with her murder and two others. Here is everything you need to know about Melissa Barthelemy’s life, death, and legacy.

Wiki Table

Name	Melissa Barthelemy
Born	April 14, 1985
Died	July 12, 2009
Age	24 years old (at the time of death)
Birthplace	Buffalo, New York, USA
Death place	Long Island, New York, USA
Cause of death	Strangulation
Nicknames	Blaze, Chloe
Height	4′ 10″ (1.47 m)
Profession	Escort Service
Father	Mark Barthelemy
Mother	Lynn Barthelemy
Instagram	melissabarthelemy
Homepage	Dreshare.com

Early Life and Education

Melissa Barthelemy was born on April 14, 1985, in Buffalo, New York. She was the eldest of three daughters of Mark and Lynn Barthelemy. She attended Kenmore West High School and graduated in 2003. She was interested in cosmetology and fashion design and dreamed of becoming a stylist or a model. She also loved animals and had a pet cat named Gizmo.

Melissa moved to New York City in 2007 to pursue her career goals. She enrolled in the Bronx Community College and took courses in cosmetology. She also worked as a waitress at a pizzeria and a nightclub. She lived in a basement apartment at 1149 Underhill Avenue in the Unionport section of The Bronx.

Career as an Escort

Melissa Barthelemy started working as an escort in 2008 to supplement her income and pay for her education. She used the nicknames Blaze and Chloe and advertised her services on websites like Craigslist and Backpage. She charged $200 per hour and had a loyal clientele. She was careful about screening her customers and always carried pepper spray for protection. She also kept in touch with her family and friends regularly and sent money to her mother and sisters.

Melissa Barthelemy enjoyed her work as an escort and saw it as a way to meet new people and have fun. She was confident, outgoing, and adventurous. She liked to travel and visited places like Las Vegas, Miami, and Los Angeles with her clients. She also had a boyfriend named Johnny Terry, who was also an escort. They met through their work and had a loving relationship.

Disappearance and Death

Melissa Barthelemy was last seen alive on July 12, 2009. She left her apartment around 8 p.m. to meet a client who had called her earlier that day. She told her boyfriend that she would be back soon and kissed him goodbye. She never returned.

The next day, her boyfriend reported her missing to the police. He also received a call from Melissa’s phone, but it was not her voice on the other end. It was a man who claimed to be her killer and taunted him with vulgar remarks. The man also called Melissa’s mother several times over the next few weeks, using Melissa’s phone. He told her that he had killed Melissa and that he was watching her family. He also described details about Melissa’s appearance and tattoos that only someone who had seen her body would know.

The police traced the calls to various locations in New York City, but they could not find the caller or Melissa’s phone. They also searched for Melissa’s client who had called her on the day of her disappearance, but they could not identify him or his phone number.

On December 11, 2010, more than a year after Melissa’s disappearance, a police officer found human remains near Gilgo Beach in Long Island while searching for another missing person. The remains were later identified as Melissa Barthelemy’s by dental records. She had been strangled to death and wrapped in burlap.

Over the next few days, three more sets of remains were found near the same area. They belonged to Megan Waterman, Amber Costello, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes, who were also sex workers who had gone missing between 2007 and 2010. The police suspected that they were dealing with a serial killer who targeted escorts.

Parents & Siblings

Melissa Barthelemy was one of the victims of the Gilgo Beach murders, a series of unsolved killings of women on Long Island, New York. She was working as an escort at the time of her disappearance in 2009. Her remains were found in 2011 along with three other women, who became known as the “Gilgo Four”.

According to her mother, Lynn Barthelemy, Melissa had a younger sister named Amanda, who was 15 when Melissa went missing. Melissa also had a father named Mark, who lived in Texas. Lynn Barthelemy said her daughter was close to her family and wanted to become a hairdresser. She described her as a “beautiful person inside and out”.

Investigation and Arrest of the Suspect

The investigation into the Gilgo Beach murders lasted for more than a decade and involved multiple agencies and techniques. The police collected DNA evidence from the victims’ bodies and belongings, as well as from the burlap sacks that they were wrapped in. They also analyzed phone records, internet activity, surveillance footage, and witness statements. They interviewed hundreds of people, including clients, friends, family, and associates of the victims. They also offered a reward of $25,000 for any information leading to an arrest.

In 2020, the police released a photograph of a belt that was found near one of the victims’ bodies. The belt had the letters “WH” or “HM” embossed on it. The police asked for the public’s help in identifying the owner of the belt or its significance.

In 2021, the police announced that they had identified a person of interest in the case, based on DNA evidence and phone records. They did not reveal his name or any other details at the time.

In 2023, the police arrested Rex Heuermann, a 59-year-old architect from Long Island, and charged him with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello. He was also named as the prime suspect in the death of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, although he was not charged with her murder.

The police said that they linked Heuermann to the murders by matching his DNA to hair found on a piece of burlap that was used to wrap one of the victims. They also said that they traced his phone records to show that he had contacted the victims before their disappearances and that he had used burner phones to make taunting calls to Melissa’s family using her phone. They also said that they found evidence of his interest in the case on his internet history, as he often searched for updates and details about the victims.

Heuermann pleaded not guilty to the charges and denied any involvement in the murders. His lawyer said that he was innocent and that the evidence against him was circumstantial. Heuermann is currently being held without bail and is awaiting trial.

Legacy and Impact

Melissa Barthelemy’s death shocked and saddened her family and friends, who remembered her as a loving, caring, and ambitious person who wanted to make a better life for herself. Her mother said that she was proud of her daughter and that she did not judge her for her work as an escort. Her sisters said that she was their role model and inspiration. Her boyfriend said that she was his soulmate and that he missed her every day.

Melissa Barthelemy’s death also raised awareness about the dangers and stigma faced by sex workers, especially those who work online. Her case highlighted the need for more protection, support, and respect for sex workers, as well as more resources and cooperation in investigating their disappearances and murders. Her case also sparked a movement for justice and accountability for the Gilgo Beach victims and their families, who have been waiting for answers and closure for years.

Melissa Barthelemy’s life and death have been featured in several documentaries, books, podcasts, and articles. She has also been honored by various organizations and events that advocate for sex workers’ rights and safety. Her memory lives on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her, as well as those who were touched by her story.

12 Facts about Melissa Barthelemy

• Melissa was born on April 14, 1985, in Buffalo, New York.
• She graduated from Kenmore West High School in 2003.
• She moved to New York City in 2007 to pursue her career goals.
• Melissa enrolled in the Bronx Community College and took courses in cosmetology.
• She worked as a waitress at a pizzeria and a nightclub.
• She started working as an escort in 2008 to supplement her income and pay for her education.
• She used the nicknames Blaze and Chloe and advertised her services on websites like Craigslist and Backpage.
• Melissa charged $200 per hour and had a loyal clientele.
• She liked to travel and visited places like Las Vegas, Miami, and Los Angeles with her clients.
• She had a boyfriend named Johnny Terry, who was also an escort.
• Melissa was last seen alive on July 12, 2009, when she left her apartment to meet a client.
• She was abducted, strangled, and dumped near Gilgo Beach in Long Island by a serial killer who targeted escorts.

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