Rock Hill Police reviewing Aaliyah Bell cold case after alleged serial killer’s arrest
ROCK HILL, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The Rock Hill Police Department confirmed on Thursday that investigators are reviewing Aaliyah Bell’s case after the arrest of an alleged serial killer.
“Our investigators have been reviewing any information to see if there is a correlation between the disappearance of Aaliyah Bell and Rex Heuermann,” Lieutenant Michael Chavis said.
Rock Hill Police said, so far, there is no indication that has led the department to identify Heuermann as a suspect in this case, however, they are continuing to investigate.
“We will continue to investigate Bell’s disappearance and follow up on all tips and leads,” Chavis said to Queen City News on Thursday.
Aaliyah Bell was reported missing on November 25, 2014, in Rock Hill, SC. She has been described as a Black woman, 5’6″ tall, 145 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
Bell is believed to be in Charlotte or Fayetteville, North Carolina, or in Atlanta, Georgia. Police said her lip is pierced and has stars tattooed on the left side of her abdomen.
Heuermann, who has ties to South Carolina, was arrested and officially charged with the murders of several women in New York last Friday. He is believed to have manipulated, killed, and then dumped multiple women along the shores of Gilgo Beach in Long Island sometime around 2010.
Authorities said Heuermann has been their prime suspect since 2022, thanks to a connection to the disappearance and death of Amber Costello. Friends of Amber revealed to authorities in 2010, that she was last seen getting into a dark-colored Chevrolet Avalanche.
A review of other evidence brought up a similar type of vehicle registered to Heuermann.
This helped lead to his arrest. The news left Amber’s aunt, Bonnie Sasse, overwhelmed with emotions on Monday when she spoke with Queen City News outside her Gaston County, NC, home.
“I’ve been calling the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office asking for information,” she said about her inquiries into her niece’s death over the past decade. “They said they couldn’t say anything. I guess they did, and they’ve been trailing this guy. I’m so thankful he’s been caught.”
When Sasse last saw her niece, she had been taking care of her sister’s daughter and even expressed the idea of adopting her. Amber, however, had a history of drug addiction, a demon she had attempted to shake multiple times before.
Sasse explained that, at some point, Amber moved from the Charlotte area of North Carolina, into an apartment with her sister Kim, in the Long Island area. She also became a sex worker.
“These people were human beings, and I know Amber was so much more,” Sasse explained of Amber’s work choice. “Amber was such a beautiful, beautiful, loving human being, and I miss her terribly.”
When she first saw Heuermann’s mugshot, Sasse was hit by his appearance and said, “That man was huge. I mean, none of these girls stood a chance against him … He looks like a cold monster. In his eyes, you can just see he’s a sociopath. … I’m just glad he’s going to be put away forever and will never be able to hurt anyone ever again.”
Sasse doesn’t know if she will bring herself to attend any of the suspect’s court hearings. Her focus is now on the rest of her family, including Amber’s sister Kim, who lived at the New York apartment when Amber went missing. Sasse has not heard from Kim in years.
“I would love to hear from her,” she said. “Kim, I love you, and miss you, and I hope you’re okay.”
Anyone who may have information in connection to Aaliyah Bell’s case is asked to call the Rock Hill Police Department at 1-803-329-7200 or 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
