Rex Heuermann's wife's $1 MILLION Peacock documentary deal in jeopardy as new bill is introduced to stop Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect's relatives from profiting off his crimes

The $1million documentary deal signed by the wife of Gilgo Beach murder suspect Rex Heuermann is in jeopardy as lawmakers rush to introduce new bills to stop the relatives of defendants profiting off crimes. 

Asa Ellerup filed for divorce six days after Heuermann, 60, was charged with the murder of three sex workers whose bodies were among 11 found on the desolate stretch of coastline close to their Long Island Home between 2010 and 2011.

She agreed to participate in the mega-deal with NBC's streaming service Peacock, which will feature a crew filming her family throughout her husband's trial that is slated to begin next year.

The deal has been slammed by the families of the Gilgo Beach victims as 'evil' and they claim the documentary series will 're-victimize' and 're-traumatize' them.

It has prompted two new bills aiming to amend New York's Son of Sam law, which stops the families of suspects from cashing in on crimes. If it is passed it would take effect immediately and plunge Ellerup's agreement into doubt. 

Film crews were seen trailing Heuermann's estranged wife, 59, and two children Victoria and Christopher as they attended his arraignment last month. 

Authorities have said that Ellerup wasn't aware of her husband's alleged killings and the money earned from the show will not be going to his defense because New York law prohibits defendants from selling their story to the media. 

But two bills have been proposed to amend the state's Son of Sam law and stop the families of suspects from profiting off crimes. 

'The amount of money that's being thrown here while victims' families get nothing is just horrible,' State senator Kevin Thomas told CBS News. 

'They're just exploiting their pain for profit.' He added that his bill will shut this loophole.

State Senator Fred Thiele Jr. said: 'Why should the family or the former spouse profit from this crime either? It's an insult, I think, to the victim.' 

The Son of Sam law was initially ruled as unconstitutional and amended.

The victims of crimes are now notified about movie and book deals to allow them to sue for the profits. 

Attorney John Ray who represents the families of the Gilgo Beach victims has praised the proposals. 

'[Ellerup] is a ghoul and she's feeding on the dead by using their memory and the circumstances that her husband caused and she may have a part in,' he said. 

But Ellerup's attorney Robert Macadonio said: 'It's a sad day in America when people are willing to trample on the constitution to get press coverage. 

'The next thing they will attempt is to control media coverage.'

Hofstra law professor added: 'To the extent that the law is going to apply to a family member, who may not have done anything wrong, you've probably got a significant First Amendment problem there.' 

If the bills are passed it would take immediate effect and put Ellerup's deal in jeopardy. 

A Peacock spokesman said Ellerup 'was not paid for her participation, but was paid a licensing fee for use of her archive materials'. 

It said it 'reached out to all victims’ families to appear in the documentary, all of whom either did not respond or declined.'

Sherre Gilbert, the sister of Shannan Gilbert, whose remains were found in 2010 and led to the discovery of other victims, went to social media to express her shock, using the words: 'disappointed...disgusted... flabbergasted...frustrated.'

'The way that the media will buy stories to further re-victimize, re-traumatize, and exploit the families & victims of serial killers is evil!,' she said.

Heuermann is currently being held at a Suffolk County prison in connection to three murders.

In July, he was charged with killing Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello, who disappeared in 2009 and 2010.

Authorities said he is also the 'prime suspect' in the killing of Maureen Brainard-Barnes.

Cops have released a laundry list of 'red flags' that they say led them to Heuermann as a suspect, with the first piece of evidence being a Chevrolet Avalanche owned by him that was linked to the murder of Costello by a witness.

According to documents filed in Suffolk County court, investigators were then able to link that car to Heuermann's cellphone records, which tied him to locations related to the murders, which eventually led them to obtain a DNA sample.

Police say that Heuermann used Melissa Barthelemy's phone to make taunting phone calls to her family from the victim's phone, calls that were made steps from his Manhattan office.

Following the identification of Heuermann as the owner of the Chevrolet, cops issued over 300 subpoenas, search warrants and other legal processes to obtain further evidence.

Ellerup visited the Manhattan architect in jail for the first time last month, and has been seen attending court to 'see for herself what is presented in court.'

In August, she was accused by attorney Ray of being involved in the grisly killings.

Police have not indicated any link involving Ellerup or the couple's children with the murders, however Ray claims to have witnesses who he says can confirm her presence when Heuermann would bring home sex workers.

He said that her alleged presence when he would do so suggests she may have had knowledge of the killings, a claim refused by Macedonio who said his client and her children are not under any suspicion by investigators.

Macedonio said Ellerup was not in the region at the time her husband was allegedly carrying out the killings.