The man who admitted to murdering a Trinidad-born woman from Sangre Grande and seven other women whose deaths became known as the Gilgo Beach serial killings has been sentenced to multiple life terms in prison, bringing one of New York's most notorious cold cases to a close.

Rex Heuermann, a 62-year-old New York architect, was sentenced on Wednesday to three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole for the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello, and four consecutive prison terms of 25 years to life for the murders of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla and Valerie Mack.

As part of a plea agreement in April, Heuermann pleaded guilty to murdering seven women and also admitted to killing an eighth victim, Karen Vergata.