He Came Face to Face With an Alleged Serial Killer; 12 Years Later, His Tip Helped Crack the Case

New York State police officers move a metal cabinet as law enforcement searches the home of suspected serial killer Rex Heuermann, in Massapequa Park, N.Y., on July 15, 2023. Jeenah Moon/AP Photo

NEW YORK—In the winter of 2010, shortly after police discovered the remains of his roommate and three other women buried on a remote stretch of Long Island shoreline, Dave Schaller provided detectives with a description of the person he believed to be the killer.

More crucially, Mr. Schaller told them about his truck.