Since the spring of this year, investigators looking into the Gilgo Beach serial killings case have been operating on the theory that the suspect, Rex Heuermann, committed the killings in his home in Massapequa Park, New York.

A source involved in the investigation told CNN the fact that the disappearances occurred during times when his family was out of town suggests that he may have lured victims to the Long Island home.

Investigators feel that committing the killings at home would have given Heuermann control of the environment and access to the materials that were found at the crime scene, including tape and burlap bags, the source said.

One of the reasons the search of the home has gone on for such a long time is that they are combing not just for evidence in plain sight, but trace evidence that may be linked to the victims, multiple sources said.

This is a developing story and will be updated.