The Long Island Serial Killings, also known as the Gilgo Beach Murders or the Craigslist Ripper case, is an unsolved serial murder investigation centered around the discovery of numerous human remains on Long Island, New York. The case has been ongoing since 2010 and remains unsolved as of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021.The initial discovery took place on December 11, 2010, when police were searching for a missing woman named Shannan Gilbert, a sex worker who had gone to meet a client in Oak Beach, Suffolk County. During the search, police found the remains of four women in the vicinity of Gilgo Beach. These victims were later identified as Megan Waterman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Melissa Barthelemy, and Amber Lynn Costello, all of whom were also involved in sex work.


As the investigation progressed, additional remains were discovered in the same area. In March and April 2011, six more sets of remains were found, along with the remains of an unidentified toddler, who came to be known as "Baby Doe" or "Jane Doe #6." The additional victims were identified as Jessica Taylor, Valerie Mack, Jane Doe #6 (the toddler), and an Asian male dressed in women's clothing.The police discovered that many of the victims had connections to the sex trade and had advertised their services on websites like Craigslist. This led investigators to suspect that a serial killer, dubbed the "Long Island Serial Killer" or "Craigslist Ripper," was specifically targeting sex workers in the area.The case gained significant media attention and sparked a large-scale investigation involving local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.

The search for additional evidence continued over the years, including the use of cadaver dogs, aerial searches, and the excavation of specific areas. Despite these efforts, no further bodies were found.The investigation faced various challenges and controversies. Shannan Gilbert's disappearance and death were initially treated as unrelated to the serial killings. However, her death was later attributed to accidental drowning.

The mishandling of the case and the delayed response to her initial 911 call raised questions about the police's handling of the investigation.In September 2017, the Suffolk County Police released new evidence, including photos of a belt that they believed may have belonged to the killer. They also released a recording of an anonymous phone call made by a man claiming to have information about the murders. However, no significant breakthroughs occurred following these releases.




In this episode, we take a look at the timeline leading up to the arrest and what evidence the police relied upon to finally zero in on Rex Heuermann as their suspect.


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source:


Gilgo Beach murders: Killings of 3 women in New York went unsolved for more than a decade. Here's how authorities tracked down the suspect | CNN