A suspect has been apprehended in connection with the long-standing unsolved Gilgo Beach murders on New York’s Long Island, according to a law enforcement official who spoke to The Associated Press. The discovery of human remains along a New York beach highway over a decade ago sparked a nationwide interest in the case, which was later highlighted in the 2020 Netflix film “Lost Girls.” The suspect was taken into custody in Massapequa late on Thursday, and authorities are currently investigating a residence connected to the case. The official spoke anonymously and was not authorized to disclose further details. The suspect’s identity has not yet been released.
The deaths of 11 individuals, whose remains were found between 2010 and 2011, have puzzled investigators for years. Most of the victims were young women who were involved in sex work, and several bodies were discovered in the vicinity of Gilgo Beach. The case has presented a challenge for numerous experienced homicide detectives, even with changes in police leadership. In an effort to solve the case, a joint task force was formed last year, comprising members from the FBI, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison stated that the formation of the Gilgo Beach task force signifies a renewed commitment to solving the murders of these primarily young women, whose skeletal remains were found along a Long Island highway. John Ray, the attorney representing the families of two victims, Shannan Gilbert and Jessica Taylor, expressed satisfaction with the active involvement of the police and hopes for a positive outcome.
The investigation into the Gilgo Beach murders began following Gilbert’s disappearance in 2010. As a 24-year-old sex worker, she went missing after leaving a client’s residence in Oak Beach. Months later, a police officer and his cadaver dog stumbled upon the remains of another woman while searching for Gilbert’s body. Within days, three additional bodies were discovered in close proximity.
By spring 2011, the number of sets of human remains had risen to 10, consisting of eight women, one man, and one toddler. Some of these remains were connected to dismembered body parts found elsewhere on Long Island, creating a perplexing crime scene that spanned from a park near New York City to a resort community on Fire Island and eastern Long Island. Gilbert’s body was eventually found in December 2011, approximately three miles east of where the other 10 sets were located.
Investigators have repeatedly stated that it is unlikely a single individual is responsible for all the killings near Gilgo Beach. News of a suspect being taken into custody comes in the wake of a recent report of skeletal remains found in a wooded area off the Southern State Parkway in Islip. Authorities have planned a briefing to provide updates on the case. The connection between these remains and the Gilgo Beach murders has yet to be determined.
Reporting by Michael Balsamo in Washington, with contributions from Jennifer Peltz in New York City and Sarah Brumfield in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
