After a 12-year wait, families of victims in the notorious Long Island Gilgo Beach murders are experiencing a sense of relief following the arrest of a suspect. Rex Heuermann, a Long Island resident, was taken into custody Thursday evening in connection with the unsolved killings. The case began in 2010 with the search for missing escort Shannan Gilbert, which tragically led to the discovery of 11 sets of human remains along Ocean Parkway in Babylon, New York.
Shannan Gilbert, whose remains were found near Oak Beach, New York, in December 2011. (Courtesy of the Gilbert Family)
John Ray, the attorney representing the families of Shannan Gilbert and Jessica Taylor, expressed their satisfaction with the recent progress. He believes DNA evidence, meticulously analyzed by the FBI, played a crucial role in the investigation. While the arrest brings a measure of closure, the investigation is far from over. Ray indicated the arrest likely pertains to the initial four victims discovered, often referred to as the "Gilgo Four." He remains hopeful that investigators will eventually connect Heuermann to the other victims.
Map indicating the locations where eight of the ten bodies were found near Gilgo Beach since December 2010. (Reuters/Courtesy of Suffolk County Police)
Heuermann's arrest took place at his Massapequa Park home, situated approximately 25 minutes from Gilgo Beach. Ray, who has dedicated 12 years to the case, amassed significant evidence pointing towards Massapequa. He expressed hope that the information he provided to law enforcement has contributed to this breakthrough.
Ray believes the case may extend back to the 1980s, based on similarities with other unsolved cases involving women from Long Island. However, he acknowledges that these connections are currently circumstantial. He emphasized the numerous coincidences surrounding the Gilgo Beach murders, suggesting a complex and multifaceted investigation still unfolding.
The Gilgo Four: (Counter-clockwise from left) Amber Lynn Costello, 27, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, Megan Waterman, 22, and Melissa Barthelemy, 24. (Suffolk County Police Department)
While a private autopsy indicated Shannan Gilbert's cause of death may have been strangulation, her official cause of death remains undetermined. Her remains were discovered in December 2011, over a year after she went missing. Jessica Taylor's remains were located in Manorville in 2003, with additional remains discovered during the search for Gilbert in March 2011 along Ocean Parkway.
