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The search for Shannan Gilbert, who went missing in 2010, led to the discovery of the bodies of several women, including the “Gilgo Four.” Her mother, Mari Gilbert, fought to keep her daughter’s disappearance from being forgotten and saw her as an unintended hero. Mari’s efforts, along with other family members, helped shed light on the long-unsolved Gilgo Beach murders. Mari Gilbert tragically passed away in 2016, but her legacy lives on as an advocate for justice. Recently, an arrest was made in connection with the murders, bringing some closure to the case. CNN reported
However, the search for Shannan Gilbert, who disappeared in May 2010, led to a shocking discovery. Suffolk County police found the bodies of several women, including the “Gilgo Four,” wrapped in burlap and discarded along a desolate beachfront parkway. Shannan Gilbert was only 23 years old when she vanished. Her remains were eventually found in December 2011 in another beach community nearby. Authorities believe her death may have been accidental and unrelated to the other killings.
Throughout the years, Mari Gilbert, Shannan’s mother, tirelessly pushed the police to take her daughter’s disappearance seriously. She fought to ensure that Shannan and the other victims would not be forgotten. Mari saw Shannan as an unintended hero because her disappearance led to the discovery of the other women’s bodies and, eventually, at least one arrest. Mari found some redemption in the idea that Shannan’s loss helped others learn the truth.
The Gilbert family’s journey goes beyond the string of murders and the search for a serial killer. It is a tragic tale of a troubled family whose legacy may contribute to solving one of Long Island’s most significant homicide investigations.
Unfortunately, tragedy struck the family again on July 23, 2016. Mari Gilbert, at the age of 52, was brutally murdered by her daughter, Sarra. Sarra stabbed Mari hundreds of times with a kitchen knife and then bludgeoned her to death with a fire extinguisher. Sarra, who had suffered emotionally and mentally after her sister’s death, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
Shannan Gilbert’s disappearance initially received little attention from the police and authorities. However, things changed on July 13, when Rex Heuermann, a 59-year-old architectural consultant, was arrested for the murders of three of the victims in the Gilgo Beach case. Heuermann pleaded not guilty to the charges. Before his arrest, the case had remained unsolved for over a decade.
Mari Gilbert was the driving force behind pushing the police to take action in the case. She accused them of mishandling the investigation and believed they were not giving it the attention it deserved. She fought to keep the cases alive and ensure that the victims, many of whom were sex workers, were not forgotten.
The Suffolk County Police Department faced additional challenges due to a major corruption scandal involving the county’s law enforcement. Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke was arrested in 2015 for beating a man and conspiring to obstruct the FBI investigation into his actions. This scandal further delayed progress in the Gilgo Beach case. However, Mari Gilbert and the other family members became a powerful force for advocacy, reminding people that real lives were at stake.
After Heuermann’s arrest, Sherre Gilbert, Mari’s second eldest daughter, expressed her support for the victims’ families. She acknowledged the time and effort her mother and she had put into the case and expressed gratitude for being alive to witness the arrest.
In February 2022, a multiagency task force was formed to revisit the case, which ultimately led to Heuermann’s arrest. Police made a significant discovery that focused their attention on Heuermann, including finding a truck similar to the one believed to have been driven by one of the victims’ killers registered to him. DNA evidence from a discarded pizza crust linked Heuermann to the murders.
Despite criticism and scrutiny surrounding the investigation, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison defended the work of the investigators. He acknowledged that there were areas that could have been handled better but emphasized that they never stopped working and would continue to seek justice for all the families involved.
On Friday, Suffolk County authorities announced the identification of another Gilgo Beach murder victim, known as “Fire Island Jane Doe,” as Karen Vergata, an escort who went missing in 1996.
The Gilbert family’s relentless pursuit of justice and their efforts to ensure the victims were not forgotten played a significant role in shedding light on this long-unsolved case. Their story is one of tragedy, resilience, and ultimately, the hope for justice for the victims of the Gilgo Beach murders..
