State and local law enforcement officials have initiated a fresh search in a wooded area of Long Island, continuing their investigation into the perplexing Gilgo Beach murders. The search, conducted on Wednesday, took place in the Manorville area, according to a law enforcement source with knowledge of the situation. Specific details regarding the exact location and objectives of the search were not disclosed.
The ongoing investigation centers around the deaths of four women, known as the “Gilgo Four,” whose bodies were discovered near the beach in December 2010. The victims, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, and Amber Costello, were found wrapped in burlap.
Manhattan architect Rex Heuermann was apprehended in July 2023 in connection with the murders of three of the Gilgo Four victims: Barthelemy, Waterman, and Costello. In January of this year, he was further charged with the murder of Brainard-Barnes. Heuermann has pleaded not guilty to all four charges and remains in jail awaiting trial.
The Gilgo Beach murders gained significant attention after the discovery of the Gilgo Four’s remains along a quarter-mile stretch of parkway in the Gilgo Beach area of Jones Beach Island in 2010. Subsequent searches uncovered the remains of six more adults and a toddler. However, no arrests have been made in connection with these additional deaths.
The current search area in Manorville bears a connection to a previous case involving the discovery of two young women’s remains over 20 years ago. In 2000 and 2003, Valerie Mack and Jessica Taylor, both of whom were working as escorts at the time of their disappearances, were found deceased in the same area. Additional remains belonging to both women were later discovered during a parallel search along Gilgo Beach’s Ocean Parkway in 2011.
The ongoing search and investigation aim to shed light on the unsolved murders that have haunted Long Island for over a decade. The authorities remain committed to bringing justice to the victims and their families.
