by A suspect is in custody in the Gilgo Beach murders, a law enforcement official and two government officials said Friday, in a case that has captured national attention and confused police on Long Island, New York, for more than a year. decade.
Suffolk County Police and the Suffolk County District Attorney are leading the investigation. Those offices declined to comment. The suspect is from Massapequa, which is in neighboring Nassau County.
The news was first reported by News 12 Long Island.
Eleven sets of remains were found on a stretch of highway in Suffolk County after police began searching Ocean Parkway for Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker from New Jersey who disappeared in 2010 after leaving the home of a client in Oak Beach.
During the search, the remains of 24-year-old Melissa Barthelemy were found on December 11, 2010. Two days later, three more bodies were discovered: Megan Waterman, 22; Amber Lynn Costello, 27; and Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25.
In March 2011, the Suffolk Police found the partial remains of Jessica Taylor along Ocean Parkway. Eight years earlier, remains belonging to Taylor were also found in Manorville, police said in 2020.
In April 2011, the police discovered another three remains. They belonged to 24-year-old Valerie Mack, a little girl, and an Asian man. Mack was not identified until 2020.
The startling discoveries continued when two additional bodies were found in Nassau County.
Gilbert’s remains were finally discovered by police in Oak Beach in December 2011. According to NBC New Yorksome of the victims, including Gilbert, were sex workers.
This is a developing story. Please check for updates.
