Police: N.Y. remains are missing prostitute

Shannan Gilbert, 24, was last seen in Oak Beach on May 1, 2010, after apparently meeting a client she had booked through Craigslist. Police have identified her remains from bones found on Long Island. / Jersey City Police Dept.

OAK BEACH, N.Y. - Bones found in a coastal wetland on New York's Long Island this week are the remains of missing prostitute Shannan Gilbert, investigators confirmed Saturday.

The New Jersey woman disappeared in the spring of 2010 after fleeing from a client's home in Oak Beach, a small community on one of the barrier islands that line Long Island's Atlantic coast.

She was last seen racing into the night toward the marsh where her remains were discovered Tuesday.

Suffolk County Police had announced at the time that they were all but certain they had found Gilbert's body. On Saturday the department said the county's medical examiner had confirmed its suspicion.

Tonight at 10 p.m. ET/PT: "48 Hours Mystery" correspondent Erin Moriarty has the latest break in the case.

A cause of death has yet to be determined.

Police who were hunting for Gilbert wound up finding 10 other sets of human remains that had been discarded along a nearby beach parkway over two decades. All of the victims identified so far are missing sex trade workers.

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Police are investigating whether they were left there by a serial killer, or perhaps multiple murderers who just happened to use the same isolated stretch of beach roadway as a dumping ground.

Suffolk County's police commissioner, Richard Dormer, has said, however, that he believes Gilbert's death may have been accidental, and unconnected to the others. The location of her remains suggests that she was trying to slog her way through the marsh to get to a road, because exhausted or trapped in the muck, and drowned.

[gjc1n1]

Why do the media find it necessary to constantly say that this murder victim was a prostitute? Does that make her worthy of execution?

[berlinfoto-2009]

"Carolhill814: She was a *****, and a whorish woman! She died a ***** death! And, man o man, was she Ma-Fugly!"
This is an example of Authoritarian rationalization, the individual who wrote this is an extreme authoritarian. He has a similar personality to that of many police officers. This type of personality, contributes highly to the polices inability, to solve crimes.
In reality an authoritarian person cannot, see the truth even when it hits him between the eyes.
In American society, if you are different in any way, you are in trouble, you will face a lifetime of abuse.

[kainos2]

This is so tragic. If nothing else comes of this, I hope it raises awareness of the need to help these women leave this imprisoning lifestyle and to gain the skills needed to become self-respecting, contributing members of society. Some of them don't want to be helped, but many of them do want a way out.

[rubendny]

I didn't follow the whole story in detail since it started but from today's report I don't see investigating a possible obsessive moral/religious person behind these cases or someone that can't stand the victim's background and trying to send a disciplinary message to those still link to this ancient business.
I don't understand the Police Commissioner letting evidence vanish like the video recordings as mentioned today in your program.
Based on this unsolved cases why not asking the Governor if police departments in the State of NY have a pattern of prejudging when somebody asks for help and that person is a prostitute, or a relative.
Did I miss the recording of the *911 call from Shannan Gilbert in this aired story? Does it exist? Why is Police Commissioner Richard Dormer still running the case when obviously with no conclusive report from forensics to back him up he is so inclined to Gilbert's death as a possible "accident" instead of a possible "serial killer" victim?
I also agree with one of the comments in why is repeatedly emphasize the victims' profession. They were women that deserve the same respect and support as any other human being when begging for help. It will be nice to know the way police are handling emergency calls today based on these cases. Are they prejudging base on the person's background asking for help?
Are family members of the victims building a single case asking for a deep investigation into the police department and the way the handle the whole case?

[Republicans_Lose_In_2012]

Exactly what are you smoking? And did they lace it with PCP and Mushrooms?

[dcr2965]

Anyone notice all these women went missing between May and October? Beach towns, seasonal employment? Burlap? Even if he isn't a gardener/landscaper, maybe he knows one? Bet his folks either own a property near there or did. Maybe just a summer home not even winterized. He works there too, bartender, lifeguard,home repair,painter, maybe the jackass who sells you beach pictures

[Farver4girls]

Evidently, men found her attractive because they paid to have sex with her.

My condolences to her friends and family. She died too young.

[baileyccc]

She has a face only a mother could love.

[Republicans_Lose_In_2012]

Carolhill814: She was a *****, and a whorish woman! She died a ***** death! And, man o man, was she Ma-Fugly!

[carolhill814]

I don't why they always have to mention what she did for a living because she is a woman her job has nothing to do with what she did for a living.

Everybody knew what she did it doesn't need to be repeated over and over again show respect for her nothing more nothing less.