Teeth a clue in hunt for possible serial killer?

JONES BEACH, N.Y. - Investigators made another gruesome discovery Friday as they sifted through the sand in their probe of ten sets of human remains found on an isolated stretch of Long Island beach - remains they think may be from victims of a possible serial killer.

They came upon two teeth near where a skull was unearthed earlier this month, reports CBS News correspondent Seth Doane. The teeth have been sent to the state medical examiner's office.

"It was in very close proximity," says Nassau County Police Detective Lt. Kevin Smith, "but ultimately, the M.E.'s office will (determine) if they're connected. The likelihood is that they are."

The teeth could be an important find, according to criminal profiler Pat Brown, who told CBS News, "Teeth are very hearty, and they can still have DNA even after a long period of time -- and that can lead you back to a victim -- and that victim might lead you back to the killer."

Authorities began searching for a murderer after Shannon Gilbert disappeared last May. She was an escort who'd advertised on Craigslist and went missing after visiting a client in nearby Oak Beach.

Though Gilbert hasn't been found, the bodies of four other prostitutes, also in their 20s, were discovered in December, wrapped in burlap bags.

Now, a profile of a possible serial killer is emerging, Doane points out. Law enforcement sources tell CBS News he's likely white, between 25-and-40 -- and street-smart.

In a New York Times article Friday, other criminologists put forth their theories of who the killer might be, suggesting he's likely married or has a girlfriend, is financially secure and may have even sought treatment at a hospital for poison ivy.

The poison ivy is thick in the brambles just off the beach, posing a hurdle to finding bodies but helpful in hiding them, Doane observes.

And Brown is cautious, saying, "When we do a profile you have to be very careful not to add in things that you really don't know. In the New York Times profile, I noticed that they mentioned he had an expensive car - I have no idea how you can figure out the guy has an expensive car unless you've seen that car driving along and dumping a body out."

The FBI has been assisting in the search for clues, using high-tech imaging devices from the air. Those images are still being evaluated, and could prompt another search on the ground, Doane notes.