News: Update for Gilgo Beach
(Long Island, N.Y.) Inside any given diner or salon from Manhasset to Montauk, amidst the chat of blowouts and pastries, Long Island residents are discussing the Gilgo Beach case. As one of the biggest stories to hit the area, the threat of a serial killer has shaken Long Islanders into paying close attention to the developments of the case. People have invented individual theories about the nature of the killer, the number of bodies found, and the relations among the remains.
Ocean Parkway, once known for its scenic drive and the proximity to many of Long Island’s most popular beaches, has become infamous as a serial killer’s dumping ground. Gilgo Beach, once frequently visited by surfers and high school students, is the location of an extensive crime scene and search site. It is the destination of residents and visitors who have followed the case and venture with the desire to get a glimpse of the area. It will soon be the setting of a memorial for the victims.
The ten remains discovered between the Robert Moses Causeway and Jones Beach State Park reminds residents that they are living among killers. Across Long Island, people are watching their step, keeping a closer eye on their adolescent children, and staying clear of desolated beachfront communities. Women in the escort business claim to be using the buddy system when it comes to meeting new clients.
Two major questions remain in the minds of residents and cause gloom over every discussion of the case. Long Islanders are desperate to know where the killer resides and the location of missing person Shannan Gilbert. Residents are hoping that before the case is over, at least one of those two questions will be answered.
Despite police efforts, nothing significant has been discovered since the last two findings at Jones Beach. While the extensive search continues, no new information has been publicly released. Sources say that authorities are putting a stop on the ground search of the beaches, creating a feeling of a lull in the case.
Police continue to search the land and sea, employing more Suffolk County Divers at Hemlock Cove. Divers are expected to search the waters a second time in the Oak Beach community where Gilbert was last seen. The first search was undertaken in December when the first four bodies had been discovered. Dives are dependent on the wind, tide, and temperature, and only scheduled during instances that are conducive for the search.
The FBI’s high resolution Black Hawk Helicopter has made its rounds today while canvassing the beaches at twenty-five miles per hour. While it was supposed to have set out on Friday, technical issues kept it on the ground until this morning. The helicopter will target the north side of the barrier island, where all of the remains were discovered; less space is available as a dumping ground on the island’s south side. Sources claim that it will take at least a week to investigate the areas the helicopter will target in its search.
Reports have stated that Ocean Parkway was reopened at noon after having been closed since nine this morning. The areas between the Robert Moses Causeway and Jones Beach State Park were shut down during the investigation.
While the police activity and influx of evidence in the search has reached a quiet period, residents are buzzing with details about the case. In addition to capturing national media attention, the possible Gilgo Beach serial killer has already spawned several YouTube spoofs and videos.
