Advanced Aerial Search Up Next in Gilgo Bodies Investigation

Suffolk County Police divers are searching the murky bay waters along the north side of Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach for 24-year-old Craigslist escort Shannan Gilbert, last seen in May in Oak Beach, as a homicide task force shifts through over 600 tips relating to the eight sets of human remains found in the past four months.

The total number of  victims is now at 10, as Nassau Police discovered what they believe are two more bodies along the parkway earlier week during a search effort.

At a press briefing this afternoon at police headquarters Suffolk County Commissioner Richard Dormer said police are still awaiting official identification on the second four sets of Gilgo human remains, and that police will conduct new aerial searches of the beach that might involve shutting down Ocean Parkway once again.

Police plan to use two types of aircraft to gain high-resolution video and surveillance photos of the beach area between Robert Moses Causeway and the Nassau County line.

Suffolk police conducted an exhaustive several-day search on foot, with canine teams and aerial viewing from fire truck ladders, last week. Nassau kicked off its intensive search, with over 150 officers involved, on Monday and within hours had found the ninth and tenth set of remains.

A Nassau Police aerial search by helicopter did not result in any further discoveries. So far the water search has not revealed any further remains.

The second four sets of remains, found a mile east of the initial discovery site near Gilgo, are still undergoing forensic testing, said Dormer.

“We are patient and awaiting the results and will share that information when we have it," he told reporters.

“I am not going to give specifics about the investigation or information surrounding the evidence for obvious reasons,” he stated during the half hour briefing.

“We will be using sophisticated technology [aerial search photography] and good old fashioned detective work as we continue to investigate this case,” Dormer told a room packed with media outlets, some representing overseas broadcast operations.

“We enlisted the FBI’s help at the start and have had ongoing communication with them and we want to acknowledge them for their help and support,” he added.

The FBI has been involved since February 7, said Dormer, and the Suffolk homicide taskforce has been working with experts with the FBI's Behavioral Unit.

“The FBI has provided assistance and we want to publicly thank them,” he added.

As of Wednesday afternoon five Suffolk marine divers were searching waterways off Gilgo and Oak Beach for evidence and more remains. Police said the search may continue into Thursday given recent stormy weather.

“This is not an episode of CSI,” Dormer said adding that police hope the advanced aerial photography and high-resolution search technology will help police determine if there are any more skeletal remains.

Dormer said Suffolk is working closely with Nassau police on the investigations and that both police teams plan to conduct more on-foot and canine searches.

“We ask that the public call with any information, no matter how slight they think it might be,” he added, noting that the taskforce has received over 600 phone calls that are each being vetted and investigated.

“The taskforce is also interviewing a lot of people,” he added, but declined to give any further insight on who has been interviewed.

In relation to media reports regarding conditions of remains, location, description of evidence and even an unconfirmed report that the serial killer may be a law enforcement professional, Dormer said such speculation is not helpful.

“A visual look at bodies by untrained persons is not useful,” he said.

“We deal with facts and with forensics,” he said.

Police said all potential avenues of possible scenarios, from the killings being the work of one person or two different killers, are being examined.

“We are keeping a very open mind,” he added.

It was a routine canine search effort on December 11, 2010, related to Gilbert’s missing person's case, that led to the reveal of the first sets of female remains, which were  identified several weeks later.

All four were young white females who worked as prostitutes using Craiglist, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney.

Gilbert, of New Jersey, was reportedly visiting a Craiglist client on May 1, 2010 and was last seen running westward from Oak Beach around 5:30 a.m. and has not been seen since.

Early on Suffolk Police and the DA stated the human remains were the work of a serial killer and homicide task force investigators have been in contact with Atlantic City police given a similar serial killing near the casino strip.

Today Dormer said most recent indications are that the Gilgo case is not related to New Jersey case and likely not the work of the same person.

“We are looking at everything,” he said.

The first four women found at Gilgo Beach were killed elsewhere and dumped in the thick underbrush along the parkway at various times over a span of several years, according to police.

One victim had been missing for four years, and another for just four months.

Suffolk police have repeatedly stated there are no suspects or persons of interest.