Police: Human Remains May Be Gilbert's

Skeletal remains discovered this morning at Oak Beach may be those of Shannan Gilbert, the 24-year-old New Jersey woman who went missing after an escort appointment on May 2, 2010 in Oak Beach, police said.

Suffolk Police said the remains were found at 9:14 a.m. Tuesday. Today’s search marked the seventh day in the most current search effort. It was a similiar effort in December, 2010 that led to the discovery of 10 victims this year whom police believe were killed by a serial killer and dumped along the Ocean Parkway.

Last week police found shoes, a pocketbook, lip gloss, a phone and jeans they believe belong to Gilbert, who was last seen running from the residential community into the marshland toward the Robert Moses Causeway. The remains were a quarter mile from where the items were found, said police.

Police, at a press conference on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. at Oak Beach, said the medical examiner needs to ID the remains, but police believe it is her and are still working with the theory that Gilbert died accidentally, possibly by drowning.

Police would not comment if any items were found along with the remains, which were found one half to three quarters of a mile in the beach brush from where Gilbert was last seen.