Netflix's latest true crime docuseries, Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer, just dropped — and you definitely wanna bookmark it for your next binge-watch! This documentary focuses on the chilling mystery of the Gilgo Beach murders, where multiple women disappeared from 1993 to 2010 in Long Island. But this isn't just about the grim details – director Liz Garbus features the fierce determination of Mari Gilbert, whose search for her missing daughter, Shannan, unexpectedly cracked open a much larger, heartbreaking case.
As this docuseries continues to climb the charts, you don't wanna miss it! Here's everything you need to know, from highlighting the initial delays in the investigation to celebrating the unwavering spirit of a mother who refused to let her daughter's story fade.
Scroll to find out everything you need to know about Gone Girls on Netflix.
What is 'Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer' about?
Netflix
The three-episode Netflix docuseries Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer recently premiered on March 31, delving back into the brutal murders of seven women in Gilgo Beach and how investigators came to arrest their accused killer, Rex Heuermann.
Between 1993 and 2010, each of the seven women, who were in their 20s and worked as sex workers, went missing. Director Liz Garbus opens the docuseries by focusing on Mari Gilbert, whose search for her missing daughter, Shannan Gilbert, ultimately led to the discovery of the other victims. Liz also directed Lost Girls, a 2020 fictionalized retelling of the quest for answers in Shannan's disappearance.
The docuseries, which is climbing Netflix's charts, focuses on the victims and their families, as well as how the investigation into pinpointing their killer was stalled for years. Yet, after a new task force was formed in February 2022, the police were able to identify a suspect, Rex Heuermann, within six weeks.
While creating Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer, Liz Garbus intentionally set out to humanize the victims and exclude speculations regarding Heuermann. Still, it includes interviews with journalists, law enforcement officers, the victims' loved ones, and those who knew the alleged killer.
What happened to Shannan Gilbert?
Netflix
Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer sheds light on how the investigation into Shannan Gilbert's case was delayed, suggesting the police didn't take her disappearance seriously or allocate appropriate resources to the search due to her occupation. However, her mother, Mari, never stopped trying to keep her daughter's story alive in the media, and eventually, "The Gilgo Four" were found.
Who else were victims of the Gilgo Beach Killer?
The remains of four women, 25-year-old Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 24-year-old Melissa Barthelemy, 22-year-old Megan Waterman, and 27-year-old Amber Costello, were discovered wrapped in burlap along Long Island's Gilgo Beach.
Then, six additional sets of remains were uncovered in the same area before Shannan Gilbert was found in December 2011. They included Jessica Taylor, who'd been missing since 2003; Valerie Mack, missing since 2000; an unidentified toddler girl, an unidentified Asian man, Karen Vergata, missing since 1996; and a woman nicknamed "Peaches" due to a tattoo on her torso who turned out to be the unidentified toddler's mother.
Who is the Gilgo Beach Killer?
Netflix
Rex Heuermann, a 61-year-old New York architect from Massapequa, was arrested years later and charged with killing Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, and Amber Costello in July 2023. In 2024, he was also charged with four more murders, including that of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor, Sandra Costilla, and Valeria Mack.
But despite the search for Shannan Gilbert being what led the police to Rex, he has not been charged in relation to her case. Her death was ruled an "unfortunate incident" after she allegedly ran into a marsh and drowned.
What happened during the Gilgo Beach Killer case?
Netflix
Heuermann pleaded not guilty and is currently incarcerated at the Riverhead Correctional Facility in Suffolk County. His defense team reportedly petitioned the court to try the murders in multiple trials as opposed to tying them together in one trial.
In response, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office argued the seven victims are "inextricably interwoven by geographic proximity, victimology, digital and physical evidence, forensic analysis, and the defendant's own planning document." Judge Timothy Mazzei will rule on how the murders will be tried.
Another petition put forth by Heuermann's defense regards the exclusion of certain DNA testing, known as nuclear DNA or whole genome sequencing, arguing it hasn't been used in a New York court of law and isn't widely accepted by the scientific community.
"The advancement of forensic science and nuclear DNA analysis involving whole genome sequencing has allowed law enforcement to now link genetic profiles consistent with the defendant, and/or individuals who have resided with him, to six of the seven victims through hairs found at the crime scene and/or on the victims," rebutted Assistant District Attorney Andrew Lee.
Again, Judge Timothy Mazzei has to determine if the nuclear DNA evidence can be used. So, a trial date has not yet been set.
Where can I watch the 'Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer' series?
Netflix
As court proceedings continue, you can watch Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer on Netflix.
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