Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Case: New police commissioner forms task force
SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y. - Suffolk County's top cop Rodney Harrison announced the first-of-its-kind Gilgo Beach homicide investigation task force on Tuesday afternoon.
"I'm very confident it's going to help us identify a suspect going into the future," Harrison said.
The multi-agency panel includes investigators from federal, state, and local levels. Together they'll focus on figuring out the person or people responsible for the murders of nearly a dozen victims, many of whom were sex workers, whose remains were found along Ocean Parkway more than a decade ago. With a fresh set of eyes, the new team will also look at years-old evidence and use scientific techniques to uncover the names of the remaining unidentified victims.
"Having all of these partners will help utilize technology, utilize sciences, cultivate witnesses and cast a broader net out to as many people as possible who can possibly assist in helping with the investigation," Harrison said.
Back in December when Harrison was just weeks into his new role as police commissioner, he pledged to make the case a priority. Harrison said he believes the case is solvable and he is open to releasing the 911 call from Shannan Gilbert, the escort who went missing in 2010 as long as it doesn't hinder the investigation. Gilbert's disappearance is what ultimately led to the discovery of several remains in the area.
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A lot of questions have been raised in the past about the Suffolk Police Department and how it handled the case.
Attorney John Ray who represents the Gilbert estate calls the formation of the task force a good development.
"Commissioner Harrison seems to have this belief that transparency is the key to everything here so he's opening the door to re-examine the case or cases," Ray said.
While the Nassau County Police Department isn't directly represented on the task force, members of the department will continue to assist in the overall investigation.