More than a decade after the disappearance of New Jersey escort Shannan Gilbert triggered a police investigation that exposed a much larger mystery, authorities in Suffolk County are sharing previously unreleased evidence in the Gilgo Beach case. The footage shows multiple angles from the lobby on June 4, 5 and 6 of that year. She was wearing a yellow sweater and is shown both arriving and leaving the hotel.
Harrison said investigators believe Waterman left the Holiday Inn the night of June 6, , to meet her killer. And he asked the public, once again, for help. In total, 10 sets of human remains were discovered. Four of them were similar to Waterman. Those victims were discovered in burlap sacks on a desolate stretch of Ocean Parkway in amid the search for Gilbert.
All had previously advertised sex services on Craigslist. Gilbert had done the same. It was the year-old's disappearance that led to the discovery of all the other bodies. Notably absent from Tuesday's evidence release were the calls connected to Gilbert's case. Suffolk County had been ordered to release them years ago and refused, citing the ongoing investigation. The delay involved a previous administration, though, and Harrison had said earlier this year he would release the tapes if they didn't interfere with the ongoing investigation.
The commissioner reiterated the latter point Tuesday without specifically talking about the tapes. It's not clear if the call release will happen. Harrison, the fifth Suffolk police commissioner to oversee the case, said Tuesday his office plans to review every piece of evidence in the case and said real progress was being made, though didn't elaborate on the latter point.
Suffolk officials have long said they don't believe Gilbert's case is connected to the others, the families of other victims hope the calls could shed at least some light on their own outstanding mysteries. Four other bodies were found in the days after the search for Gilbert launched in The number had climbed to 10 sets of human remains by spring Gilbert's remains were found a year later, in December , in a swampy Oak Beach marsh.
