Article in today's Newsday (5/1/2014)

[WI1987]

Newsday ran an article today on the fourth anniversary (already? 5/1/2010 seems just like yesterday ...) of Gilbert's disappearance. Not much new except an interview with former SCPD 3 star Chief of Detectives Dominick Varrone. Varrone seems convinced that Shannan's death is unrelated and that she was NOT murdered.

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/...ies-remains-a-mystery-4-years-later-1.7879850

Ill post some snippets, I will go ahead and post the whole article if the admins give the ok as Newsday hides their articles behind a paywall and only subscribed Cablevision users can access.

"The bottom line is that Shannan, in my opinion, had nothing to do with the serial killer and the other bodies that were found," Varrone said. "Had this not happened, and this has been said before, how much longer would it have taken to discover the four bodies that were all lying together and discovering the serial killer's dumping ground."

Varrone said he believes Gilbert may have been running through the swamp, through the marsh in a state of paranoia, possibly induced by drugs, while the officers were at the scene.
He also said he does not think Gilbert drowned. "I feel she succumbs to the elements because her body is found somewhat upright. . . . It's not face down in a puddle."

Lorraine Ela of South Portland, Maine, whose daughter Megan Waterman, 22, was among the first four victims found, said the last time she called to check on how the case was going was six months ago. She's stopped her frequent calls because no one updates the families.
When asked how she thought the case is being handled, Ela replied: "It's not being handled at all."

This case is cold ... colder than Antarctica

 

[PennyPie7]

Such a disgrace... and a complete shame to the girls and their families. A shame to our entire island.

 

[WI1987]

Such a disgrace... and a complete shame to the girls and their families. A shame to our entire island.

Indeed it is ... I have friends who say things like "It was just a bunch of dead *advertiser censored*". Meanwhile I believe we owe it to the families and also to the community at large to get to the bottom of this case.

I don't understand why so many people are content to let a killer/killers walk the Earth without a serious investigation.

 

[fred&edna]

Indeed it is ... I have friends who say things like "It was just a bunch of dead *advertiser censored*". Meanwhile I believe we owe it to the families and also to the community at large to get to the bottom of this case.

I don't understand why so many people are content to let a killer/killers walk the Earth without a serious investigation.

BBM... I agree... and who knows, this phone-call-taunting killer could take another risk and choose a victim who is not a sex worker. Maybe he chooses someone NOT so easily willing to meet him. The victim could be a conservative, naive young woman taken by force. Tragically and shamefully, that may be the only time some people decide that working to apprehend this ego-driven killer is worthwhile.

 

[PennyPie7]

Exactly! See how the entirety of Long Island (and SCPD especially!) reacts if his next victim turns out to be a well-to-do white politician's daughter... What makes one more human than the other?!? Nothing! But that would sure light a fire under their asses...

 

[mcme]

BBM... I agree... and who knows, this phone-call-taunting killer could take another risk and choose a victim who is not a sex worker. Maybe he chooses someone NOT so easily willing to meet him. The victim could be a conservative, naive young woman taken by force. Tragically and shamefully, that may be the only time some people decide that working to apprehend this ego-driven killer is worthwhile.

This type of person generally has a daily schedule and assorted responsibilities that would pinpoint when and where she disappeared and likely get whoever abducted them caught. Consider that LE in the area is doing all they can with the info they have but because of the transient lifestyle these girls lived, there isn't much to go on.

 

[fred&edna]

This type of person generally has a daily schedule and assorted responsibilities that would pinpoint when and where she disappeared and likely get whoever abducted them caught. Consider that LE in the area is doing all they can with the info they have but because of the transient lifestyle these girls lived, there isn't much to go on.

Oh yes, I agree that it's likely much easier to track the comings and goings of someone who is not a sex worker. But, that doesn't excuse the dragging-of-feet by some LE agency members (imo... that is exactly what happened when MB was reported missing AND it's rather sickening to think that more information related to those calls from the killer was lost because they didn't REALLY care enough early on).

Also, I still can't believe SG just lost her pants running through the marsh. I've tried... really I have. Maybe they are trying, also? I'm not trying to rehash that argument. It's just difficult to believe what some members of LE have to say (imo )

 

[Redbird]

And how can LE have it both ways. They claim they weren't able to search for SG because the brambles were impenetrable and then say she ran naked and barefoot a half mile through the marsh.

 

[Tugela]

Indeed it is ... I have friends who say things like "It was just a bunch of dead *advertiser censored*". Meanwhile I believe we owe it to the families and also to the community at large to get to the bottom of this case.

I don't understand why so many people are content to let a killer/killers walk the Earth without a serious investigation.

It is not so much that, but they just have nothing to go on.

That is the problem with a random killer, there is very little to tie them to the murder, so unless LE get exceptionally lucky, those cases go unsolved.

In most homicides the killer has some sort of trackable connection to the victim, and that is how those cases get solved.

When there is nothing like that LE basically have to wait for the next body and hope something useable gets left behind.

 

[LINative13]

phones, webpages, taunting phone calls......I bet is someone was stealing tax money from them randomnly they would be found.

 

[BunnyHop]

I'll just put this here.

<modsnip>

2,000+ votes in 24 hours.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/loca...mains-Serial-Killer-Prostitute-149687895.html

 

[minazoe]

I just had a thought I never entertained....

What if all of our victims came out of same gated community, maybe from several different homes over the years..perhaps someone who lays in wait...like a taxi

Not gonna say who....

 

[WI1987]

In most homicides the killer has some sort of trackable connection to the victim, and that is how those cases get solved.

When there is nothing like that LE basically have to wait for the next body and hope something useable gets left behind.

Good point, this is very different from most homicide cases. In fact, I believe most homicide cases in the US that are solved are solved within the first 48 hours. After four years things don't look so good unless they happen to get a very lucky break which IMO doesent look like it's going to happen ...

That being said, I also think this is the work of multiple killers which makes things even harder for the investigators. Not to mention the lifestyles of the victims.

 

[Clem Snide]

I just had a thought I never entertained....

What if all of our victims came out of same gated community, maybe from several different homes over the years..perhaps someone who lays in wait...like a taxi

Not gonna say who....

As in they are aware that these women are visiting Johns and waits for them to leave the premises, then abducts them? How would they have the prior knowledge that these women would be there?

 

[marble]

I've followed this case since the beginning because when Shannan Gilbert first disappeared my neighborhood was completely plastered with her missing posters.

Once LE started finding bodies along the road it brought back memories of the New Bedford/Fall River serial killer and the dumping of bodies along the highway between Providence and New Bedford. I was living in that area during that time and happened to be involved in a recreational activity that a lot of Fall River/New Bedford people in recovery were involved with as well. There was a lot of tension in the air and a lot of mistrust amongst people who may have come into contact with the victims or killer at some point unbeknownst to them.

Probably because of this I was certain for a long time that Shannan was also a victim of the LISK, but as time passes (and after reading through a bunch of the threads here) I'm not so sure. I haven't been able to read every thread so far about what happened to her that night, but I'm starting to wonder if she ended up returning to one of the houses after her frantic flight.

If so, she probably would have been soaked and freezing cold. What is whoever took her in gave her (or helped to dress her in) a new set of warm pajamas or a robe or something to get her out of her wet clothes, or perhaps to put her in a warm bath to try and get her body temp back up?

Maybe at some point she died in that house, either from hypothermia, shock, and overdose, etc. and whoever had taken her in panicked and dumped her body in the marsh. If she had been wearing very tight (especially stretch or pegged) jeans they probably wouldn't have been able to get those back on her lifeless body if they were still wet, and so they instead dumped the jeans and her other belongings beside her when they placed her in the marsh or at a slightly later time?

 

[minazoe]

As in they are aware that these women are visiting Johns and waits for them to leave the premises, then abducts them? How would they have the prior knowledge that these women would be there?

I see a guy who has a cab, does late night runs, knows when he gets a working girl in his cab... Maybe this area has a lot of hanky panky, and it's easy pickings...remote and active, what if these girls simply went out to oak beach and were never seen again..maybe it has nothing to do with who picked up Meagan...maybe it has more to do with where she ended up that day or evening..I just never looked at it this wY before...

But it still doesn't explain Shannon running for her life...unless it's a coincidence and she was upset and then ended up in a killers web...

Maybe someone who seems like a taxi, or a cop....here we go again...:twocents:

 

[ktgirl]

I've followed this case since the beginning because when Shannan Gilbert first disappeared my neighborhood was completely plastered with her missing posters.

Once LE started finding bodies along the road it brought back memories of the New Bedford/Fall River serial killer and the dumping of bodies along the highway between Providence and New Bedford. I was living in that area during that time and happened to be involved in a recreational activity that a lot of Fall River/New Bedford people in recovery were involved with as well. There was a lot of tension in the air and a lot of mistrust amongst people who may have come into contact with the victims or killer at some point unbeknownst to them.

Probably because of this I was certain for a long time that Shannan was also a victim of the LISK, but as time passes (and after reading through a bunch of the threads here) I'm not so sure. I haven't been able to read every thread so far about what happened to her that night, but I'm starting to wonder if she ended up returning to one of the houses after her frantic flight.

If so, she probably would have been soaked and freezing cold. What is whoever took her in gave her (or helped to dress her in) a new set of warm pajamas or a robe or something to get her out of her wet clothes, or perhaps to put her in a warm bath to try and get her body temp back up?

Maybe at some point she died in that house, either from hypothermia, shock, and overdose, etc. and whoever had taken her in panicked and dumped her body in the marsh. If she had been wearing very tight (especially stretch or pegged) jeans they probably wouldn't have been able to get those back on her lifeless body if they were still wet, and so they instead dumped the jeans and her other belongings beside her when they placed her in the marsh or at a slightly later time?

I like this theory, Marble. Perhaps because it's left nefarious than Shannan being outright killed by someone or tearing through the brambles & swamp during a bipolar episode.

I tend to think Shannan was not a LISK victim (but I'm not 100% sold on that). My friend's 6 year old son has rapid-cycling bipolar. I've seen him go from sweet, caring kid to the Incredible Hulk in a flash. He has super-human strength (can bring down two adults trying to restrain him) and no fear when having an episode. I've read Shannan was bipolar (although I'm not sure what "type" of bipolar). I think, especially after seeing my friend's son have an episode, it is not so unreasonable to think Shannan went full force into the brambles that LE said they couldn't/wouldn't get through and ended up in the swamp. LE saw the brambles would make or difficult and reassessed going into them. Someone having the type of episode my friend's son had would not even be phased about running into brambles that would hurt them or be difficult to maneuver through. They'd just plow right through them, even with pain. I can even see her taking off her pants if the brambles got stuck in them. It would not be rational thinking; it would be full-force, full-speed ahead without rational thoughts. Maybe even more so if she was also high.

(I am obviously assuming a lot about the episode/breakdown Shannan was having here and may be completely wrong. It's just something I thought about when I saw my friend's son have his episode. It took three adults to restrain this average sized six year old. If he was running like Shannan, I don't think brambles or swamp would stopped him from going far if he had wanted.)

 

[Tulessa]

I'll just put this here.

<modsnip>

2,000+ votes in 24 hours.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/loca...mains-Serial-Killer-Prostitute-149687895.html

Gilbert's mother, Mari, has said she believes her daughter was among the serial killer victims and has called for a federal investigation into Suffolk's handling of her case. :loveyou:

 

[Tugela]

phones, webpages, taunting phone calls......I bet is someone was stealing tax money from them randomnly they would be found.

Actually the vast majority of tax cheats are never caught. There is an entire underground economic sector called the black economy that does just that, and it is a huge problem for government since they take a big revenue hit because of it.

 

[Tugela]

As in they are aware that these women are visiting Johns and waits for them to leave the premises, then abducts them? How would they have the prior knowledge that these women would be there?

Not possible. Any prostitute that visited that community would have been taken there by her own driver, so no one was going to be laying in wait for them to leave. The driver would have a few things to say about that.