Desaparecidas: Caça ao assassino de Long Island

The Long Island Serial Killer, also known as the Gilgo Beach Killer, is a now identified man, responsible for the murders of multiple people over a period of nearly 20 years, primarily on Long Island, New York. The case gained national attention due to the gruesome nature of the crimes and the long period the killer remained at large.

In December 2010, Suffolk County Police were searching for a missing woman named Shannan Gilbert, a sex worker who had called 911 in distress months earlier. While searching near Gilgo Beach, police found four bodies wrapped in burlap sacks along Ocean Parkway.

In July 2023, a man named Rex Heuermann, an architect from Massapequa Park, was arrested and charged with the murders of at least three women - known as the "Gilgo Four." He is also the prime suspect in a fourth killing.

On June 6, 2024, Heuermann was charged with the murders of Jessica Taylor and Sandra Costilla - the latter not previously linked to the Gilgo Beach case, pushing the timeline back to the early 1990s. In December, he was also indicted for the 2000 murder of Valerie Mack. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

As of 2025, the legal process is ongoing, with prosecutors continuing to investigate his possible involvement in other unsolved murders.

I did not know about this killer and this story. I found this documentary interesting and it never felt like it was dragging. The thing that shocked me the most were not the murders themselves, but the checklist and notes Rex Heuermann had on his computer that the police managed to restore. A list of how he could improve his killings and methods, which was absolutely absurd and made me sick to my stomach. Here I will copy and paste a summary of an article I read that covers most of it:

"Accused Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann allegedly created disturbing digital checklists that show how he carefully planned and covered up his murders, which he referred to as "hunts," prosecutors revealed. These lists included "pre-prep" and "post event" steps, covering everything from logistics to disposing of evidence. Investigators uncovered these lists while examining a trove of digital devices from his home.

The checklists were organized into:

-Supplies needed.

-Pre-prep tasks (e.g., vehicle inspection, checking for traffic cameras, getting enough sleep).

-Dump site planning.

-Post-disposal actions (e.g., changing tires, preparing an alibi, deleting incriminating files).

Some chilling notes included:

-Get sleep before hunts. Too tired creates problems.

-Use heavy rope... light rope breaks under stress.

-More sleep & noise control = more playtime.

Prosecutors believe "playtime" refers to the torture and bondage of victims. The defense argues these new charges don't align with the original theory, pointing to differences like dismemberment and locations of the new alleged victims."

Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer, is another great Netflix true crime documentary, probably one of their best. This is a deep-dive into the heart of evil, the corrupt officials who allow that evil to go unchecked, the innocent people whose lives are affected, and the family members who never give up to fight for justice.

It starts with a mysterious case of a young woman, who was a sex worker (but this does not diminish who she was in any way shape or form) who disappeared under mysterious circumstances and it took many months before police start to look for her. When they do, they uncover body parts of several woman hidden in the marshes in Long Island. The pattern unravels that this is the work of a serial killer, and the hunt (should be) on to find him.

What follows is an example of how corrupt police and prosecutors put their own jobs on the line instead of doing what is right in the name of justice, and this serial killer is allowed to go on doing his work for over a decade. These idiot cops and prosecutors even block the FBI from investigating the case. The parents of the victims stop at nothing to bring awareness to the crimes against their children, and there are some journalists and attorneys who pursue justice as well, and in this documentary you really are held no the edge of your seat as the story unravels.

One of the more messed up parts of the story is that the suspect starts to call the sister of one of his victims and taunt her over the phone. This is seriously a demented person.

There is a TON of evidence of who the killer is, and the fact so little of it was pursued is a serious injustice. For example, there were eyewitnesses who had identified a suspect that the police did not follow up on until they read a report almost a decade later. (And, for those two men, you should have gone to the FBI / media sooner with your story and what were both of you doing living with a woman who had to sell her body for money?) The police knew the killer lived in a certain area of Long Island and most likely worked in Manhattan, and instead of narrowing down their suspect...well, the cops just did nothing.

Finally, DNA evidence from new people in charge of the case surfaces and they have their man...and wow as to how nobody connected the dots on this guy for so long is just infuriating. This guy was 6'8, 300 lbs, and lived in a run down home in the suburbs and had creeped out his neighbors for decades. Hmmm. And why did they even need DNA to grab him with all the circumstantial evidence.

It does feel there is tons to this case that has yet to be revealed. But, for now, this is a good series that really shares the story of all involved. Hopefully, justice will be done in the end and the guilty will be punished and the sister who was taunted will have her final say.

One of the better true crime docu-series that I've seen in awhile. I went into it completely blind and had no idea about the case or any of the details involving it. This was a very pleasant surprise. It's very well done and is incredibly shocking and entertaining. I only wish that they'd have waited a bit until after the accused trial for a proper ending to it. I definitely felt a little disappointed by how it ended. Overall this is one of Netflixs' better true crime series that I would highly recommend to anyone interested in the subject. Like I said before, it would have been extremely satisfying to see the trial and the conviction of Red and really don't understand why they didn't wait until they could do an episode on that before wrapping it up, but maybe there will be a follow up. Knowing Netflix probably lol.

True crime documentaries are not really my cup of tea. They are often sensationalist and voyeurist, concentrating on the gruesome nature of murder to provide entertainment. Gone Girls offers a victim-focus that is a welcome perspective.

Since I knew nothing of this case I may be an outlier, however this limited-episode series was, to me at least, an interesting and engaging overview of these events. It would be disingenuous to claim that Gone Girls is enjoyable, however this is not to criticise the documentary's creators. It certainly stands above other entries in the genre that I have seen.

The facts of what happened are shocking enough on their own merits that sensationalism is not required; the conclusion (thus far) of the case raises many concerns, not least the manner in which authorities appear to have reinforced the wider presumption that there are members of society that they consider not deserving of justice. That these human beings are often amongst the most vulnerable is a damning irony.

It is clear that there remains much still to be uncovered; if a follow-up series was to maintain a victim-focussed narrative it would be worthwhile viewing.

I loved the way the story was told. The b-roll was haunting. Cinematography on spot, the music was intense. There are some images that have stayed with me. I also like how the filmmakers didn't rush to unveil the story, they kept unfolding the clues to make you thing and wonder. Netflix docs are well made and awesome. I highly recommend this to lovers of True Crime. A must see in my opinion.