Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
On May 1, 2010, the police received a 911 call from a panicked 24-year-old claiming someone was after her. She was never seen again after that day. The woman, identified as Shannan Gilbert, was an escort, and the police didn’t take her disappearance seriously – at least not until her mother, Mari Gilbert, ensured some media pressure that forced the cops to look for her. The search led to the discovery of multiple skeletons along the same stretch on Long Island, uncovering a shocking case of serial murders.
Spanning three episodes, the Netflix documentary series “Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer” sheds light on how escorts and sex workers are dehumanized by the system. For years, several women went missing around Long Island – yet their disappearances were dismissed due to their profession, allowing a serial killer to remain undetected and active for years.
“They were humans first. They were mothers, sisters, friends…,” Mari Gilbert says in an address to the media, appealing for Shannan’s case to be taken seriously. The police first discovered the remains of four people near Gilgo Beach, leading to their being dubbed the “Gilgo Four” in the media. But the twist? None of them were Shannan. However, since the skeletons were found in burlap, they were investigated as homicide cases and were suspected to be the handiwork of the same killer.
The documentary series features interviews with journalists, police officers, attorneys, and several friends and family members of the victims. Episode two highlights how two high-ranking officers were entangled in allegations of corruption and abuse of power, shedding light on why the Long Island police were slow to act on the missing persons cases. For those who aren’t familiar with Shannan’s case or the “Gilgo Four” case, this three part documentary certainly offers a clear look at how personal biases, public opinions, and media pressure can sway investigations.
Shannan’s case helped crack several long-cold murder investigations that had remained unsolved for nearly a decade. Shockingly, key witness statements that could have led to the serial killer’s arrest within months were initially dismissed and not taken seriously. Ironically, it was those very same statements that ultimately helped investigators identify the killer – once a new officer took over the case and digitized all the old files related to the murders. The official negligence is criminal.
Like many recent Netflix documentaries, this three-part series uses dramatic recreations to represent key events, ensuring the storytelling remains visually engaging. In the third episode, an interview with a relative of the killer offers insight into his mental state, painting a psychological portrait of his mindset. Some of this segment feels somewhat defensive, as though it attempts to justify or explain the accused’s dual Jekyll-and-Hyde behavior.
Although this particular part might feel unnecessary, it does bring a certain fairness to the narrative. It offers viewers the other side of the story, which is something many crime documentaries on Netflix often lack. Usually, family members of the accused are unwilling to appear on camera, and the perspective is limited to friends or neighbors. Overall, this mini-series is highly compelling, particularly for international audiences who may not be familiar with the Long Island Serial Killer case.
Watch the docu-series on Netflix.
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