Netflix Docuseries Explores Gruesome Gilgo Beach Murders and Family Tragedy

LOS ANGELES, CA — Netflix‘s new docuseries ‘Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer,’ which launched on March 31, centers on the tragic story of the Gilbert family and the unsolved disappearances tied to the 2010 Gilgo Beach murders.

The series highlights Mari Gilbert’s relentless search for her missing daughter, Shannan, which ultimately uncovered the remains of several homicide victims in Long Island. While Shannan’s body was discovered in December 2011, investigators have concluded she was not a victim of a serial killer, a point Mari Gilbert vocally contested in the years leading to her death.

On July 23, 2016, Mari herself became a victim of violence when her daughter Sarra, who struggled with schizophrenia, fatally stabbed her 227 times before bludgeoning her with a fire extinguisher. Sarra was charged with second-degree murder and is currently serving a 25-year sentence at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women.

Another daughter, Sherre Gilbert, spoke about the family’s trauma in a Facebook post mourning the loss of their mother. “My sister Stevie and I are incredibly devastated beyond words as our mother was the backbone of the family,” Sherre wrote at the time.

In the aftermath of Mari’s murder, local authorities arrested Rex Heuermann, the prime suspect in the Gilgo Beach murders, in July 2023. Heuermann has been charged with the killings of several women and awaits trial at Riverhead Correctional Facility in Suffolk County, New York.

Though investigators ruled Shannan’s death as accidental drowning and not connected to the serial killer case, many, including journalist Robert Kolker, theorized that Mari would have continued to advocate for her daughter’s case to be treated as a homicide linked to Heuermann. “She would not be convinced that Shannan’s death was disconnected from the others,” Kolker remarked in an interview.

‘Gone Girls’ explores the complexities of the Gilgo Beach case through the lens of familial ties and loss. The series focuses on the networks of support among the mothers, sisters, and friends of the victims, emphasizing their activism in the face of systemic neglect. Garbus argues it is the stories of the victims and their loved ones that truly highlight the human impact of these tragedies.

Mari Gilbert’s tragic death, albeit briefly mentioned, reflects the broader narrative of loss surrounding the Gilgo Beach murders. The docuseries challenges viewers to confront the grim realities faced by these families and the unresolved fates of the women involved. As Garbus aptly noted, “The ripple effect of these crimes is profound, affecting not just the victims’ lives, but many others too.”