Gilgo Beach

Map indicating location of bodies discovered at Gilgo Beach, Author Atiru
(CC BY-SA 4.0 International)

WARNING:  Graphic Images

Gilgo Beach is a quiet stretch of sandy coastline on Long Island, NY, made infamous by the serial killings which have been uncovered there [1].

Shockingly, the remains of up to 18 victims, murdered between 1996 and 2011, have been found in the general area.  For the most part, these victims — the majority of them women — are believed to have been sex workers.

Serial Predator

Rex Heuermann — a 59 y.o. married architect and father of two — has been charged in the murders of three such victims (Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Costello, and Megan Waterman) [2].  He is the prime suspect in the murder of a fourth (Maureen Brainard-Barnes).  There is speculation that he may be responsible for many more.

Investigative Delay

The identification of victims was necessarily a lengthy and complex process.

However, the FBI did not become officially involved in this investigation until 5 years after the first remains were located by Suffolk County Police [3].  For reasons of his own, former Police Chief James Burke is said actually to have blocked that involvement [4].

There is, also, widespread suspicion among family members of the victims that Suffolk Police did not prioritize the investigation because these women were prostitutes, rather than “upstanding” members of the community.

Child Abuse and Prostitution
A. Sexual Abuse

What is particularly tragic about this story is that there is every likelihood the women had already been the victims of childhood sexual abuse.

A study of 200 street prostitutes documented that 60% were sexually exploited by an average of two people, over an average period of 20 months [5].  Two-thirds were sexually abused by a father figure.  Some 70% of these women reported that the abuse directly impacted their decision to engage in prostitution.

B. Sex Trafficking

How many of the Gilgo Beach victims may, in addition, have been trafficked, i.e. illegally transported against their will through fraud, force or coercion, for the purpose of sex work is unknown.

C. Runaways

“In our cities
small outlines of skin and bones
that attach themselves to abandoned
buildings, park benches, narrow
alleyways.

And when darkness falls, these
shadows disappear into places many of
us will never, ever see in this lifetime…

They are America’s untouchables
and unreachables — America’s
street children….”

-Sr. Mary Rose McGeady, Sometimes God Has a Kid’s Face

Of course, runaways who are fleeing physical and emotional abuse or neglect often wind up engaged in prostitution, as well.  Such children have no resources and few, if any, skills with which to support themselves.

Covenant House in New York City serves this vulnerable population, along with the survivors of trafficking [6].

Violence Against Sex Workers

Since they are reluctant to contact the police because of potential arrest, sex workers have a 45% to 75% chance of experiencing sexual or other violence while engaged in their trade [7].  Migrants, men and women of color, and the shattered souls who view themselves as transgender are at particularly high risk.

Rahab

“Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king” (Matt. 1: 5-6).

DNA analysis and geneology played a critical role in identifying the Gilgo Beach victims.  Coincidentally, the name Rahab is included in the geneology of Christ.

Rahab, you may recall, was a Gentile prostitute (Joshua 2: 1) who aided the Israelites in capturing Jericho by sheltering the two men Joshua had sent to scout out the situation [8].  Had she been caught, her own life would undoubtedly have been forfeit.

Not only was Rahab’s life spared, when the Israelites conquered the city.  She was to become the great-great-grandmother of King David, and an acknowledged ancestor of the Messiah.

Abused or not, sinners all, we remain precious in God’s sight.  These women were precious to Him.  Whatever the outcome of their cases here on earth, they are now in His loving arms.

And justice will be done.

—

[1]  Wikipedia, “Gilgo Beach serial killings”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilgo_Beach_serial_killings.

[2]  NBC News/New York, Crime and the Courts, “‘Massive amount’ of material taken from home alleged Gilgo Beach killer Rex Heuermann” by Greg Cergol, Tom Shea, and Jennifer Vazquez, 7/25/23, https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/massive-amount-of-material-taken-from-home-alleged-gilgo-beach-killer-rex-heuermann/4535491/.

[3]  MEAWW, News, Crime & Justice, “Why did it take so long to capture Rex Heuermann?” by Kunal Dey, 7/17/23, https://meaww.com/why-did-it-take-so-long-to-capture-rex-heuermann-cops-had-description-of-gilgo-beach-killers-car-12-years-ago.

[4]  Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke resigned over allegations arising from the assault of a suspect in police custody and subsequent cover-up.  He later pled guilty to reduced charges.  See, Wikipedia, James Burke (police office officer), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Burke_(police_officer).

[5]  ScienceDirect, “Child sexual abuse as an antecedent to prostitution” by Mimi Silbert and Ayala Pines, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0145213481900508.

[6]  Covenant House, https://www.covenanthouse.org.

[7]  Urban Justice, “Fact Sheet:  Sexual Violence Against Sex Workers”, https://swp.urbanjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/08/Fact-Sheet-Sexual-Violence-Against-Sex-Workers-1-1-1.pdf.

[8]  Wikipedia, Rahab, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rahab.

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