New York bodies identified
Long Island authorities have identified the female bodies dumped on Gilgo Beach last month.
Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, of Norwich Conn.; Melissa Barthelemy, 24, of Erie County, N.Y.; Amber Lynn Costello, 27, of North Babylon,; Megan Waterman, 22, of Scarborough, Maine, all were in their 20s.
“Both District Attorney Thomas Spota and myself have determined that this has all the marks of a serial killer,” Suffolk County Police Commissioner Richard Dormer told Metro. “Four bodies of women all engaged in the same occupation, bodies dumped in the same area, same age range and all missing women.”
Spota downplayed any correlation to the bodies of several missing Craiglist prostitutes that were discovered in Atlantic City in 2006. “There are similarities in the cases, but I don’t think there is a connection,” said Spota. “We’ve decided it is not the work of the same person.”
I’d be interested to know what the differences are. I know that at least 3 of these women were in burlap bags but I had not heard of that in the N.J. case. I know that the women in N.J. were supposed to have been found looking in the same direction, I do not know of that happened here, or if it even was a fact in the N.J. cases.
If these cases are not connected then there are 2 serial killers in that area right now. Both are killing women that are working as escorts, adult entertainment dancers and or prostitutes and then dumping the bodies in ditches on beaches. There have been links to online services such Craigslist in the N.Y. case but I think that the women found in N.J. were known for working more on the streets. I am not 100% sure that there were no online connections in the N.J. case but I do not remember that and I have not seen any mention of it in the latest articles.
Her younger sister received harassing calls after she vanished. Melissa Barthelemy, 24, was last seen alive July 12, 2009, and her sister in Buffalo received calls from her cellphone on July 16, 19 and 23, law enforcement sources told the New York Daily News.
“Do you know what your sister is doing? She’s a whore,” a man’s voiced taunted.
New York police traced the last two calls to Midtown Manhattan.
The New York Times, citing a law enforcement official, reported that Barthelemy’s telephone records were traced to the Budget Inn and the Best Western motels near Massapequa, about 15 miles from Gilgo Beach, where the bodies were found in December. Investigators checked video records at both motels and talked to staff but learned nothing, the official said. Barthelemy’s family called police in New York soon after she disappeared from her Bronx apartment.
Police subpoenaed phone records, scoured the neighborhood and gathered DNA evidence, including a toothbrush that was later used to identify the body. Barthelemy’s family will hold a press conference on Thursday to talk about the case.
“I believe it is a serial killer. I think it fits within the definition of what a serial killer would be. The causes of death appear to be substantially similar, but we’re not going to go into any further aspect of that at this time.” Spota said
Authorities have said they may have some leads and are making rapid progress, but are keeping other information quiet.
I understand the police keeping details quiet but I wish they would release more information.
Many of the articles seem to be cold towards the women. The women worked in the sex trades, fine, but it is disturbing to see a new article calling them “hookers”. It just seems wrong.
I can not help but think of the woman’s families reading in the hopes of finding something out and seeing it put that way. I just don’t think that is necessary.
I hope this killer is found soon.
Real Life Monsters 