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A Cluster of Bodies
Is a cluster of ten women's remains found along about a ten-mile stretch of a Long Island beach near New York City strong evidence that a serial killer is or was at work? See Sean Gardiner, "New Bones in Killing Probe," Wall Street Journal (April 12, 2011). Would we want to know if there is evidence of foul play in addition to the discovery of the human remains? Would we want to know how long the remains of the various women had been there? Would we want to know how many women usually go missing and die unseen even in the absence of homicidal foul play? Would we want to know something about the movement of the ocean currents along that sad stretch of beach?
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The dynamic evidence page
It's here: the
law of evidence on Spindle Law. See also
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this post.
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The following article assumes there was a serial killer: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2011/0415/Long-Island-serial-killer-Portrait-of-cunning-criminal-slowly-emerges
NYTimes article (April 13, 2011),http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/14/nyregion/long-island-bodies-not-linked-to-remains-of-atlantic-city-prostitutes.html:
"There have been no links established between the four bodies discovered in Suffolk in December and the four sets of remains found more recently, which have not yet been identified. Increasing differences are emerging that set the two groups apart, officials have said."
"The first four bodies — those of Megan Waterman, 22; Melissa Barthelemy, 24; Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25; and Amber Lynn Costello, 27 — were dumped in burlap sacks. The bodies found in March and April had no burlap sacks and may have been left there years earlier."
"Perhaps most significantly, the remains of a child may be among those discovered more recently, said a law enforcement official, who insisted on anonymity because the investigation is continuing. That would seem to reveal a chasm in potential motives."
The same NYTimes article:
"The lieutenant added that it 'remains to be seen' if the bones discovered in Nassau on Monday will turn out to be connected to those found in Suffolk."
"'We don’t even have that it’s a criminal homicide at this point,' he said of the Nassau case, noting that there were a number of explanations that could account for the discovery of bones outside of a cemetery."
One newspaper report states that four of the women's bodies were wrapped in burlap bags. See http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/22/nyregion/long-island-serial-killer-gets-a-personality-profile.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fnyregion%2Findex.jsonp This makes it more probable that one person killed several of the victims.
NYTimes, May 9, 2011, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/10/nyregion/authorities-identify-a-fifth-li-victim.html?hp
"Since April, law enforcement authorities have been trying to determine if four sets of human remains discovered in the thick beachfront brush on Jones Beach Island in Suffolk County were also the work of the killer believed responsible for the deaths of four prostitutes whose remains were found nearby in December close to Gilgo Beach."
... "[O]ne of the recent bodies had been identified as belonging to Jessica Taylor, 20, who had worked as a prostitute in Washington and briefly in New York before disappearing in July 2003." "Another victim, who has not been identified but is being referred to as Jane Doe No. 6, was also dismembered. Most of her body was discovered on Nov. 19, 2000, in a heavily wooded area of Manorville, in the same section where Ms. Taylor’s torso was recovered. ...
The 'manner of disposal' of that woman was similar to that of Ms. Taylor, but was 'distinctly dissimilar to the four originally identified Gilgo victims,'...."
"'It is now very clear that the area in and around Gilgo Beach has been used to discard human remains for some period of time,' Mr. Spota said."
"Mr. Spota also offered details about two other unidentified bodies discovered by searchers who have intermittently combed Jones Beach Island since December.
He said one most likely was of an Asian man in his late teens or early 20s. He appeared to have died a violent death, but the circumstances appeared different from those of the other people whose bodies have been found, Mr. Spota said.
The eighth body belonged to a toddler, likely a girl, Mr. Spota said. Her body was found wrapped in a blanket with no obvious signs of trauma. "
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