Lawmaker wants special prosecutor to review Gilgo Beach case
Investigators released this photo of a belt with the initials HM or WH in connection with the Gilgo Beach murders. (Courtesy of Suffolk County Police Department)
OAK BEACH, N.Y. - State Sen. Phil Boyle wants to draw more attention to the infamous Gilgo Beach serial killer case. The unsolved crimes took place more than a decade ago where at least 11 bodies have been discovered mostly near Ocean Parkway in Suffolk County. The killer or killers are still on the loose.
Boyle sent letters to the county executive and the county police department demanding they disclose more information on the case. He also is calling on the New York attorney general to appoint a special prosecutor to review the initial investigation.
In March, FOX 5 NY reported about the podcast and streaming series Unraveled: Long Island Serial Killer, which shed light on key players in the case including James Burke, the former Suffolk County police chief.
"There are far too many conflicts and questions," Boyle said at a press conference on Monday. "Has Chief James Burke ever been cleared?"
Burke's attorney called the senator's attack politically motivated.
But Boyle said it's far from that.
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John Ray, the attorney who represents the estate of victim Shannan Gilbert, said a special prosecutor would slow down the investigation even more. Gilbert's disappearance sparked the search that uncovered the other remains. She was an escort who went missing in 2010.
"It's not as if someone came up with a wonderful solution to this age-old problem," Ray said.
Last year, officials released a photo of a belt linked to a Gilgo suspect. They called it a key piece of evidence but there's been no progress in the case since.
A spokesperson from the Suffolk County executive's office called Boyle's actions a "political charade." The spokesperson told FOX 5 NY that the investigation is of the "highest priority."
The police department said detectives are working closely with both the district attorney's office and the FBI.
(Suffolk County Police Department File Photo)