Breaking News: Victim in Gilgo Beach Murders Identified as Karen Vergata
SUFFOLK COUNTY, LONG ISLAND – In a major development in the Gilgo Beach murder case, authorities in Suffolk County, New York, have identified a victim who had previously been known only as “Jane Doe.” The victim has been identified as 34-year-old Karen Vergata, according to officials.
Vergata’s remains, consisting of feet and legs, were discovered on the shoreline of Fire Island Bay on April 20, 1996, near Davis Park Beach. It wasn’t until 2011, when additional remains, including a skull, were found in Nassau County, that authorities were able to confirm that all the remains belonged to the same person through DNA analysis.
At a news conference, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney emphasized the importance of remembering and honoring not only Karen Vergata but also all the victims in the Gilgo Beach case. Tierney stated that there are currently no charges, but investigations will continue.
Karen Vergata’s remains were among nearly a dozen sets of human remains found along Ocean Parkway on the South Shore between 2010 and 2011. These sets of remains, including those of four women known as the “Gilgo Four,” haunted the community for over a decade until a recent breakthrough in the case.
Last month, DNA recovered from a discarded pizza crust led investigators to Rex Heuermann, an architect from New York City, who has now been charged with three counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello. Heuermann is also a prime suspect in the disappearance and death of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, although he has not been charged in connection with that particular case.
Heuermann, through his lawyer, has denied all charges against him.
Investigators believe that the murders of the four women, who were working as escorts, may have taken place at Heuermann’s home in Massapequa Park, which is less than 9 km away from where the remains were found.
The case gained significant media attention and inspired a nonfiction book and a Netflix drama. It all began with the search for another missing woman in 2010, which eventually led to the discovery of multiple sets of human remains. By the time the remains of the missing woman, Shannan Gilbert, were found a year later, authorities had recovered at least 10 sets of remains in two counties.
Authorities said they have reason to believe that Gilbert’s death was accidental and unrelated to the other murders.
The breakthrough in the Gilgo Four case occurred in January when investigators collected DNA evidence from a hair found in the burlap sack where Megan Waterman’s remains were discovered. This evidence was later matched to DNA from a discarded pizza crust belonging to Heuermann.
Prosecutors have requested a DNA sample from Heuermann, indicating that further developments may occur in this ongoing investigation.