For over a decade, the identity of the Long Island serial killer remained a mystery. But earlier this week, police finally arrested a suspect. Via NBC News, the suspect’s name is Rex Heuermann, a 59-year-old architect who lives in Massapequa Park, a short distance away from the location where numerous bodies were discovered over a decade ago.
Thus far, Heuermann is only charged in three of the murder cases: Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello. But other charges may follow. It may take years for this case to play out in court, but these crimes may not have come to light without the efforts of a woman named Mari Gilbert. Mari’s story was dramatized in the true crime feature film Lost Girls, and we’re going to tell you where you can watch it.
Where can I watch Lost Girls?
Lost Girls is a Netflix original movie, and you can stream it there. The film was directed by Liz Garbus from a script by Michael Werwie, which was in turn based on Robert Kolker’s true crime novel, Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery.
Amy Ryan stars as Mari Gilbert, a mother of three daughters who relentlessly hounds the police to find her missing daughter, Shannon Gilbert (Sarah Wisser). Mari’s efforts unexpectedly cause the police to discover the bodies of several missing sex workers who were murdered by the Long Island serial killer.
Thomasin McKenzie co-stars in the film as Sherre Gilbert, with Gabriel Byrne as Commissioner Richard Dormer, Oona Laurence as Sarra Gilbert, Lola Kirke as Kim, Miriam Shor as Lorraine, Reed Birney as Peter Hackett, Kevin Corrigan as Joe Scalise, Rosal Colon as Selena Garcia, Dean Winters as Dean Bostick, James Hiroyuki Liao as Michael Pak, and Molly Brown as Missy.
What happened to Mari Gilbert?
Fair warning, Mari Gilbert’s story does not have a happy ending and it’s kind of depressing. While Gilbert’s quest to find justice for her daughter did expose the serial murders, police ultimately concluded that Shannon Gilbert was not murdered by the Long Island serial killer. Shannon Gilbert’s body was found, but police believed that she died from an accidental drowning. Her family still believes that Shannon was murdered.
Finally, in 2016, Mari Gilbert was stabbed to death by one of her other daughters, Sarra Gilbert, during a psychotic episode. Sarra Gilbert was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison. However, Mari’s legacy is that she helped bring numerous murders to light. Without her, the Long Island serial killer may have remained undetected and uncaptured.
You can watch Lost Girls on Netflix.
