‘It’s a wasteland out there’: If the Gilgo Beach killer has claimed his victims, then who left four other bodies out there?

The path to uncovering the truth behind the Gilgo Beach murders has been long and complex, but recent developments have finally brought some closure to the families of the victims. Per CNN, the investigation into these crimes took a major step forward when Rex Heuermann, a 62-year-old architect, pleaded guilty to the murders of eight women. 

While this is a significant legal milestone, the reality on Long Island remains sobering. Even with Heuermann behind bars, there are remains found along the Ocean Parkway that have not been linked to his killing spree, leaving several cases open and families still searching for justice.

Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly put it bluntly when she described the area. “Gilgo Beach can be described as a dumping ground,” she noted, “There are a number of bodies that are not connected to the Gilgo Beach killer. It’s a wasteland out there. It’s probably a good place to drop a body.”It is a haunting thought that this stretch of road is the site of multiple, separate tragedies. 

Brace yourself, none of this is pretty

One of the most prominent cases that remains outside of the charges against Heuermann is that of Shannan Gilbert. Her disappearance in May 2010 is widely considered the catalyst that led police to the discovery of the other remains along Ocean Parkway. Gilbert, a 23-year-old sex worker, had visited a client in Oak Beach before she vanished. Audio released in 2022 captured her calling 911 while distressed, repeatedly stating that there was somebody after her. 

Her remains were eventually found in a marsh in 2011. An independent autopsy by former New York chief medical examiner Michael Baden suggested findings consistent with homicidal strangulation. Suffolk County police, however, maintain that they do not believe she was murdered. The case remains a subject of intense public interest.

Then there was the heartbreaking discovery of a mother and her young daughter. Known for years only as Jane Does, the woman, who had a distinctive peach tattoo, was eventually identified as Tanya Jackson, a 26-year-old US Army veteran. Her 2-year-old daughter, Tatiana Dykes, was found with her. According to NBC News, these cases were not linked to the serial killer but instead pointed toward a different suspect. 

In December 2025, the child’s father, Andrew Dykes, was arrested in Florida and charged with the murder of Jackson. Andrew Dykes has pleaded not guilty, and his case is currently moving through the discovery phase.

Finally, there is the unidentified individual referred to as Asian Doe. The skeletal remains of this victim were discovered in April 2011 along the same stretch of parkway where other victims were found. This person was an Asian biological male who was found wearing women’s clothing, leading investigators to believe they may have identified as a woman. 

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney has stated that investigators believe this person died in 2006 or earlier due to blunt force trauma. Tierney has emphasized that while the public often asks if this death is connected to Heuermann, “It doesn’t matter what I believe, it matters what I can prove.” He added that “a huge step in moving that case forward would be to finally identify that individual.”

The closure of the Heuermann case is undoubtedly a pivotal moment for Long Island. Heuermann admitted in court that he met the women he killed, strangled them, and dumped their bodies across various locations. He even agreed to cooperate with the FBI as part of his plea deal to avoid a trial that would have otherwise brought up painful details for the families of the victims. 

Heuermann is likely to be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on June 17. However, the existence of these other cases serves as a grim reminder that the search for answers along the Ocean Parkway is far from finished.