"I wish that coda didn't have to exist," she says. During her sister Sarras trial, she appeared for the prosecution. It was eventually concluded that she drowned in a boggy marsh. While investigators were searching for Shannan, theyultimately discovered the bodies of four women along Ocean Parkway. It was 4:51 a.m. Former Suffolk County Chief of Detectives Dominick Varrone, who has heard the call, is speaking for the first time on network television. "He said he never saw Shannan before," she replied. She also beat her with a fire extinguisher and sprayed her with foam from the extinguisher. ", The Office alum says she partly based her portrayal on Liz's "very helpful" accounts of her conversations with Mari, videos of Mari, and Kolker's book. Sarra Gilbert murdered mom Mari Gilbert with 227 stab wounds: In January 2020, police changed Gilberts cause of death to inconclusive rather than accidental, Daily Freeman reported. Somehow he convinced her to meet him alone -- an unusual move for Amber, who normally required clients to come to her. Moriarty asked Varrone. Maureen checked into a Super 8 hotel in Manhattan, and like the other young women, the 25-year-old seemed to vanish in the night. Gabrielle Bruney is a writer and editor for Esquire, where she focuses on politics and culture. I'm like that's -- 'they're gonna eat you alive.' But "48 Hours" did some more digging and found that Mari Gilbert did in fact report that strange phone call from Dr. Hackett just days after her daughter disappeared. "So why did he pick, you know, a sex worker if he didn't want sex?" Attempts to find current contact information for Hackett were not immediately successful. She lived just 10 miles from the killer's dumping ground. It was the call Sherre and her sister, Sarra, had been dreading ever since learning Shannan, diagnosed with a bipolar disorder and struggling with depression and mood swings, had turned to selling her services online as an escort. By 2011, as many as 10 human remains many of whom were believed to be sex workers had been discovered in the area, launching the still-unsolved search for what some have called the Long Island Serial Killer, according to theAssociated Press. Local newspaper reports about Shannan Gilberts disappearance and the bodies discovered on Gilgo Beach. It was a year and a half that you went missing. After a jury found Sarra Gilbert guilty, she was given the maximum sentence of 25 years to life in August 2017. "Sarra is, from all the evidence, clearly not responsible for what shes done," Newsday quoted Ray saying in 2016. No one would give her a job," said Cann. "If she had abandoned her shoes and she was walking barefoot through this, it would seem almost impossible for her without cutting up her feet very badly on the broken reeds," he explained. And she said, 'No.' Sarra said her mom practiced witchcraft and she believed Mari was a demon. "These young women were cast aside on the road, barely even covered up, and were neglected to even be looked for for so long.". Shannan wasnt among these victims, but the search for her had led to the realization that a serial killer was at work in the area. The lawsuit alleged Hackett took Shannan into his home in the early morning hours on the day she disappeared and gave her drugs. No one wants to know you. "My sister had other dreams, you know. "We said that Maureen went to New York and she never came back. "So why would you call her mother? "Exactly," Schaller agreed, "like a lion smells a dying gazelle.". "In this police force, not unlike a lot of other police forces around the country, there's this culture of minimization and denial when it comes to women who are escorts," he said. That's what was odd. In 2016, a private, independent autopsy reported a different finding, The New York Times reported. Mari Gilbert never stopped fighting for the truth about how her daughterwho was a sex workerdied, drawing attention to the lower priority authorities placed on solving crimes against sex workers, the investigation Kolker wrote about suggests. "It's a girl who clearly believes she's in harm's way.". Sadly, the film's real-life heroine never got the justice she wanted for Shannan's death. An autopsy ruled Mari Gilberts death a homicide due to multiple stab wounds. "And he said, 'Do you know what I did to your sister?' She's a prostitute. Just weeks ago, "48 Hours" went to Dr. Hackett's house to try to get answers. On January 15, she wrote a hopeful note that DNA testing might help find her sisters killer. "It's possible," he replied. 52-year-old Mari Gilbert became a murder victim advocate after her Craigslist-escort "She didn't turn to Craigslist [because] she wanted to she turned to Craigslist because she felt like there was no way out. In his new afterward to Lost Girls, Kolker described the breakdown Sarra experienced after the discovery of her sisters remains: Over the following three years, Sarra spent time in psychiatric hospitals and was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Sherre was an administrator for a Facebook page dedicated to trying to solve her sister Shannans death called Praying for Shannan Maria Gilbert. My mom, my best friend, the person I relied on the most in this world is gone!!! Mari Gilbert Killed: Daughter Sarra Had Schizophrenia, Attorney Schaller says the client enticed Amber with the promise of big money. ultimately discovered the bodies of four women along Ocean Parkway, Howeverin an update of the case in January. Schaller says Amber hated the person she'd become: a drug addict who turned tricks to support her habit. July 20, 2013 / 11:39 PM Sarra was ultimately charged and convicted of murdering her mother. In 2016, just months after an independent autopsy raised more questions about Shannans death, Mari Gilbert was found dead in her daughter Sarra Gilberts apartment in Ellenville, CBS New York reported at the time. (The) last time I talked to him, it was seven years ago at least, and he was saying that he was basically unemployable, Kolker toldOxygen.com. I think they look at them like theyre throwaway, she told the New York Times in 2011. "There's no doubt in my mind" he replied. Sarra also stripped off her mother's clothes and severely beat her head with a fire extinguisher. "he was soft-spoken and had -- a very controlled and comfortable manner of speech, which made his horrific messages all the more devastating he began to toy with her And for the very first time, she heard the voice of the killer.". In 2010, Sarras older sister, Shannan Gilbert, was working as a prostitute when she fled a clients home in Oak Beach, NY, and never returned home. The Long Island Serial Killer Case, Explained, He was sort of the local big shot in Oak Beach, Robert Kolker, the author of . Her belongings including her pocketbook, lip gloss, jeans and shoes were discovered in the marsh about a quarter of a mile from her body, according to, According to police, she appears to have entered the marsh right behind where Peter Hacketts house is, and her belongings were found right near his house in the marsh and then her body was found a long distance away, Kolker told, The tragedy of this young womans death is only compounded by the prosecution in this civil litigation, he told, . What Happened To Mari Gilbert, Sarra Who Caused Death There is not an iota of evidence in any of this litigation., Over the years, many of the initial counts in the lawsuit have been removed, including the wrongful death claim that was dismissed in 2013, according to, The remaining claims are related to Shannan Gilberts pain and suffering before her death and the later emotional distress suffered by Mari Gilbert, according to, Before Hackett was embroiled in the media coverage of the case, Kolker told, Hackett had served as head for the Suffolk County Emergency Medical Services when the. Stevie Smith tends to stays out of the spotlight. When Hackett who is portrayed in the film by Reed Birney called Mari just a few days later, she claimed the doctor told her he had interacted with Shannan the night she died. And she just kind of ignores that 'where are you' question and keeps saying 'someone's after me,'" Varonne explained. Sit down in that chair. "My sister was last seen running along the roads She felt like she was in fear for her life that night," Sherre Gilbert told "48 Hours" correspondent Erin Moriarty. What Happened To Mari Gilbert From The 'Long Island Serial Moriarty asked. Something doesnt, No , the murder happened in Ohio . Lynn Barthelemy's 24-year-old daughter, Melissa, had been missing for a year-and-a-half when the bodies were discovered. Fearing the worst, Maureen's family went to the Norwich Police Department, submitted her name to the missing persons database, and told police she was an online escort. Convinced the Suffolk police weren't going to investigate Shannan's death, attorney John Ray took matters into his own hands. "All I can say is he's sick. She has been Mari died on July 23, 2016, in the apartment building the Meserve tells PEOPLE she became close with the Gilbert family after they were linked by the Gilgo Beach killings in Long Island. He said the cause of death could not be determined, but the autopsy showed some findings consistent with strangulation. Then, Colletti saw Shannan was hiding underneath the boat in his yard. Based on Robert Kolker's book of the same name, the film is centered on Mari Gilbert, Shannan's outspoken mother, who worked alongside several other victims' families to press Long Island police into action. "We had a sinking feeling that it was her.". When your loved one is missing, the torture is too much for family members. No one cares.'". She died while searching for her missing daughter. She has two other daughters. I've seen it, its really overgrown," Moriarty noted. Last. Howeverin an update of the case in January, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart called her cause of death "inconclusive.". "Did she get hurt?" It's all in the missing person's report. "I was really sad," Sherre Gilbert said. Mari Cox Gilbert Sarra was arrested at the scene with blood on her clothing. And maybe that little something that they know will lead to the solving of this case.". According to Mari Gilberts obituary, Mari had four grandsons when she died and she was engaged to Elroy J. Shulterbrandt. ", But Garbus didn't get to see her again. Her defense lawyer subsequently argued that on the day of the murder, shed been suffering from hallucinations and was hearing voices that told her to commit the crime. Found the resolution to each, I know who really killed Chanin, her husband did not, I have so many questions about this story. She wrote a heartfelt message about Shannan in 2019, saying: Its been 8yrs since you were found. "I was terrified," Barthelemy said. By then, she had been missing for eight days. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says, LI Serial Killer: Missing escort, crime scene & victims, Clues in the Long Island serial killer case, How a tragic boating crash is connected to the family of Alex Murdaugh, Husband of woman murdered with an ax convicted 40 years after her death, Five deaths with a connection to Alex Murdaugh's family investigated. Megan Waterman was last seen leaving a Holiday Inn Express on Long Island in June 2010. After Shannans disappearance in May 2010, Sarra appeared at vigils and memorials alongside her mother and sister Sherre, holding photos of her missing sister. What would she die of if she didn't drown or wasn't killed?" "If he's lying about something so simple about calling me," Mari Gilbert said, "then what else is he lying about?". ", "I reached over and grabbed that phone, dialed 911," Colletti continued. Shannans body was later discovered in December of 2011, 19 months after her disappearance. It didnt take this long. "I feel like they failed me and they failed my sister. Moriarty asked. In March of 2011 -- three months after finding the bodies of Melissa, Amber, Megan and Maureen -- police start finding more bodies and more body parts along a once pristine beach playground; six new sets of human remains in all. Mari Gilbert. For more stories like this, sign up for our newsletter. She went to set up appointments with men on Craigslist. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! All of a sudden, I heard screaming out here and banging on that door. But soon after Maris death, daughter Sherre apparently posted on Facebook about the news, according to screenshots obtained by PEOPLE. And she didnt just make a lot of noise; the experience of fighting on behalf of her daughter Shannan transformed Mari, too.. "Immediately, I started to panic," she said. What has never been reported before is that Shannan's call was transferred to the New York State Police when she couldn't tell them where she was. "Absolutely not. Please enter valid email address to continue. Hackett the former head of the Suffolk County Emergency Medical Services had become an integral part of the private, secluded Oak Beach community by the time 24-year-old Shannan Gilbert, a Craigslist sex worker, disappeared in May 2010 after meeting a client in the community. "I've been led to believe by Amanda and by the data that I have that he is a white male.". ", Oddly, despite working closely with Mari on Shannan's disappearance, Ray also claimed Sarra's belief that Mari was demonic was partly based in truth. They were traveling together, coordinating. Police believe the latest victims were also linked to the sex trade, but only one has ever been identified: Victim No. At that point, Colletti called 911. The book Lost Girls by journalist Robert Kolker served as the basis of the film, and in it Kolker offers details of Gilberts life that didnt make it to the screen. "She sounds not very coherent, not very rational.". "I was like, 'You guys found Amber You found her.'". But Shannan's mother believes Dr. Hackett knows more than he's saying. She was not perfect, but she was loved and she was cared for, Gilbert told the press in 2011. Schaller says the caller was so persuasive, Amber -- an experienced escort -- walked out the door without her purse or even a cell phone. Sarra, diagnosed with schizophrenia, had been cycling out of mental hospitals, Ray said. Ray asked. Despite her well-documented history of severe mental illness and the fact that Sarra had gone off of her medication before the murder, Sarra was found guilty of murder in 2017 and sentenced to 25 years imprisonment. "She was getting evicted from her house. Her Sister Shannan Gilbert Died Mysteriously Shannan Maria Gilbert went missing on Long Island on May 1, 2010. It worked. When you give look let me not get into it," he said. Chief Varrone insists police didn't know about that call until months later. "You didn't think your mom could be mistaken? Mari Gilbert: Why would you say that to me? By then, Amber had been missing from their home on Long Island for three months. Although Brewer refused to go on camera, he admitted to "48 Hours" that he solicited Shannan online, but, he said, not for sex. "48 Hours" has since recently obtained phone records from Shannon's mother that confirm Hackett actually did make a call to Mari Gilbert exactly when she said he did on May 3. Mari Gilbert Was Stabbed to Death by Her Daughter After Losing Moriarty asked? '", He opened the door. Follow the links to read about more murders profiled on ID this week. A year and a half of questions & no answers, clues or hints. Nieves pretended to be a woman and flirted online with Rodriguez; when the killer asked him on a date, he was waiting with a firearm. And I yelled to him to stop. 2013 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. She remains in prison today. "No. Attempts to find current contact information for Hackett were not immediately successful. Lost Girls: What Happened To Mari Gilbert & Her Daughters Jurors didn't find Sarra and her attorney's claims and pleas for mercy compelling, with one unnamed juror telling the Daily Freeman, "We feel that she has mental illness but she was also aware of what she was doing." Sherre, Sarras sister, spoke about Sarra after her sentencing and said they tried to get Sarrah help, but she would get better for a short period of time and then get worse again, People reported. By 2010, Shannan was an aspiring actor who lived in Jersey City and worked as an escort. Attorney Ray tells PEOPLE that since 2014, Sarra has been hospitalized in at least two facilities in upstate New York. The Netflix movie Lost Girls is based on Gilberts life story. Even the family's attorney, Steven Cohen, couldn't get police to take notice. Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. In 2016, Mari Gilbert was found dead in her daughter Sarra Gilberts apartment in Ellenville, CBS New York reported. Attorney John Ray told CBS that Sarra When Mari Gilbert arrived, Sarra stabbed her multiple times with a kitchen knife and beat her with a fire extinguisher. Sarra had a long history of mental illness. She drowned her pet dog, and lost custody of her son, who entered her mothers care. "The major symptoms of schizophrenia hit later," Garbus explains. "I was just hysterical, totally hysterical," said Barthelemy. "Do you believe that this killer or killers will eventually be caught?" Former Chief of Detectives Dominick Varrone believes Shannan actually died by accident -- after running into the thick marsh and getting lost. Lost Girls Brewer claims he doesn't know what set Shannan off or why she made that call to 911. One of her four daughters, Shannan, tragically died and her death is still being investigated. Yelling, 'Help me, help me, help me. Sarra Gilbert, Ellenville woman guilty of murdering mother, loses He used the phrase that it was too late to help her and that he then released her., Shannan'sbody was discovered in 2011, partially clothed, in a localmarsh. I said, 'Well, I did.'". "The world lost an awesome girl, a wonderful, wonderful mom, a friend" said Megan's mother, Lorraine Ela, who has a message for the killer: "I want to know why you took my daughter Why would you hurt a human being? starring Amy Ryan as the desperate mother who casts suspicion on Hackett (played by Reed Birney). They were very much on the same page, as far as trying to find Shannan, Laster says. She was -- she's an escort We're not going to assign a detective to this.'". In 2016, Maris 27-year-old daughter, Sarra Gilbert, fatally stabbed her mom more than 200 times and hit her with a "I don't believe he said that. No," Varrone replied. "When I finally told myself Maureen was actually missing, that she wasn't coming back, I couldn't breathe. By all accounts, he really aggressively put himself in the center of things whenever anything was going on there, he said. Gilbert And then, there's a guy on the other end.". Lost Girls, a new Netflix movie helmed by Emmy-winning documentary director Liz Garbus, tells the true story of the deaths of Shannan Gilbert and several victims of the Gilgo Beach murders. Six more bodies would eventually be found. From Netflix's Lost Girls. Mari had , Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart called her cause of death "inconclusive. reports. In that car was Michael Pak, Shannan's driver - the second man police wanted to talk to. Sarra Gilbert is being held without bail at the Ulster County Jail. Eerie Crime Scene Photo Offers 1st Public Insight Into Possible "I was like, 'Be safe.' Dr. Hackett: I never saw her, I never met her. Police have said that they do not consider Hackett a suspect in the killings,according toThe Long Island Press. "But how would she lose her jeans as she's running?" "But wouldn't you sound that way if you were panicked and afraid?" "It almost seems like she's in some type of psychotic state or in some type of drug-induced stupor.". The mother of Shannan Gilbert, whose disappearance led to the discovery of 10 bodies at Gilgo Beach in Babylon, N.Y., in 2011, has been murdered, and a second daughter has been charged in her death. Her disappearance and Mari's efforts to find out what happened to her daughter are the focus of the new Netflix feature film "Lost Girls" starring Amy Ryan as the desperate mother who casts suspicion on Hackett (played by Reed Birney). She was diagnosed as having bipolar disorder at 12 years old, and Mari struggled to manage her eldest childs at times erratic behavior. Hackett's attorney, James O'Rourke of Hauppauge, said none of the claims is true. But Ryan found out what ultimately happened to Mari after she'd fallen in love with the Netflix film's screenplay, when a Google rabbit-hole informed her of the woman's awful fate. She didn't know it then, but the mysterious events of the next few hours would forever link her to four young women - whose bodies were found wrapped in burlap -- and spark one of the largest murder investigations in Long Island history. Dylan Eason and Isaiah Churchwell were convicted of murdering Cynthia William "Patrick" Alexander remains in prison for murder. But when Amber didn't call or come home, says Schaller, no one in her family even looked for her. According to police, she appears to have entered the marsh right behind where Peter Hacketts house is, and her belongings were found right near his house in the marsh and then her body was found a long distance away, Kolker toldOxygen.com. And I would be amazed as to why wasn't that brought to our attention? Her belongings including her pocketbook, lip gloss, jeans and shoes were discovered in the marsh about a quarter of a mile from her body, according toThe Long Island Press. I felt her determination to not just let her sister disappear, she says. The tragedies and illness are often intertwined, says Dottie Laster, a private investigator and missing-persons specialist who helped the Gilbert family search for Mari Gilberts older daughter, Shannan. Stevie has stayed out of the spotlight for the most part. First published on July 20, 2013 / 11:39 PM. "Shes what we call criminally insane. Upon information and belief, on or about May 1, 2010, at Defendant Hacketts aforesaid address, Defendant Hackett induced, coerced, overreached, and persuaded Shannan Gilbert to enter his aforesaid premises and to accept the aforesaid treatment and medications he provided and administered to her, the lawsuit said.