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Netflix’s latest docuseries, Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer, revisits the Gilgo Beach murders through the relentless pursuit of justice by Mari Gilbert, the mother of victim Shannan Gilbert. However, the series does not address Mari’s own tragic death years before the arrest of Rex Heuermann.
The documentary, which premiered on March 31, highlights how Mari tirelessly fought for authorities to recognize her daughter’s case as a homicide. Journalist Robert Kolker, who has extensively covered the case, suggested that Mari would have continued pressing for Shannan’s death to be linked to the other victims.
Shannan went missing in 2010 after visiting a client in Long Island, leading to the discovery of four victims—Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Costello, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes. Subsequent searches uncovered additional remains, including those of a child. Authorities arrested Heuermann in 2023 and charged him in connection with six of the murders, though he maintains his innocence.
Despite her efforts to seek justice for her daughter, Mari was murdered in 2016 by another of her daughters, Sarra Gilbert, who was struggling with mental illness. Sarra fatally stabbed her mother over 200 times before using a fire extinguisher to bludgeon her. She was later sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
The omission of Mari’s death from the documentary has drawn attention, as she played a central role in ensuring the case remained in the public eye. While her life was marked by tragedy, those who knew her recalled her resilience in the face of loss.
