James has not made any public statements or appearances since his discharge. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. A former high-ranking member of the Suffolk Police Department testifying in the trial of former Suffolk District Attorney Tom Spota and his chief investigator said Wednesday he was demoted by James Burke when Burke became police chief. Privacy Policy | Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. A week later, a quarter of a mile from her belongings, they finally found Shannan. Erin Moriarty: How often do you think about Melissa? Ive had a feeling it has to be someone in Law Enforcement because they really did a shitty job with the whole investigation and on purpose I assume. Well, I'm not. Missy Cann: She had got a job at a telemarketing place and she was doing really well. (, Photo: 6: Another set of remains police called Jane Doe number 6. James Burke Discarded in a similar fashion, they were placed roughly 500 feet apart, each wrapped in burlap. In the weeks following her disappearance, her 15-year-old sister was terrorized by a series of frightening phone calls made by a man calling from Melissa's cell phone. , whose family life and 2010 death are depicted in Lifetimes new movie, Long Island Serial Killer: A Mother's Hunt for Justice., The film follows the Shannan'smother, Mari Gilbert (portrayed by Kim Delaney), as she fights to securejustice for her daughter, battling local police officials who she feels aren'ttaking the case seriously enough because Shannan and the other victims were sex workers. They even found pain pills in Burkes cell. Gus Garcia-Roberts: Tom Spota by then had taken a shine to the kid and had taken him under his wing to some extent. So now, lets find out more about James, shall we? Federal prosecutors were apparently able to flip police witnesses, who may have lied initially about what they saw inside the Fourth Precinct. As per the New York Post, an agent believes the reason for this was the Chiefs already fraying relationship with the Bureau for having assaulted Christopher Loeb. A Closer Look at the Long Island Serial Killer and JohnBittrolff. But a source told Newsday that he has not decided on any plans but to take several months to relax with boating in the summertime and stay out of the limelight. Even though James reputation has taken a hit, especially with Vice calling him a sex-obsessed narcissist and a middle-aged bachelor with a vulgar disregard for social niceties, the facts remain that there is no concrete evidence that ties him to the serial killings. Sara Karnes: she picked old '40s Hollywood glamour the way her curls fell that day just looked so '40s with the makeup and everything like that. Despite Hackett's denials, Ray believes the doctor did encounter Shannan early that morning and gave her improper medical treatment. Shannan had last been seen in the area near his home, and her belongings were found scattered in the marsh behind his house. Gus Garcia-Roberts: It happened to be James Burke's police truck. Maybe he was afraid the FBI would uncover his private life was intertwined with the escort scene on Gilgo Beach. "Long Island Serial Killer: A Mother's Hunt for Justice debuts on Saturday at 8/7c on Lifetime. In January 2020, Hart's office released images of evidence in the serial killer case. Can someone enlighten me?? I was also suspicious of the Shannans driver?! It was while searching for Shannan that they made that stunning discovery of the Gilgo Four, and in the spring of 2011, six more sets of remains: Victim No. In February 2016, James Burke pleaded guilty to violating Loeb's civil rights and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Burke pleaded guilty in February 2016 to conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice and violating the victims civil rights and was sentenced in November 2016 to 46 months in prison. (It's the second dramatization of the case in the last year. James Burke (actor) - Wikipedia As Rolling Stone reports, on May 1, 2010, a 24-year-old sex worker named Shannan Gilbert went missing in Long Island. Months became years. Maureen Brainard-Barnes was the first of the Gilgo Four to disappear. All dressed up, the two young women wandered around Times Square like carefree tourists. I don't think we missed anything. ", In her first TV interview, Lily Waterman tells "48 Hours" that if she could talk to her mom, she would tell her how much she loves her. Tangredi, 31, was found beaten and strangled to death in 1993, and McNamee, 20, was found murdered in the same manner the following year. She had been working as an escort in New York City when she vanished in June 2007. They find another one and another one," Varrone tells Moriarty. Erin Moriarty: Lily, do you remember when your mom disappeared? Long Island Gilgo Beach serial Killer Dominick Varrone: I think burlap was selected because of its ability to take dampness, moisture and breathe, which would promote decay as well as act as camouflage. And their families embraced Shannan's mother Mari as one of their own. And the surprises kept coming. Missy Cann: Because this person, whoever killed my sister, thought that they were taking away my sister's voice. There is a whole group of people involved. California Privacy Rights | Someone has her this isn't normal. Look, Im not saying he isnt on to something herebut the fact that this guy just called a press conference basically accusing the former chief of police of being a serial killer? Gus Garcia-Roberts: Tom Spota was a young, sort of ambitious prosecutor whose specialty was getting that witness who said exactly what the case needed in order to clinch it. Back in Scarborough, the family heard from Cruz that Megan was missing. In his press conference yesterday, John Ray said Leannes account, brings a direct connection between Burke and those poor dead victims lying along Ocean Parkway. When asked if he was outright accusing Jimmy Burke of possibly being the Gilgo Beach serial killer, Ray answered quickly and calmly, Yes, and further explained that he believes it is possible Burke and Dr. Peter Hackett could have worked together to murder and dispose of the victims along Gilgo Beach. Geraldine Hart: It's new associates and friends and family to talk to -- people who can tell us her whereabouts and her connections. However, in 2017, Robert Biancavilla, then an assistant district attorney in Suffolk County,suggested a possible link. No wonder it's been the subject of numerous films and documentary projects. Topics you care about, straight to your inbox. In 2015, before James Burke was sentenced to severe 46 months along with three years of supervised release, he resigned from his post. While police have officially linked 10 victims, whose remains were found primarily near beaches along Long Island's south shore in 2010 and 2011, to the investigation, an additional six bodies were found in the same area at around the same time. Maureen and three others were found first and dubbed the Gilgo Four. All rights reserved. Megan Waterman, 22, was the youngest of the four victims whose bodies were discovered near Gilgo Beach. Maureen was the first of the Gilgo Four to disappear that summer night in 2007. he definitely encountered gilbert that morning and called her mother. These claims are significant as it puts James in the same area where a possible LISK victim disappeared. Maureen's friend, Sara Karnes, can't believe they haven't found her killer in all these years. Cuff tells News 12 he knew for years that he was an enemy of Burke. Missy Cann: I want answers. From then, the investigations into the Long Island Serial Killer (LISK) apparently started getting murky. Prosecutors say Spota and McPartland tried to cover up the beating of Christopher Loeb by then-Police Chief James Burke. It was scary. And you know Burke got in with Spota in high school by lying and accusing the boys. When the FBI investigated, Burke -- with the help of his mentor District Attorney Tom Spota -- began a cover-up. Please enter valid email address to continue. how did this person look? Plus, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons records, he was released from behind bars in 2019. John Ray: The man who patronized sex workers is in charge of the investigation of murdered sex workers? Dominick Varrone: I had tremendous amount of knowledge on the case. Undisclosed investigation. CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. When recently retired Chief of Department, James Burke, appeared in handcuffs with FBI agents Wednesday, the Suffolk County Police and other law enforcement knew the FBI wasnt finished with its investigation. There were other striking similarities. Cuff and Meehan did not testify that they had direct knowledge of Spota or Christopher McPartland's alleged role in a cover-up of Burke's beating of a suspect. Dominick Varrone: if he desires a particular height and weight and eye color, he can do that. Erin Moriarty: Was it because Burke didn't want to share credit or was it to keep out prying eyes? "We're really aggressively pursuing this case. Erin Moriarty: That had to hurt the credibility of the investigation. Tangredi and McNamee have not been included in the 10 official deaths linked to the so-called Long Island Serial Killer, nor are they among the six additional women, including Shannan Gilbert, subsequently found in the same area. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. it is crazy to have so many bodies and not one clue or shred of DNA of a second person. James Burke was the top investigator in Spotas office, at one point, before he was recommended for the Chief of Departments job with Suffolk Police. She's always going to be gone. Former Long Island Prosecutors Sentenced in Plot to Protect Erin Moriarty: So, does that mean whoever took her and killed her was someone she had seen before? Desktop notifications are on | Turn off. also hackett is a proven liar. GERALDINE HART [to reporters]: A black leather belt embossed with the letters HM or WH was recovered during the initial stages of this investigation. (LogOut/ Long Island Serial Killer Suspect List: Here Are All the Suspects We start callin' hospitals. Obituary of James J. Burke | William E Law Inc But when Mari Gilbert went out to talk to him, Dr. Hackett denied it: DR. PETER HACKETT to MARI GILBERT [video]: I never saw her. The last of the Gilgo Four to disappear was Amber Costello, a sex worker who vanished from her home on Long Island in September of 2010. NEWS REPORT: Waterman was last seen in Hauppauge, NY on Long Island at a Holiday Inn Express. And In 2015, John Ray helped the Gilbert family bury Shannan in a Long Island cemetery not far from Oak Beach. When the old man told him, I called the cops, he replied, you shouldnt have done that. This could have two possible meanings: In one, Paks concern is for the freedom of the killer; in the other, his concern *is for her* as he could have recently been made aware, one way or another, that it was indeed a member(s) of SCPD who was threatening her life. The women were identified as Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Lynn Costello. Burke was released from prison in 2018 and transferred to a halfway house. Bissett was one of the suspects of the case because he was the main supplier of burlap in the region of Long Island and the killer used burlap to strangle women whose remains were found in the area during the investigation. Disgraced Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke was released from prison in April, 2019. At the time this was written, he has not been charged for anything related to the Long Island Serial Killer case. WebAmerican Actor James Burke was born on 24th September, 1886 in New York City, NY, USA and passed away on 23rd May 1968 Los Angeles, CA, USA aged 81. In 2012, Ray filed a civil case against Peter Hackett. Although numerous suspects have been identified in the last few years, including James Burke, no arrests have ever been made. And if youre like us and prefer to know all the details about the matter at hand, the suspects backgrounds, and the impact of the case as it stands today, then trust us, Investigation Discoverys the Unraveled: Long Island Serial Killer podcast is the one for you. A former high-ranking member of the Suffolk Police Department testifying in the trial of former Suffolk District Attorney Tom Spota and his chief investigator said In December of 2011, they gathered at Gilgo Beach. Identifying Valerie gave investigators new leads. Sherre Gilbert: Oak Beach is a very eerie place to me. Erin Moriarty: Was there any relief in at least knowing what happened to your sister? She'll never come back. But the next day, Sara returned to Norwich, and says Maureen remained to make more money. Detectives continued their search for her and in December 2010 found her as one of the Gilgo Four. Burke has a long history with law enforcement, beginning when he was a 14 year old witness in a brutal murder case, involving a 13-year old boy who had stones shoved down his throat in 1979. John Oliva: The chief of the department, four-star. Geraldine Hart: We are fully committed to this investigation. In 2018, Geraldine Hart, a career FBI agent, became the new Suffolk County Police Commissioner. Chief Varrone says he doesn't think Hackett is a murderer. Varrone says her skeletal remains were found collapsed in thick brush. Depose them all, under oath! Think outside the box this Mothers Day and opt for gifts other than flowers and chocolate. But Missy had no luck in her search. Maureen was about to be evicted from her apartment, and was facing an ugly, expensive court battle for custody of one of her young children. Afterwards, she tries a new agency, but gets few dates. James married the love his life, Erin Burke, on September 29th, 1984. He served New York as a proud Police Officer for over 30 years. Starting out as an NYPD officer and retiring as a Detective Sergeant for the Nassau County Police Department. He enjoyed life to the fullest, but above all, he loved his family, especially his wife and children. Sherre Gilbert: at the age of 16, she graduated from high school. Suffolk Chief of Department James Burke, as a sergeant in the First Precinct 20 years ago, twice lost his police-issued service weapon at the same time that he Working that stupid telemarketing job was not enough. We are utilizing every technique available, every technology that we can. BUT, the ex-chief of SCPD, in some interview on a very small, no viewership youtube channel seems to indicate otherwise, and backs up Paks claim (it seems like he didnt know, or just forgot, that the SCPDs policy was going to be no comment on this). former Suffolk Police Chief James Burke connected According to court testimony, detectives begin to beat him before Burke himself took over. John Ray: We have 11 dead people, and nobody's found anybody connected to them? Could it be true? A DNA swab from his brother, obtained during an unrelated arrest, connected his DNA to that found on two murder victimsfrom the 1990s. Burke has been housed in Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center, far from the inmates he helped put behind bars over three decades in law enforcement on Long Something that frustrates attorney John Ray. (Incidentally, Spota resigned in disgrace from office in 2017 after being indicted on obstruction of justice charges related to a police brutality case against Burke, who had been involved in the Gilgo Beach investigation. And he says he was not allowed to share what he knew about the serial killer with the new investigators. Yes he is connected. James Burke became a cop, and by age 27, was already a sergeant in the police department. Newsday Reprints & permissions | And the man tasked with finding the elusive serial killer. I miss her so much. Lily Waterman: I want them to find out who did it. So, we actually had the FBI unit involved in that case in June of 2010. Geraldine Hart: They're a stranger to the victim which is unusual in homicide cases. True-crime fanatics know that podcasts are ideal for learning about a myriad of murder, kidnapping, assault, and survivor cases. When PIX11 contacted Spotas office Wednesday for comment, we did not receive a response. Many have long suspected that when the DAs office refused help from the FBI on the LISK case, Burke was the reason behind that. Theres always been a theory of two different serial killers, so what if Dr. Hackett and Police chief are killing together and making a competition out of it. To attorney John Ray it's too little, too late. Gus Garcia-Roberts: There was a lot of pressure to solve the case. Pat Cuff testified he was demoted four ranks and sent to work in a property warehouse when Burke was promoted in 2012. Suffolk County Police; NYSP. Burke ended cooperation with the FBI on the serial killer case. From there, Suffolk County Police Chief James Burkegoes on to state at a press conference that investigators were looking into whether or not he had anything to do with the women killed in the Long Island Serial Killer case.The movie even ends with an addendum stating that Bittrolff was convicted in the deaths of two of the women found., So were there actual links between Bittrolff and the broader case?. Former Chief of Detectives Dom Varrone says the police questioned her client and dismissed him as a suspect but took her disappearance seriously. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Cookie Settings | Bittrolff, a married father living in the hamlet of Manorville in the middle of Suffolk County, was arrested in 2014 for the murders of Rita Tangredi and Colleen McNamee.As in the film, he was tied to those killings through a DNA sample obtained from his brother, Timothy, who had beenarrested and convicted on a contempt of court charge in 2013 and was thus entered into a criminal database, local stationPIX11 reported in 2017.Investigators made a full match to Bittrolff after obtaining a plastic cup from his trash, the Associated Press reported. Charles Peter Hackett is the Long Island Serial Killer. I was pushed out. But where was Shannan? John Oliva: if I'm the chief of department and I've got dead bodies on the side of the road, I would take any help I could get. When she stopped calling home in July of 2009, her mother panicked. I never met her. Gus Garcia-Roberts: he's a reckless character driven by sex. She never returned. About Us | 19?? Dave Schaller [2011 interview]: She was an amazing person, she really was. If she trusted Michael Pak soo much, why did she refuse to get into his car the night she disappeared?? James Burke Now: Long Island Serial Killer Update | Where is Ex If you want a pest-free patio this spring, the most important thing you can do is take away those elements that bugs find desirable. Discarded in a similar fashion, roughly 500 feet apart, each of them swathed in burlap. Im not clear on how she met Pak. And Loeb didn't know that. "Oh my God, Melissa's finally calling me." And then to Sherre's shock, investigators said they didn't think Shannan was murdered. He was born in OAK BEACH, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- There's a new push for answers in one of Long Island's most notorious criminal cases: the Gilgo Beach murders. Loeb watched the proceedings inside the Central Islip courtroom and took notes. " and I also want that the world to know like my sister mattered. Three years later, in December 2010, human remains were found along Ocean Parkway, near Gilgo Beach on Long Island. Suffolk police report: As sergeant, chief James Burke twice lost gun Erin Moriarty: What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Shannan? CHRISTOPHER LOEB [in court]: Every time I asked for a lawyer I got hit again, I got hit again, I got choked, I got slapped, I got kicked. "They knew that there was something very, very wrong here," says Cann. Erin Moriarty: So, you're saying that they're still investigating her death? Eventually, 10 sets of remains were recovered. In 2011, her roommate Dave Schaller told "48 Hours," "she was an amazing person, she really was.". Ive heard Gus Colletti is lying on the 911 tape and doesnt offer to help. Still on the phone, she fled the client's home, and ran to a neighbor's door-- and then another's -- begging for help. Really smart. Former Suffolk County Police Commissioner Richard Dormer was stunned to have found the remains of four young women on an isolated stretch of Long Island's Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach. Burke was named the new Suffolk County police chief. I didn't know what, but I know something had to be wrong. He is forbidden by court order from sharing the contents, but insists they shed light on Shannan's disappearance. He knows who the culprits are for sure. So, they decided to update their photos instead and hired a photographer. Although those other victimshaven't beenofficially declared part of the case,theories about how those additional killings could be connected have circulated for years. He told her mother that he brought Shannon to a home for wayward/troubled girls in the nyc borough of Queens. Dominick Varrone: You would think. I think he called her mother to torture her emotionally and mentally because he is a deeply dark demented serial killer. maybe burke started young by killing the pius boy, manipulated spota at the time saying he was a witness. But before we delve into that, we should mention his long career in law enforcement. Dominick Varrone: The canines searched the area in Oak Beach exhaustively for Shannan Gilbert. I don't know. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Ray has interviewed witnesses and commissioned a second autopsy. Sitemap | His top priority was staying out of prison. Lynn Barthelemy: She was so excited. Geraldine Hart: Not having the FBI involved consistently from the beginning has definitely hindered this investigation. "It seemed to be wrapped in burlap, which, you know, didn't make any sense," says Varrone. How could the person not be caught? Mr. Spota and Mr. McPartland, 55, had each Missy Cann: She didn't run away. So why didn't they bring her home?". Varrone had been spearheading what would become the largest unsolved murder case in New York's history. Victims 9 and 10: A female skull and a bag of female bones, both found in nearby Nassau County. I couldn't process it because my whole life, I thought that she just got, like, stolen, and she never came back. The wrongful death claim has been dismissed. Lily Waterman: If I could talk to her, I would just want to tell her that, like, I love her I never got to really say those words and, like, know what love really was like understand how much I really care about her. I think Hackett used Gilbert to fill an rx that night, (maybe Hackett had something going with selling pills) thats why I think he called her mother, to explain why he wrote it. Sara Karnes: We were office besties. She was a talented young woman from a troubled family dreaming of a singing and acting career. RICHARD DORMER [to reporters]: it looks like a car pulled up and opened the door and the bodies were dumped into the bushes. 5 foot or under, 100 pounds. She thinks about her mom Megan every day. Chief Dom Varrone says Akeem Cruz was already on his radar. Sherre Gilbert: I hope. Suffolk County Police told "48 Hours" that they believe the caller was in fact Melissa's killer. And two days after Shannan disappeared, Sherre says Hackett made a disturbing phone call to Shannan's mother, Mari Gilbert. / CBS News. Erin Moriarty: Why did she stay with him? GERALDINE HART [to reporters]: Valerie Mack who was 24 years old in 2000 when she went missing was described as 5 feet tall and approximately 100 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes. GERALDINE HART [to reporters]: Today we are announcing that Jane Doe #6 has been positively identified as Valerie Mack. "I'm called and 'chief we found another set of remains.' They kept looking for Shannan, and in December 2011, a year-and-a-half after she disappeared . Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! In the early 1990s, he had sex with a prostitute in his police car, and also failed to safeguard his weapon. He also fought for andwon access to the 911 calls made that night. Missy Cann: I had a drive in me to be like, oh, I'm going to find my sister. Instead, she and Sara had gone to earn extra money as sex workers, advertising on Craigslist. She was gone," Cann tells "48 Hours" correspondent Erin Moriarty. Amber's friend and former roommate Dave Schaller says she was a drug addict who used sex work to support her habit. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Brewer was drugging them. Gilbert is was not just randomly placed there by a separate serial killer either but by the same group of guys. But he didn't know that my sister had a sister like me. It wasn't enough. John Bittrolff inside Riverhead Criminal Court Thursday, July 31, 2014, in Riverhead, N.Y. which involvesthe murders of at least 10people in New York over a nearly 20-year period, remains unsolved and continues to be a deep source of curiosity in the world of true crime. Sara Karnes: She was terrified because her baby was going to be taken away from her forever. That's what keeps Shannan's sister Sherre going, too. Amber Costello, 27, disappeared in September 2010, after she left her home on Long Island to meet a client. Now, I dont really know what to make of all this. Sara Karnes: It's been 10 years since they found her, and they haven't found him. I have ALWAYS wondered about the story about that black woman. Advertise with Newsday | JOHN RAY [at burial]: Shannan, rest now, we all have much to do.