Lost Girls Unsolved Crime On Long Island

Netflix dropped the Lost Girls movie in March 2020. I was surprised to learn this Long Island serial killer story is based on an unsolved crime. This is not the first story set around the mysterious killer(s) dubbed ‘LISK’, Golgo Beach Killer’, and the ‘Craigslist Ripper.’ There’s a documentary, a previous feature film, and various episodes of some crime show like The Killing Season TV Show and Crime Junkie. Lost Girls tells the story of missing and murdered sex workers from the view of the mother. Mari Gilbert (Amy Ryan) learns her daughter, Shannan is missing. For true crime enthusiasts, Lost Girls is a good way to spend 95 minutes.

Additionally, Long Island serial killer web sleuths abound on the internet. These web investigators have banded together in a collection of sites on the internet to try and solve this open investigation. The truth is, these murders didn’t happen all that long ago. Remains were unearthed as recently as 2011. So far 10 sets of remains have been discovered including a man and a toddler. Another five unidentified women are still listed as possibly being related to the other victims.

Websleuths Long Island Serial Killer

Lost Girls is centered around one sex worker, Shannan who is subsequently found to be unrelated to the other deaths. The film does a great job utilizing a quasi-vigilante group set on kicking up dust. It’s through Mari, refusing to take no for an answer, that finally gets the attention of the authorities. Without her many of the bodies would simply have remained unfound. The story is based on a novel by the same name written by Robert Kolker.

The screenplay is put together by Michael Werwie, the writer behind Netflix’s Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile whose second feature film shows he likes to live in ambiguity. Both films can tell a well-known story and throw lots of shade at it.

Lost Girls Netflix True Story

The film begins quite slowly. Those looking for a grisly reenactment of how the murders might have taken place, will not get what they came for. Lost Girls highlights the injustices that sometimes raise eyebrows for those looking for closure for cases deemed not important enough to look into. This story is the perfect example of the reasons why taking all crimes seriously should be part and parcel of the job. Are sex workers less important than everyone else? I found myself thinking about Jack The Ripper and wondered if as a society, sometimes we have learned nothing.

Performances in the Lost Girls movie are relatively good. Amy Ryan’s portrayal of Mari shows necessary conviction. She plays a parent in dire circumstances. Mari is doing the best she can with the hand she is dealt with. Thomasin McKenzie and Oona Laurence play her kids, and both for me were somewhat unmemorable. I believe focusing less on Mari’s children might have enhanced the story’s overall impact. Reed Birney plays the suspicious Dr. Hackett and he manages both menacing and convincing in his role here.

Trailer for Lost Girls, On Netflix

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Dr. Peter Hackett and other Suspects

One issue I found myself pondering was when the credits rolled its prime suspect. The film focuses much of its vitriol on one particular suspect. Dr. Peter Hackett is who Mari maintains as the killer throughout most of the movie. If you miss some of the minor details it’s quite likely many will leave the viewing and wonder why. I had to dig around but this doctor had his wife and two children as alibis. He is being sued for wrongful death by Mari Gilbert, however, apart from this, he is in the clear. It seems he may have been responsible for Shannan’s death. However, he is deemed unlikely as a prime suspect for the other murders.

Also pointed out during the film, is Joseph Brewer, the man who hired Shannan the night she disappeared. For whatever reason, he was cleared almost immediately.

The Lost Girls movie also points to someone in the police force being involved and in 2016, a police chief, James Burke was put in prison for conspiracy to obstruct justice following beating someone who stole a duffel bag from his car. Another man, John Bittrolff was also deemed a likely candidate. The guy’s in jail though already and his long-term incarceration meant prosecutors decided they weren’t going to pursue it. The final suspect killed himself when remains began to be uncovered in the marshes. He was a supplier of burlap and also ran a nursery in the area.

Who is the Lost Girls Movie Long Island Serial Killer?

Overall, the Lost Girls is a fascinating story and those looking for more information on where this case is in present times can check out either Gilgo News or Websleuths.

For other stories about finding missing girls, watch Searching or Piggy

Looking for more great true crime stories? Check our article Best True Crime Movies From Australia | Woman of the Hour 2024 | Lyvia’s House 2024 and add one of these films to your watchlist next!

The Lost Girls movie is rated

3.5 lives matter out of 5