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Shannan Gilbert's Disappearance Led Authorities to Gilgo Beach Serial Killer · Murder Files Unsealed

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: All right, so welcome to another deep dive. You're ready to.
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  Speaker 2: Go, absolutely always ready for a good deep dive.
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  Speaker 1: Awesome. Well, today we're going to be exploring the Gilgo
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  Beach serial killer case, specifically, you know, focusing on the
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  victims and the arrest of Rex Hoireman. So our main
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  source material is going to be this People magazine article,
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  and it's fascinating stuff. I mean, we're going way beyond
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  just what's been reported kind of in the mainstream media here.
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  We're going to be uncovering some pretty unsettling details about
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  how this whole case unfolded over gosh over a decade,
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  including some stuff about these disturbing online searches that Horderman
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  was allegedly making even after the victims were found.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a case that's really captivated the public, and
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  I think part of it's that longevity, right, you know,
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  the mystery surrounding Shannon Gilbert's disappearance back in twenty ten, right.
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  Speaker 1: Shenan and Gilbert. So she vanished after visiting a client
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  in Oak Beach. This was on May first, twenty ten,
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  and her disappearance kind of set off this chain of
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  events that would eventually expose just a much larger tragedy.
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  What stands out to you about her nine to one
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  to one call, you know.
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  Speaker 2: It's that terror in her voice, right, it's just palpable.
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  She's clearly in a state of panic, you know, running
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  through the neighborhood, desperately pleading for help. And it's a
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  chilling audio recording that's fueled you know, so much speculation
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  and debate over the years.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, and there's the mystery surrounding like how she disappeared.
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  You know, there's conflicting accounts from witnesses. There's theories about her,
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  you know, fleeing from the client's house. It's like trying
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  to piece together a puzzle with missing pieces, right.
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  Speaker 2: And you know, her mother, Mary Gilbert, was a tireless
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  advocate for her, convinced that her death wasn't accidental. Right,
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  she even commissioned an independent autopsy wow, which suggested homicide,
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  you know, really challenging the official police stance that Snan's
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  death was likely due to you know, misadventure in the marshland. Right.
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  And just a tragic story made even more heartbreaking by
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  the fate of Maury Gilbert, who was later murdered by
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  her other daughter.
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  Speaker 1: Right.
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  Speaker 2: But it was during the search for Sinan that this
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  truly horrifying discovery was made in December of twenty ten, right,
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  that's when the bodies of four other women, so Melissa
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  Marthellamy Amber Costello, Megan Waterman, and Maureene Brainerd Barnes, were
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  found along a desolate stretch of Ocean Parkway, And that
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  discovery sent shockwaves through the community, and it really marked
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  the beginning of what would become known as the Gilgo
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  Beach serial killer investigation.
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  Speaker 1: So we have Shnan Gilbert's disappearance kind of sparking this
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  massive search effort, which then leads to the discovery of
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  these four victims, all young women, all working as online escorts,
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  all found within a relatively close proximity to each other.
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  It's like this horrifying pattern starting.
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  Speaker 2: To emerge, exactly. Yeah, and those similarities in the victim's
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  profiles really helped investigators kind of establish that link and
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  you begin to develop that profile of the potential killer.
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  But even with those kind of earth breakthroughs, the case
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  went cold for years, leaving the families of the victims
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  in just agonizing limbo.
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  Speaker 1: I can only imagine the frustration and the despair they
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  must have felt waiting for answers, just wondering if their
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  loved ones would ever get justice. That a decade later,
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  in July of twenty twenty three, there's this major development.
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  Rex Huiman, an architect leading this seemingly normal life with
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  a wife and children, is arrested.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, and what's so fascinating here is, you know, those
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  key pieces of evidence against whoreman. They were a combination
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  of old fashioned detective work but also this cutting edge
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  forensic technology.
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  Speaker 1: Wow, so you.
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  Speaker 2: Have DNA evidence linking him to the crime scenes, berner
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  phones used to contact the victims, placed him in the
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  vicinity of their disappearances, and even eyewitness accounts of his
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  you know, distinctive vehicle helped build this compelling case.
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  Speaker 1: So it wasn't just one smoking gun. It was a
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  whole arsenal of evidence pointing directly at him. It's mind
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  boggling to think that someone could be living this double life,
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  you know, respected professional by day and allegedly a serial
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  killer by night.
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  Speaker 2: Right, And that's what makes this case so unsettling, right, Right.
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  He didn't fit the stereotypical image of a serial killer,
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  you know that we often see in the media. He
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  was seemingly integrated into society with you know, a family
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  and a successful career, so it really challenges those assumptions
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  about who is capable of such heinous acts.
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  Speaker 1: It's like something out of a nightmare, this monster hiding
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  in plain sight scenario. But before we kind of delve
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  into like the psychological aspects of Hoyerman's alleged crimes, let's
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  first lay out all the charges against him.
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  Speaker 2: Okay. So initially he was charged with the murders of
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  three of the four women found in twenty ten, so
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  Melissa Barthelemy Amber Costello, and Megan Waterman. He's also considered
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  the prime suspect in the murder of Maureen Brainerd Barnes.
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  Speaker 1: Okay, And as if those charges weren't enough, just this
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  past June, Hoyerman was hit with two more murder charges
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  for the deaths of Sandra Cristia in nineteen ninety three
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  and Jessica Taylor in two thousand and three. So it
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  seems like these alleged crimes span decades, making this case
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  even more complex and chilling.
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely, and this brings us to one of the most
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  unsettling aspects of the case. Horrman's alleged online activity. So
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  not only was he allegedly searching for information about the
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  Gilgo Beach murders themselves, but he was also seeking out
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  photos of his victims and their families online.
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  Speaker 1: Wait, he was actively looking for information about his alleged
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  victims and their families online. That's beyond disturbing. What could
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  possibly be the motivation behind that?
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  Speaker 2: Well, it's a behavior that's left you know, investigators and
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  psychologists alike really baffled. But some experts believe it points
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  to this need for control, you know, this desire to
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  keep the victims and their families in his orbit even
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  after death. It's a chilling reminder of the dark side
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  of the digital age, right, Yeah, the ways in which
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  technology can be used to perpetuate harm.
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  Speaker 1: It's like he was creating this digital memorial to his
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  alleged crimes, this macar collection of images and information that
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  allowed him to relive these horrors that he allegedly inflicted. Yeah,
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  but this raises an important question. Even though Hoyerman hasn't
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  been officially linked to Shnan Gilbert's disappearance, could this online
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  behavior provide a new angle for investigators in her case.
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  Speaker 2: That's a question that investigators are undoubtedly exploring. While the
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  official stance on Shannon's death remains unchanged, the discovery of
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  Horrman's alleged online activity could lead to a re examination
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  of the evidence in her case. Perhaps there's a digital footprint,
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  a connection that was overlooked before.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, it's a sliver of hope for Shannon's family and
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  friends who have waited so long for answers. But before
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  we kind of go further down that path, let's shift
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  our focus back to Hoyerman and let's delve into the
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  psychology behind his alleged actions. What can we learn from
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  this online behavior and how does it fit into the
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  larger picture of what we know about serial killers.
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  Speaker 2: Well, you know, it's fascinating because it really kind of
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  fits a pattern, right. You see, this need to control
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  the narrative even after the crime. It's almost like a
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  digital trophy collection, right to exert power over the victims
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  and their families, you know, even in death.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, that's that's a chilling thought. It's like he was
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  trying to maintain this, this twisted connection to his alleged
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  victims long after they were gone. It makes you wonder,
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  you know, if this digital footprint could be a key
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  to unlocking other cold cases, perhaps cases where a similar
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  pattern of online behavior might you know, point to a suspect.
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  Speaker 2: It's certainly possible. And you know, law enforcement agencies are
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  increasingly relying on digital forensics, using you know, sophisticated tools
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  to analyze online searches, social media activity, even GPS data,
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  to you know, track down suspects and build their cases.
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  It's like our digital lives are creating this trail of
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  breadcrumbs that investigators can follow.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, it's like a whole new frontier in criminal investigations.
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  But in Horman's case, you know, this digital trail wasn't
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  just about finding clues. It was about understanding his psyche,
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  his motivations. What can we learn from his alleged obsession
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  with the Gilgo Each case itself, well.
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  Speaker 2: Some experts believe this type of behavior, you know, closely
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  following the investigation and news coverage of your own alleged crimes.
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  They see it as a form of narcissistic gratification. It's
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  a way for the perpetrator to kind of revel in
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  the attention the notoriety surrounding their crimes, to feel a
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  sense of power and control over the narrative.
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  Speaker 1: So it's almost like he was playing this twisted game
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  of cat and mouse with the task Force, Yeah, you know,
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  trying to stay one step ahead, testing their limits, seeing
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  how close they were getting. But it also raises the
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  question was there an element of self sabotage here? Was
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  he subconsciously leaving a trail, almost daring investigators to catch him?
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  Speaker 2: You know, that's a question that psychologists and criminologists will
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  be debating, I think for years to come. There's no
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  easy answer, as every case is unique, every individual's motivations
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  are so complex. But it does make you think, you know,
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  about the psychological pressures that must weigh on someone living
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  a double life, the constant fear of exposure, the need
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  to maintain this facade of normalcy, you know, while harboring
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  such dark secrets.
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  Speaker 1: Right right, Speaking of different perspectives, you know, Shenan Gilbert's attorney,
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  John Ray, he's been a vocal presence throughout this whole ordeal.
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  He even argues that Shenan's death, you know, in a
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  way exposed the truth about the other victims. What do
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  you make of that statement.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it's a poignant observation, you know, Ray believes
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  that because of that intense focus on Shenan's disappearance, it
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  really forced authorities to thoroughly investigate the area where her
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  remains were eventually found, which led to the discovery of
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  the other bodies. It's it's a tragic chain of owns,
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  but one that ultimately brought some measure of justice to
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  the families of the other victims.
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  Speaker 1: So in a sense, Shannan's case, while not officially linked
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  to Horman, became the catalyst for uncovering this larger web
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  of crimes. It's it's a stark reminder that even in
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  the darkest of times, there can be these unexpected consequences,
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  these these unforeseen repel effects that can lead to justice
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  being served, even if it's in a out about way. Yeah.
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely, and it highlights the importance of persistence, you know,
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  never giving up hope, even when a case seems cold
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  or unsolvable. Shannon's family never stopped fighting for answers, and
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  their determination ultimately helped shed light on this horrifying truth
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  that might have otherwise remained hidden.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, their courage and resilience are truly inspiring. But it's
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  also important to remember that while Horman's arrest. Is this,
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  you know, significant step towards justice. There's still so many
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  unanswered questions. We still don't know definitively if he's responsible
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  for Shanan's death, and there could potentially be other victims
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  out there.
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely, the investigation is far from over, you know, authorities
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  are still meticulously combing through evidence, exploring possible connections to
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  other unsolved cases, and seeking justice for all of the victims.
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  Speaker 1: And this brings us to you know, I think the
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  human element of this story. We talk a lot about
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  the investigation, the forensics, the psychology of the alleged killer,
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  but we can't forget, you know, the real people at
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  the heart of this tragedy.
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  Speaker 2: You're absolutely right, you know, it's so easy to get
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  caught up in the sensational aspects of a case like this,
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  but we have to remember that these were real women,
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  each with their own story, their own loved ones, their
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  own dreams and aspirations that were cruelly cut short.
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  Speaker 1: And while the you know, the source material we have
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  doesn't delve deeply into the victim's personal lives, I think
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  it's you know, it's crucial to acknowledge their individuality, you know,
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  to resist the urge to reduce them to just statistics
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  or headlines.
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  Speaker 2: Their lives mattered and their loss has left this void
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  in the lives of their families and friends that you
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  know can never be filled. And it's a reminder that
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  the impact of these crimes extends, you know, far beyond
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  just the immediate victims, leaving behind this trail of you know, grief, trauma,
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  and unanswered questions that can linger for years to come.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, speaking of unanswered questions, I'm curious about your take
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  on this. Do you think the arrest of rex Wirement
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  brings a sense of closure to this case or does
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  it simply open a new chapter in this complex and
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  tragic saga.
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  Speaker 2: I think it's a tough question. On the one hand,
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  you know, the arrest does provide a sense of relief,
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  a feeling that justice is being served. But on the
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  other hand, it dredges up those old wounds, reviving the
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  pain and the trauma for the families and for.
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  Speaker 1: Some you know, it might even spark more questions than
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  it answers, right like why why did he allegedly do this?
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  Were there other victims? How did he manage to evade
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  capture for so long?
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  Speaker 2: Exactly? Yeah, closures are really difficult concept. I think in
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  cases like this, even with a conviction, there will always
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  be you know, those lingering doubts, those unresolved issues, and
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  the profound sense of loss that can never truly be healed.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, it's a sobering thought. It brings us back to,
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  you know, the importance of remembering the victims, not his
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  names on a list, but as individuals with their own stories,
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  their own hopes and dreams that were just tragically cut short.
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  Speaker 2: Absolutely, Yeah, you know, we need to honor their memory
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  by continuing to seek justice, by holding those responsibleccountable, and
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  by supporting the families and the communities affected by these crimes.
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  Speaker 1: And that's where you know, I think our listeners can
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  play a role, you know. Yeah, if you have any information,
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  no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, please
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  contact crime stoppers. You never know that one piece of
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  information could be the missing link that helps investigators solve
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  this case once and for all, or or perhaps even
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  shed light on other unsolved cases.
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  Speaker 2: It's a collective effort. Every voice matters, and even though
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  Horrman has been arrested, the investigation is far from over.
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  You know, authorities are still meticulously going through all that evidence,
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  exploring those possible connections to other unsolved cases, and seeking justice,
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  you know, for all of the victims.
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  Speaker 1: So as we wrap up our deep dive into the
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  Gilgo Beach serial killer case, what are some of the
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  key takeaways for you? What's the one thing you hope
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  our listeners will remember from our conversation today.
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  Speaker 2: You know, for me, it's the enduring power of I think,
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  both darkness and resilience. The darkness that allows someone to
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  commit these horrific acts, and the resilience of the victim's families,
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  the investigators and the community who refuse to let these
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  crimes define them.
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  Speaker 1: It's a reminder that even in the face of unspeakable evil,
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  there is always hope, always that possibility of finding meaning
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  and purpose in the aftermath of tragedy.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, and that even in the age of you know,
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  advanced forensics and technology, some mysteries take years, even decades
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  to unravel. Justice can be slow, but it's important to
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  never give up hope.
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  Speaker 1: Well said, Well, we've covered a lot of ground today,
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  from the chilling details of Shannan Gilbert's disappearance to the
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  arrest of Rex Horman and those unsettling revelations about his
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  alleged online behavior. We've explored the complexities of the investigation,
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  the psychology of the alleged killer, and the enduring impact
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  on the victims' families in the community.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a case that I think will continue to
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  fascinate and horrify for years to come. It really forces
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  us to confront the darkest aspects of human nature while
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  you simultaneously reminding us of the strength and resilience of
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  the human spirit.
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  Speaker 1: And it reminds us that behind every headline, every news story,
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  there are real people whose lives have been irrevocably changed.
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  It's a call to action, right to be more aware,
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  to pay attention, and to speak up when something just
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  just feels wrong.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, and to never forget the victims. Their stories deserve
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  to be heard, their memories honored, and their loss acknowledged.
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  Speaker 1: Couldn't set it better myself. Thank you so much for
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  joining us for this deep dive into the Gylgo Beach
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  serial killer case. We hope this conversation has been informative
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  and thought provoking and maybe even a little bit unsettling.
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  Until next time, stay curious, stay informed, and stay safe.