Officials are not commenting on possible suspects. The skull of the woman found in Long Island, 2011 was connected to the Gilgo Beach case.

After years of being called "Jane Doe 7", the woman has finally been given a proper name.

The Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Friday that another victim of the Gilgo Beach Murders has been identified. This is one of 11 sets of remains found along Long Island’s Ocean Beach Parkway after the disappearance and search for sex worker Shannan Gilgo in 2010.

Karen Vergata was identified as the woman who went missing on February 14, 1996. She was 34 years old. Tierney said Vergata was living in Manhattan at the time she disappeared and believed to have been working as an escort. A missing persons report was not filed at the time.

Vergata's feet and legs were found on Fire Island in April 1996. However, it would take another 15 years before any progress was made in the case. A skull was discovered in Nassau County. Genetic testing proved they were the same person.

The skull of Jessica Taylor was found among many other remains while police searched from 2010 to 2011 for Gilbert's remains. This discovery came shortly after Melissa Barthelemy and Maureen Brainard Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman, Amber Lynn Costello -- collectively known as the Gilgo Four - were also discovered. Gilbert was the last person to be located in December 2011.

All five women, including Vergata were escorted. After her remains were found on Fire Island, they were linked to those of Long Island. She was then dubbed "Fire Island Jane Doe" or "Jane Doe Seven."

The FBI would not be able to "presumptively identify" Vergata until August 2022, when a Gilgo Beach Task Force was created.

After comparing her profile with a buccal sample taken from a Vergata relative in October 2022, they were able to "definitely identify" Vergata.

Since then, her family has been informed of her death.

Rex Heuermann was arrested in 2023 after the Gilgo Four Grand Jury began their investigation. Heuermann was charged in the past with the murders Barthelemy Waterman, and Costello. He was named as the main suspect in the murder of the fourth "Gilgo Four" member, Maureen Brainard Barnes.

At this point, the DA has said that Vergata's death is not connected to any charges.

He added, "We will continue to work on this case... We're not going to comment at this point as to what suspects we have developed, if we do." "This is a private investigation...our investigation continues."

Heuermann has pleaded not guilt to the six murder charges against him, for three of the Gilgo Four. Heuermann appeared in court this week. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for September 27.

Click the link to see how the authorities tracked down Heuermann.

-----------------------------------

Title: Gilgo Beach Murders: 'Jane Doe 7' Identified 27 Years After Legs and Feet Were Found on Fire Island
Sourced From: www.toofab.com/2023/08/04/gilgo-beach-murders-jane-doe-7-identified/
Published Date: Fri, 04 Aug 2023 21:39:04 +0000

Read More