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February Book Club - Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery by Robert Kolker


Book Description: “Award-winning investigative reporter Robert Kolker delivers a humanizing account of the true-life search for a serial killer still at large on Long Island and presents the first detailed look at the shadow world of online escorts, where making a living is easier than ever, and the dangers remain all too real. A triumph of reporting, a riveting narrative, and "a lashing critique of how society and the police let five young women down" (Dwight Garner, The New York Times), Lost Girls is a portrait of unsolved murders in an idyllic part of America, of the underside of the Internet, and of the secrets we keep without admitting to ourselves that we keep them.”

­Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery by Robert Kolker is easily one of the most fascinating and well written non-fiction books I have read. The amount of detail is tremendous and so well organized that confusions, which is so common in this type of book, is kept at a minimum. For fans of true crime and crime fiction, detailed non-fictional accounts, and journalism, this is a must read.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is the focus on the victims and their families. More often than not, non-fiction accounts about famous crimes and serial killers tend to focus on the criminal, leaving victims and families with a lack of exposure. Kolker covered the lives of each woman thoroughly, and presented a very raw and honest picture of the families they left behind. I personally enjoyed this, because it did not deify these women and their families. Kolker discussed drug use, violence, reckless behavior, and some family members attempts to monopolize from these deaths. How did you feel about this approach? Should accounts like Lost Girls honor the dead and allow their memory to be positive, or is it best to be as honest as possible?

Given that Kolker’s book covers numerous on-going murder cases and a serial killer that remains to be captured, this post will strictly discuss theories about these murders and the culprit.

1) The connection between the death of Shannan Gilbert and the other victims

The most pressing question in the book is if Shannan’s death was an accident or a murder, and if it was, who is responsible. Did the same man who murdered the other four women kill her?

For: Shannan had a lot in common with the other victims, increasing the likelihood that they share a killer, as well. Shannan worked as an escort, and she was found in the same small community as the other women. Family members of the other victims received anonymous phone calls from a man claiming to be the murderer. Shannan’s mother Mari received a call from Dr. Peter Hackett, a suspect in the case. Mari claims Hackett told her he ran a rehab clinic in his home, and Shannan had stayed with him briefly before she disappeared. Hackett denied the phone call, then confessed to making the call but denied the accusations about a rehab clinic.

Against: The night Shannan disappeared she was in the company of a customer and her driver. Both attested to Shannan acting erratically before running off and disappearing. Shannan’s body was found in a very dense marsh, so it is possible that she died accidentally, either by drowning or exposure. The other four bodies were found on the beach wrapped in burlap sacks. Shannan was not found this way.

2) Dr. Peter Hackett

Hackett was the prime suspect in this case, at least in the eyes of the families and the media.

For: Hackett was a prominent figure in the Oak Beach community, and he had a decent amount of influence over his neighbors. The phone call to Mari Gilbert is particularly incriminating, especially considering Hackett’s denial of placing the call until proof was found. The long search for Shannan’s remains ended in the marsh behind Hackett’s house.

Against: Hackett is an older man with limited mobility due to a prosthetic leg. The amount of physicality needed to pursue and murder 5 women is high, so it is likely Hackett does not have the capability.

3) The other remains

Several other remains were found in the surrounding area, such as torsos, dismembered limbs, and the body of an unidentified toddler. Another key question in the case is whether or not these remains belong to victims of the same killer.

I’m personally not sure about this. Given the proximity of these remains to the bodies of the 5 women, I can see the likelihood of the killer being the same person. However, when it comes to M.O., there are major differences. The four women found on Gilgo Beach were intact and wrapped in burlap. The person responsible for their murder did not dismember and displace the remains. It is also unlikely that a person who targets young female sex workers would murder a small child. When it comes to serial killers, there is often a method to their madness.

This book has such a profound impact on me, and it solidified my desire to do investigative journalism in the future. Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery not only portrayed the dangers faced by sex workers, but it also shed light on the tendency for police departments to neglect these kinds of cases. I personally believe a member of the Oak Beach community, but not necessarily Dr. Hackett, committed the murders of the four women found on Gilgo Beach. However, I do believe the prominent members of the community know more than they are letting on. What are your theories?

I hope everyone enjoyed Robert Kolker’s tremendous book, and I certainly hope the families of the victims find closure, soon.

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