What Makes Gone Girls Stand Out in the True-Crime-Doc Genre

by

Liz Garbus has consistently remained invested in the Gilgo Beach murder cases. “As soon as the arrest was made, I reached out to the families I had become acquainted with years ago,” Garbus explains. She initially encountered the victims’ families when researching her 2020 film Lost Girls, a dramatized portrayal of Mari Gilbert’s quest to find her missing daughter, Shannan, which ultimately led to the discovery of multiple victims on Long Island. “I am familiar with this story and believe there are crucial details that need to be accurately represented. I wanted to stand by these loved ones as they navigated this new chapter of the case.”

In the time since Lost Girls‘s release, there have been significant developments: a change in leadership at the Suffolk County Police Department, the formation of a new task force, and the arrest of a suspect, Rex Heuermann. Placing the women – both the victims and their predominantly matriarchal families – as the focus of her film was relatively straightforward, considering these were the only known elements of the case when Robert Kolker’s book on the subject was transformed into Garbus’s film.

In Garbus’s recently released docuseries Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer on Netflix, the latest chapter unfolds. As Garbus explains, unlike traditional true-crime documentaries which follow a rhythm of investigation, this case was unique because the investigation was initially at a standstill. Over the span of three episodes, Garbus delves into the Gilgo Beach murders, the police cover-up that delayed the probe, and ultimately, Heuermann’s arrest. Although Gone Girls follows the case timeline, it doesn’t adhere to an investigative tempo. Instead, it presents a struggle between what audiences might anticipate from an investigation and the emptiness and patience that define this story at its core.

In the final moments of the movie “Lost Girls,” instead of concluding with the unsettling thought that the Long Island Serial Killer was still at large, Garbus refocuses the narrative back to Shannan Gilbert’s mother, Mari (portrayed by Amy Ryan in the film), and her relentless pursuit to keep the case in public attention until her unfortunate demise. The movie concludes on an open-ended note, as the case remains unresolved. The initial investigation in 2010 faced delays due, in part, to a pervasive misogyny that allowed the police and Suffolk County government leeway in their handling of the case. Initially, then–District Attorney Thomas Spota dismissed the theory that one person was responsible for the victims, kept the FBI out of the investigation, and prolonged inactivity for years. Garbus aimed to challenge the stereotype that these women disappeared due to their work. She explains, “They all had family members they regularly communicated with.” One victim, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, was rarely apart from her friend Sara Karnes except on the night she went missing. Family members of the victims are prevalent throughout the series, not only expressing their dissatisfaction with the investigation but also sharing memories and stories about the women: sisters, nieces, daughters, friends, and mothers.

In her approach, Garbus aimed to avoid sensationalizing or psychologically profiling the suspected murderer. She drew inspiration from Michelle McNamara’s words, “Murderers lose their power the moment we know them,” emphasizing that it’s often just a common person like “Dave.” Garbus further stated, “There’s only so much you can understand about serial killers in the end,” implying that the focus should be more on the victims and their lives.

In her return, Garbus focuses on the women and their past, ensuring “Gone Girls” avoids becoming overly sensational or manipulative. Known for amplifying silenced voices, as seen in the documentary “Who Killed Garrett Phillips?”, Garbus admits that the series only scratched the surface of these women’s lives. Each woman, lost in this case, had a rich and complex story. There was so much more to learn about them than what could be included, she says. At the conclusion of the series, families reunite, just as they have for years, mourning Mari Gilbert, Megan Waterman’s mother, Lorraine Ela, who passed during their pursuit of justice. As Amanda Barthelemy, sister to victim Melissa Barthelemy, sits with other family members, she acknowledges that everyone grieves differently. Yet, they all nod in agreement – they have supported each other through these difficult times.

During Amy Ryan’s preparations for her role [as Mari Gilbert], she found a compelling podcast titled ‘Mothers of the Movement‘, which focused on mothers who tragically lost their children to gun violence. The unity they formed was truly inspiring, and this same strength is evident in the families involved in the Gilgo Beach case as well. Garbus notes that such solidarity holds incredible power, without which, there might not have been a case at all – as these families pushed forward together in search of answers, justice, and closure.

Read More

2025-04-01 16:54