Timeline: Investigating the Long Island serial killings

The investigation into the Long Island serial killings intensified in December 2010 when human remains were discovered near Gilgo Beach. These remains belonged to four women, later identified as Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Costello, Megan Waterman, and Melissa Barthelemy. The discovery occurred during an exhaustive search for Shannan Gilbert, a 23-year-old escort who had vanished on May 1, 2010, after making a panicked 911 call reporting she was being chased and feared for her life.

Investigators noted striking similarities among the four victims, who became known as the Gilgo Four. They were all described as petite, standing 5 feet or shorter and weighing around 100 pounds. All were in their 20s and worked as online escorts. These common characteristics pointed authorities toward the possibility of a serial killer targeting a specific type of victim.

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Very petite. 5 foot or under, 100 pounds.

Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, a single mother from Norwich, Connecticut, is believed to be the first of the Gilgo Four to disappear. She went missing in July 2007 while working as an escort in New York City. Her cellphone had been in contact with a burner phone between July 6 and July 9, 2007. Her sister, Missy Cann, recalled a late-night call from Brainard-Barnes on July 8, 2007, stating she was taking a midnight train, after which she was never heard from again.

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It's really really hard ... I miss her so much.