How Gone Girls Compares To Lost Girls & What The Documentary Adds About The Long Island Serial Killer

This article contains references to violence, sexual assault, and murder.

Netflix's new crime docuseries, Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer, provides new insight into one of America's most infamous murder cases and was released some years after a movie adaptation of that case. Gone Girls is a three-part docuseries focusing on a spree of killings that took place in the Gilgo Beach area of Long Island, New York over 28 years. The latest addition to Netflix's growing list of true-crime documentaries, Gone Girls includes interviews with investigators, journalists, and relatives of the victims, who speak about the long investigation into the killings and the search for justice.

Gone Girls is directed by Liz Garbus, and focuses mainly on the timeline of the Long Island serial killings, who the victims were, and how their families eventually came together in their search to discover the identity of the killer. Notably, the Netflix docuseries was released four years after Garbus directed the mystery drama movie, Lost Girls, which also focuses on the unsolved murders and the families' long wait for justice. The movie and the docuseries are complementary, offering different insights into the Long Island serial killings, with the 2024 three-part series adding new vital information to the ongoing investigation.

Why Lost Girls' Director Made A Documentary About The Same Case 4 Years Later

Lost Girls Was Released On Netflix In 2020

Released on Netflix in 2020, Lost Girls was adapted from the book Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery by Robert Kolker, who was interviewed as part of the Gone Girls docuseries. Lost Girls focuses on the 2010 disappearance of 24-year-old Shannan Gilbert, the initial investigation, and how it led to the discovery of the bodies of four women, labeled in the media as The Gilgo Four. The investigation into Shannan's disappearance ultimately led to the discovery of 11 bodies buried near Gilgo Beach. Lost Girls was Liz Garbus' first narrative movie and was inspired by a script by Michael Werwie, which steered the story (via Collider).

In an interview with Vulture, Garbus stated that the case of the Long Island serial killings always stayed with her, and she worked closely with the victims' families throughout production to understand these events better. In the years following the movie's release, there have been new updates in the case, including the arrest of suspect Rex Heuermann in 2024; Heuermann has been charged with seven murders and is currently awaiting trial. In light of these developments, Garbus decided to create Gone Girls, stating she felt she "had to bring this full circle"regarding the case (via Variety).

What Gone Girls Reveals About The Long Island Serial Killer Case

The Docuseries Discusses The Hindered Investigation & The Search For The Killer

Image of the Gilgo Four from Netflix's Gone Girls documentary

While Garbus' movie Lost Girls provides perspective on Mari Gilbert's search for her daughter and campaign for answers about her death, Gone Girls expands on this, examining the similarities between the victims and recounting new details about the investigation. In 2022, Rodney Harrison and Ray Tierney were appointed as Suffolk County Police Commissioner and District Attorney, respectively. Gone Girls reveals that their team used technology, police reports, and witness descriptions to pinpoint a suspect. In episode 3, Author Robert Kolker remarks that the team "were able to do in six weeks what no one else was able to do in 12 years."

Suspected Victims of the Long Island Serial Killer 1993-2011
Victim	Age	Disappearance	Discovery of Remains
Sandra Castilla	28	November 1993	November 1993
Karen Vergata	34	February 14, 1996	April 20, 1996 & April 11, 2011
Valerie Mack	24	2000	November 19, 2000 & April 9, 2011
Jessica Taylor	20	July 21, 2003	July 26, 2003 & March 29, 2011
"Peaches"	Unknown	Unknown	June 28, 1997 & April 11, 2011
Maureen Brainard-Barnes	25	July 9, 2007	December 13, 2010
Melissa Barthelemy	24	July 12, 2009	December 11, 2010
Megan Watermann	22	June 6, 2010	December 13, 2010
Amber Lynn Costello	27	September 2, 2010	December 13, 2010
"Baby Doe"	Unknown	Unknown	April 4, 2011
"Asian Doe"	Unknown	Unknown	April 4, 2011

Gone Girls also explores the hindered investigation into the killings and what happened to Detective Jimmy Burke, who served as Suffolk County Police Chief between 2012 and 2015. The docuseries highlights how Burke's refusal to work with the FBI during the investigation led to the murder case remaining unsolved for over 12 years, with no clear suspect. It was also revealed that Burke and former district attorney, Thomas Spota, had been involved in covering up a 2012 assault and alleged sexual misconduct during their investigation. In 2016, Burke was sentenced to 46 months in prison for obstruction of justice and deprivation of civil rights.

Was The Lost Girls Movie Accurate?

The Movie Was Adapted From Real Events

Again, Lost Girls was adapted from the book, partially of the same name, that Robert Kolker wrote before he was interviewed as an expert for the Gone Girls docuseries. Lost Girls is based on the true events of the original investigation into the disappearance of Shannan Gilbert, which led to the discovery of further remains buried in the Gilgo Beach area between 2010 and 2011. Lost Girls was praised by critics for its cast, direction, and accuracy in its depiction of the real investigation into the killings and the media's coverage.

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WhileLost Girls doescontain some dramatizations of real events, it offers an accurate depiction of the story of Mari Gilbert, Shannan's mother, and how she relentlessly campaigned for information regarding her daughter's disappearance and her frustrations with law enforcement. The movie depicts Shannan Gilbert's 9-1-1 call before she disappeared and how investigators initially did not take the disappearances seriously due to the victims' connections to the sex work industry. LostGirls also contains many powerful quotes that reflect on the efforts made by Mari Gilbert and others to find answers throughout the years.

Gone Girls & Lost Girls Are Both Worth Watching

The Two Projects Offer Different Perspectives On The Serial Killings

Both Lost Girls and Gone Girls offer standout perspectives on the Long Island serial killings and are certainly worth watching for those who want to learn more about the case. The Lost Girls movie offers a powerful and inspiring story of how one woman's determination to uncover the truth about her daughter's disappearance and her push of law enforcement to find the truth led to the discovery of the bodies and properly launched the investigation into this notorious killing spree. Additionally, Lost Girls depicts the harrowing impact the victims' deaths had on their families and is an essential watch after GoneGirls.

Lost Girls depicts the harrowing impact the victims' deaths had on their families and is an essential watch after Gone Girls.

Meanwhile, GoneGirls picks up from LostGirls' ending and expands on the events, providing insight into the new developments in the case and explaining why it took 12 years for law enforcement to apprehend and charge a suspect in connection to the murders. Similar to LostGirls, the Netflix docuseries gives viewers a better understanding of who the victims were and the flaws in the original investigation that left their deaths unsolved for more than a decade. Liz Garbus' direction of both the movie and GoneGirls helps provide an insightful and heartbreaking view of the Long Island serial killings and the long fight for justice for the victims.

Sources: Collider, Vulture, Variety