As Gilgo speculation swirls, authorities stay mum on major search of LI woods: 'We don't talk'

NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney confirmed the weeklong search in the Manorville woods on Monday but did not comment on its connection to the Gilgo Beach murders.

Police units, alongside their K-9 teams and specialized cadaver dogs, are intensively searching multiple areas in Suffolk County, focusing particularly on Manorville, North Sea, and Calverton.

The search sparked numerous theories among local residents, with some attributing the search to the Gilgo Beach killings and others to John Bittrolff, a former suspect in the Gilgo Beach serial killings case and a carpenter convicted of murdering two women, Rita Tangredi and Colleen McNamee, and disposing of their bodies in woods in East Patchogue and Shirley in 1993 and 1994.

Tierney, during a press conference, maintained a tight-lipped stance on the specifics of the investigation. "I haven't said anything and the people on my team haven't said anything. So really you could speculate all you want. We're going to wait until we get that evidence," he said.

Rex Heuermann, 60, the main suspect in the Gilgo Beach murders, has remained jailed in Riverhead since his arrest last July outside his Midtown architectural consultant firm. He has maintained his innocence after being charged with the murders of four women—known as the “Gilgo Four”—whose remains were found along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach in 2010 and 2011.

Multiple sources reported that Monday's search activities were focused near high tension wires in Calverton, although no further details were provided about the findings from these efforts.

"We don't talk. So it's part of an ongoing investigation," Tierney added, suggesting that while public communication is minimal, the investigative team is fully aware of and actively managing the situation.

The continuation of these searches has heightened local interest and speculation, as Suffolk County authorities persist with their investigative operations, surrounded by an atmosphere of community concern and anticipation.

The search operation continues to draw attention as authorities continue on with their investigation.

"We're going to look at that evidence and if we act and indict, and we'll have another one of these and we'll explain to you what we have," Tierney said.