Shannan Gilbert's story

A heart-shaped collage with photographs of Shannan Gilbert is placed beside her coffin during a memorial service at Amityville Cemetery on Thursday, March 12, 2015.

Sherre Gilbert says goodbye to her sister, Shannan Gilbert, during a memorial service at Amityville Cemetery on Thursday, March 12, 2015.

Sherre Gilbert wipes tears from her eyes while speaking about her sister, Shannan Gilbert, during a formal farewell for Shannan at Amityville Cemetery Thursday, March 12, 2015.

Adysen, 4, Sherre Gilbert's son, places a flower on the coffin of his aunt, Shannan Gilbert, at a memorial service at Amityville Cemetery on Thursday, March 12, 2015.

Mari Gilbert sheds tears during a memorial for her daughter Shannan Gilbert at Amityville Cemetery on Thursday, March 12, 2015, with attorneys Frances Nicotra, left, and John Ray, right.

Mari Gilbert grieves during funeral services for her daughter Shannan Gilbert today Thursday March 12, 2015 at Amityville Cemetery. Gilbert's disappearance nearly five years ago led to the discovery of human remains of 10 other bodies dumped along Ocean Parkway in the Gilgo Beach area.

Mari Gilbert, mother of Shannan Gilbert, appears with her lawyer, John Ray, at Oak Beach on Dec. 20, 2011, where he called for federal authorities to assist in the investigation into the Long Island serial killer case.

Mari Gilbert, mother of Shannan Gilbert, appears with her lawyer, John Ray, at Oak Beach on Dec. 20, 2011, where he called for federal authorities to assist in the investigation into the Long Island serial killer case.

A Christmas stocking is hung for Shannan Gilbert, at the house of her mother, Mari Cox Gilbert, in Ellenville. (Dec. 20, 2011)

A Christmas stocking of Shannan Gilbert hangs on her mother's front porch. (Dec. 18, 2011)

Shannan Gilbert, right, with her family in 2009.

Mari Gilbert, right, mother of Shannan Gilbert, is comforted by Lorraine Ela, mother of victim Megan Waterman, at Oak Beach on Dec 13, 2011.

Mari Gilbert, far right, mother of Shannan Gilbert, and Lorraine Ela, center, mother of Megan Waterman, join together with Melissa Cann, left, as they hug after learning that remains were found on Dec. 13, 2011.

Mari Gilbert, center with sunglasses, the mother of Shannan Gilbert, joins together with others as she lets balloons go at Oak Beach after learning that remains were found on Dec. 13, 2011.

An aerial view of Oak Beach, where police found remains likely belonging to Shannan Gilbert. (Dec. 13, 2011)

Investigators search the area where they found skeletal remains they believe belong to Shannan Gilbert in a drained marsh just east of Oak Beach. (Dec. 13, 2011)

An aerial view of Oak Beach, where investigators found what they believe are the remains of Shannan Gilbert. (Dec. 13, 2011)

Lorraine Ela, right, mother of victim Megan Waterman, and Melissa Cann, sister of victim Maureen Brainard-Barnes, comfort one another at Oak Beach on Dec. 13, 2011, one morning after hearing a police news conference announce human remains had been found.

Poilce Commissioner Richard Dormer, left, talks to Lorraine Ela, right, the mother of victim Megan Waterman, and Melissa Cann, center, sister of victim Maureen Brainard-Barnes, at Oak Beach on Dec. 13, 2011.

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Richard Dormer addresses the media at Oak Beach to announce that police had found what they believe to be the remains of Shannan Gilbert on Dec. 13, 2011.

Police search along Ocean Parkway, between Oak Beach and the Robert Moses Causeway. (Dec. 13, 2011)

Crime scene investigators use metal detectors during a search at Oak Beach. (Dec. 12, 2011)

Police bring in heavy machinery to assist with the search for Shannan Gilbert in a swampy area in Oak Beach. (Dec. 12, 2011)

Investigators search for Shannan Gilbert at Oak Beach. (Dec. 12, 2011)

In the marsh just east of Oak Beach, Suffolk County police resumed the search for Shannan Gilbert. (Dec. 12, 2011)

December 9, 2011; Babylon, NY: A NYC Medical Examiner Examiner arrives at Oak Beach Friday.

A Suffolk County helicopter circles over Oak Beach on Friday, December 9, 2011.

A New York City medical examiner arrives at Oak Beach. (Dec. 9, 2011)

Investigators search for Shannan Gilbert's body in marsh just east of Oak Beach. (Dec. 9, 2011)

December 9, 2011-AERIAL PHOTO- Investigators continue their search for missing prostitute Shannan Gilbert's body in different sectors of a marsh area just east of Oak Beach Friday December 9, 2011. . (photo by Kevin P. Coughlin)

Mari Cox Gilbert, the mother of missing person Shannan Gilbert, decorates her home in Ellenville in this Dec. 9, 2011 photo.

Mari Cox Gilbert, the mother of Shannan Gilbert, decorates her home in upstate Ellenville as she continues to hope to see her daughter alive and well. (Dec. 9, 2011)

A Suffolk County helicopter circles over Oak Beach. (Dec. 9, 2011)

A Suffolk County helicopter circles over Oak Beach during the search for Shannan Gilbert. (Dec. 9, 2011)

Police arrive at Oak Beach for another day of searching for Shannan Gilbert. (Dec. 9, 2011)

An aerial view of the area in Oak Beach where officers are searching for the remains of Shannan Gilbert (Dec. 8, 2011)

An excavator and police searchers are seen from the air as they probe an area in Oak Beach for the remains of Shannan Gilbert. (Dec. 8, 2011)

Police officers and an excavator are seen from the air as the search continues in Oak Beach for the remains of Shannan Gilbert. (Dec. 8, 2011)

Plywood planks were laid over part of the marsh in Oak Beach on Thursday morning as police continued their search of the area where Shannan Gilbert was last seen in May 2010. (Dec. 8, 2011)

An aerial shot of the area in Oak Beach where officers are searching for the remains of Shannon Gilbert, who has been missing since May 1, 2010 (Dec. 8, 2011)

An aerial view of the search that continues in Oak Beach, where Shannon Gilbert was last seen May 1, 2010 (Dec. 8, 2011)

A Suffolk County Police Department helicopter takes off from a parking lot in Oak Beach as the search continues for Shannan Gilbert's remains. (Dec. 8, 2011)

Stuart Cameron, right, commanding officer of the special patrol bureau of the Suffolk County Police Department, leads Det. Sgt. Thomas Groneman, of the homicide squad, into a helicopter as police resume their search for Shannan Gilbert's remains near Oak Beach. (Dec. 8, 2011)

Part of the Oak Beach marsh area where officers are searching for remains of Shannan Gilbert. (Dec. 7, 2011)

More of the marsh area where police use a ditcher, an amphibious-tracked vehicle, to search for remains of Shannan Gilbert, on Dec. 7, 2011.

Police search the marsh in the Oak Beach community for the remains of Shannan Gilbert on Dec. 7, 2011.

Police board a helicopter near Oak Beach as the search resumes for Shannan Gilbert's remains. (Dec. 8, 2011)

Additional heavy equipment is brought into parking lot in Oak Beach for police to use in the search for Shannon Gilbert's remains. (Dec. 8, 2011)

A dredging machine searches through a marsh in Oak Beach on Dec. 7, 2011, as the search continues for the remains of Shannan Gilbert, who authorities say was working as a prostitute when she disappeared in the area in May 2010.

Suffolk County police use a machine provided by the Suffolk County Vector Control to navigate the marshland around Oak Beach. (Dec. 7, 2011)

Suffolk County police continue searching the Oak Beach area early Wednesday. (Dec. 7, 2011)

A policeman searches an Oak Beach community Tuesday afternoon. (Dec. 6, 2011)

A Google Earth image of Oak Beach. Authorities continued their search for Shannan Gilbert in the area Tuesday. (Dec. 6, 2011)

Mari Gilbert, mother of missing woman Shannan Gilbert, in the A & E program, "The Long Island Serial Killer," airing Monday, Dec. 5, 2011.

Mari Gilbert, mother of missing woman Shannan Gilbert, pictured in the A&E program, "The Long Island Serial Killer," which aired Dec. 5, 2011.

Gus Coletti, an Oak Beach resident, saw police return to Oak Beach Tuesday morning in their search for missing woman, Shannan Gilbert. (Dec. 6, 2011)

Mari Gilbert, the mother of Shannan Gilbert, reacts as she see's Joseph Brewer's home for the first time at Oak Beach. (May 1, 2011)

Mari Gilbert, left, the mother of Shannan Gilbert, is comforted by Johanna Chaneyfield, a family friend, at Oak Beach. (May 1, 2011)

Shannan Gilbert's aunt Lori Grove leads a prayer service with, from left, Shannan's sister, Sarra, 22; friend Osheana, 21; and Shannon's sister Sherre, 23, at Oak Beach on Sunday. (May 1, 2011)

Mari Gilbert, the mother of Shannan Gilbert, walks past Joseph Brewer's home at Oak Beach. (May 1, 2011)

Mari Gilbert, the mother of Shannan Gilbert, at Joseph Brewer's home on Oak Beach. (May 1, 2011)

Mari Gilbert, the mother of Shannan Gilbert, in front of Joseph Brewer's Oak Beach home for the first time. (May 1, 2011)

Mari Gilbert, left, the mother of Shannan Gilbert, with family friend Johanna Chaneyfield at Oak Beach. (May 1, 2011)

Sarra Gilbert, sister of Shannan Gilbert, with a lit candle during a prayer service at Oak Beach. (May 1, 2011)

Mari Gilbert, Shannan Gilbert's mother, at entrance to the Oak Island Beach Community. (May 1, 2011)

Jennifer Pottinger, who was Shannan Gilbert's foster mother in the early 2000s, holds a 2003 New Paltz High School graduation photo of Gilbert in her New Paltz, N.Y., home. Gilbert, who is still missing, is the genesis of a search that has uncovered at least 10 other remains along a stretch of beach areas on Nassau and Suffolk counties' South Shore. (April 13, 2011)

Loved ones said Shannan Gilbert showed an early interest in stage and that she dreamed of an acting career. (April 13, 2011)

Shannan Gilbert drifted through several towns after high school and worked odd jobs, according to family and police records. (April 13, 2011)

Gilbert, far left, graduated from New Paltz Central High School in 2003. She completed two years' worth of classes in one, finishing high school at 16. (April 13, 2011)

Gilbert was born in Lancaster, Pa., in 1986, the oldest of four sisters.

Shannan Gilbert, center, with sisters Sarra, left, and Sherre.

Sherre Gilbert, sister of missing woman Shannan Gilbert, conducts a phone interview at her home in Ellenville, N.Y. (April 5, 2011)

Sherre Gilbert, sister of missing woman Shannan Gilbert, says she feels overwhelmed by recent events regarding her sister. (April 5, 2011)

Mari Gilbert, mother of Shannan Gilbert. (Dec. 14, 2010)

Shannan Gilbert's sister Sherre Gilbert in Ellenville home. (March 30, 2011)

Stevie Smith, half-sister of Shannan Gilbert at her home in Ellenville. (March 30, 2011)

Sarra Gilbert, sister of Shannan Gilbert, speaks at her home in Ellenville. (March 30, 2011)

Shannan Gilbert is seen in a file photo.

Shannan Gilbert, left, with her aunt Lori Grove in December 2009.