Views are varied over investigation of Gilgo slayings

The characterization of today’s Suffolk County Police Department is a little off [“Gilgo probe lacked sex-worker input,” Opinion, July 26]. In 2018, the SCPD created a dedicated unit to investigate human trafficking. Our main goal was to be a part of the support system that these victims so desperately needed.

Our first partnership was with the advocates at the European Case Law Identifier. We then created a task force, the Suffolk County Anti-Trafficking Initiative, designed to make sure we were filling any gaps in service to render aid to human trafficking victims.

When I retired in February as an SCPD detective sergeant, our unit had 39 member agencies collaborating.

Multiple law enforcement agencies work alongside advocates and community groups to meet these goals. The unit has interviewed over 400 people who are in this trafficking life with the goal of setting them up with an advocate.

The unit, along with ECLI and SCATI, also conducted trafficking awareness presentations for community groups, churches and schools.

I believe the SCPD is on the forefront of investigating human trafficking. Our proudest moments weren’t our trafficking arrests but our rescues.

— James Murphy, Medford

The writer co-founded the SCPD human trafficking investigations unit.

When a series of murders becomes a cold case that drags on for years, one factor is present in most cases: Someone dropped the ball in the early stages [“Gilgo case will be prosecuted by DA,” News, July 27]. Will that be the case in the arrest of Rex A. Heuermann 13 years after the killing of at least three women?

In Ted Bundy’s case, a woman said she called the police and said she knew a man named Ted who drove a yellow Volkswagen. This was after numerous witnesses at Lake Sammamish, near Seattle, had identified a murder suspect named Ted who drove a Volkswagen. The tip was not immediately followed up.

About 30 people, mostly boys, were murdered by Wayne Williams in Atlanta before one rookie cop ended his spree. Did any officials really care about the victims who didn’t come from prominent families?

On the positive side, Ted Kaczynski’s own brother recognized his writing style and turned him in, or his bombing spree would have continued.

I know from my own police experience that the failure to support good cops by some police supervisors who are more interested in getting promoted than in solving crimes (fortunately not the majority) is a serious problem.

— Michael J. Gorman, Whitestone

The writer is a retired NYPD lieutenant.

While learning about New York State’s proposed ban on wildlife “killing contests,” I couldn’t help but imagine what kind of monster takes pleasure in killing innocent creatures and bringing home a trophy for being the most violent killer of all.

Then I read an article about how accused serial killer Rex A. Heuermann didn’t just hunt women but used his arsenal of more than 200 guns to hunt animals as well [“DA: Probe for ‘trophies’ that implicate suspect,” News, July 21].

Suffolk County investigators combed Heuermann’s home for “trophies” related to his victims. Gov. Kathy Hochul would be wise to stop New Yorkers before they ever escalate to hunting “the most dangerous game.” She should send a clear message that sadism toward any species is not acceptable by signing the State Legislature’s bill to ban the next most extreme form of trophy hunting: wildlife killing contests.

— John Di Leonardo, Moriches

The writer is executive director of Humane Long Island.

Every morning, lately, when I see the cover headlines — for example, “ ‘Massive amount’ of evidence” [News, July 26], I think Newsday is finally going to acknowledge alleged activity by President Joe Biden’s family. And then I realize Newsday is still stuck on the Gilgo Beach story [“Search at home of Gilgo Beach suspect ends,” News, July 26].

While I realize it’s a big story to some, many of us are truly concerned with the House of Representatives’ allegations about the White House family’s activities.

— Liz DeLesia, Babylon

I find it troubling that while DNA evidence was found on a piece of pizza crust that allegedly implicated Rex A. Heuermann in the Gilgo Beach murders, the Secret Service that was investigating the bag of cocaine found at the White House could not find any DNA or fingerprints and closed the investigation after 11 days [“Secret Service: No leads on cocaine found at White House,” News, July 14].

If Donald Trump was still president, that investigation would never end.

— Sheldon Ehrenreich, West Hempstead

Do all the stories on the Gilgo Beach murders have to refer to the victims as sex workers? They had their reasons for doing what they did. It just demeans them.

— Bob Horsham, Ridge