Authorities investigating Gilgo Beach killings search wooded area on Long Island, AP source says

NEW YORK -- Authorities investigating New York's Gilgo Beach killings person launched a sprawling hunt of a wooded country connected Long Island, a instrumentality enforcement authoritative told The Associated Press.

The lawsuit has fueled nationalist speculation aft years of dormant ends. Months ago, prosecutors charged a New York designer with execution successful the decease of 4 of the 11 women whose remains were recovered buried on a distant formation road successful 2010 and 2011.

Dozens of constabulary canine units and officers started searching Tuesday done woodlands successful Manorville, New York, the instrumentality enforcement authoritative said. The authoritative was not authorized to sermon details of the probe publically and spoke to AP connected information of anonymity.

The Suffolk County territory attorney’s office, which is prosecuting the suspect, Rex Heuermann, said lone that the hunt related to an ongoing investigation.

“The Suffolk County Police Department, the New York Police Department and the New York State Police are moving with the District Attorney’s Office connected an ongoing investigation,” prosecutors said successful a statement. “We bash not remark connected investigative steps portion they are underway.”

Heuermann has pleaded not guilty. His lawyer has said Heuermann denied committing the crimes.

Investigators person insisted since Heuermann’s apprehension that the probe is acold from over. They said Heuermann, who lived successful Massapequa Park crossed the bay from wherever the bodies were found, was astir apt not liable for each the deaths. Some of the victims disappeared successful the mid 1990s.