Suvechha Sarkar
Valerie Mack had a tough life, but she was never one to give up. However, her life came to an abrupt halt when she suddenly disappeared from Philadelphia in the spring of 2000. For years, this left behind a trail of heartbreaks until a breakthrough came with modern technology. Her remains were found in two parts of Long Island, and the identification brought a bone-chilling story that had remained buried for too long. Netflix’s documentary titled, ‘Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer’ sheds light on how the authorities identified her and the investigation that soon followed.
Valerie Mack’s Disappearance Remained a Mystery For Over Two Decades
Valerie Mack was welcomed into this world on July 2, 1976, as Valerie Lynn Fulton in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Compared to a normal and happy childhood like any other individual, she faced the wrath of fate from a tender age and was placed in foster care. However, things started to look up when the Mack family — Edwin and JoAnn Mack — adopted her in 1985 at just 9 years of age. She started thriving in their ranch-style home, which was set amid nature. From spending quality time with her family to being a diligent student in her school, she truly embraced the light in her journey. Everything seemed perfect until she turned 14 and started spending more time with the wrong crowd. Moreover, she started skipping school and fell victim to addiction. Concerned for her well-being, her parents sought out counseling for her.
As Valerie grew up, her rebellious side started to take control of her life. However, things simmered down when she welcomed her little baby boy, Benjamin, into this world in 1994. Shortly after, doubts started creeping into her mind, and she began worrying if she really could be a dutiful mother. She ended up leaving him behind in the care of his father as she moved to Philadelphia. Struggling to make ends meet, Valerie started working as an escort under the alias “Melissa Taylor.” By the year 2000, she was reportedly arrested three times for drugs, loitering, and prostitution. Life was tough for her, but she kept pushing forward, unwilling to give up. However, everything changed in 2000, when 24-year-old Valerie was last seen by her family in Port Republic, New Jersey.
No missing reports were filed, but according to her adopted sister, the family had tried to file one. However, they could not do so since the authorities were reluctant based on her history and background. On November 19, 2000, three hunters were hunting in the wooded area of Manorville with their dog, who led them to a black plastic bag sealed with duct tape. Upon discovering that the bag had human remains, they promptly called 911. The officials determined that the remains belonged to a female but could not identify her due to a lack of DNA match and a missing report. They referred to her as “Jane Doe 6,” and the case soon went cold. On April 4, 2011, the authorities found her skull, hand, and right foot along the Gilgo beach during their search for “The Gilgo Four” murders and launched an investigation.
Valerie Mack’s Alleged Killer Was Charged With Her Murder After 24 Years
As the full-blown joint investigation began, the officials searched for clues to identify Jane Doe 6. Finally, on May 28, 2020, with the help of Genetic Genealogy from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), they determined that the remains belonged to Valerie Mack. Further investigation led them to her aunt, who reportedly directed them to Valerie’s adoptive family and her son. As they matched her son’s DNA with her, it was confirmed that the remains they found were of Valerie Mack. Her family, who had spent years wondering what had happened to her, finally had their answers. Since some of her remains were also found along the Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach, it was reportedly connected to the Gilgo Beach murders.
A possible suspect was in sight for the murder of Valerie Mack when a breakthrough in the Long Beach serial killings finally arrived on March 14, 2022. The accused was Rex Heuermann, and upon investigation, he was charged with the murder of Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes. The police redirected their search to Manorville, where Valerie Mack’s remains were first found. They were consistently trying to put the pieces together to ensure all the families of the victims got their closure. With more evidence like a matching DNA sample at hand, the police next charged the accused with the murder of Sandra Costilla and Jesicca Taylor on June 6, 2024.
Finally, the investigators found concrete evidence to link the alleged killer to Valerie Mack’s murder. The strands of hair that were found on her remains reportedly matched with Rex’s daughter and wife. Additionally, forensic digital evidence found from his computer had disturbing content regarding bondage and torture, which was similar to the way Valerie was found. Moreover, the alleged killer talked about planning “dumpsites” in a deleted Word Document on his hard drive. These sites were the locations where the remains of Valerie and another victim were found. Ultimately, on December 17, 2024, Rex Heuermann was charged with the seventh murder of Valerie Mack. As of today, the accused has continued to plead not guilty to all the seven charges against him.
