Woman's Remains Not Among 4 New York Bodies

OAK BEACH, N.Y. Dec. 16, 2010— -- A woman last seen running in terror from a Long Island, N.Y., house in May is not one of four bodies dumped along a New York beach over the last two years, a forensic analysis has concluded.

Police speculated that Shannan Gilbert, 24, might be among the victims whose remains were found last week along a road that runs beside Gilgo Beach -- a discovery that has prompted fears a serial killer might be on the loose.

"The Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office has determined through analysis of forensic evidence that none of the human remains found in Gilgo Beach during the past week are that of Shannan Gilbert," police said in a prepared statement. "Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives have notified Gilbert's family. The investigation into the disappearance of Gilbert is still ongoing."

Earlier, police swarmed around the home where Gilbert last was seen in May and confiscated an SUV from the property.

Despite the search around the home of Joseph Brewer, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Richard Dormer said he had no suspects in the deaths of the four women.

The commissioner also tried to downplay fears that a serial murderer was on the loose.

"I don't want people to think that we have a Jack the Ripper running around Suffolk County with blood dripping from a knife," Dormer said. "This is an anomaly."

This morning, authorities closed a 10-mile stretch of Ocean Parkway near Brewer's Oak Beach, N.Y., home. At least 20 police cars and 10 cadaver dogs arrived and began combing the area in a search for more bodies.

"We're going to expand the search throughout that community over the next few days," Dormer said. "We want to make sure we didn't miss anything."

Police are also trying to determine the identities of the skeletal remains, a job that could take weeks or months.

Dormer said identifying the bodies "is of the utmost importance for the investigation."

While their identities may eventually be determined, the Suffolk County medical examiner told ABC News they may never be able to determine how the women died.

Forensic psychiatrist Michael Welner said that the high level of decomposition will make identifying the cause of death difficult.

"Many investigators of serial killers focus on signatures and approaches that a serial killer may have taken ... a calling card. A calling card is a lot harder to identify with decomposition so advanced," Welner said.