Where is James Burke now? All about the former police chief from Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer

Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer, released on March 31 on Netflix, sheds light on the murder and investigation of seven s*x workers. The investigation of the Gilgo Beach Killer has implicated James Burke, the former chief of the Suffolk County Police Department between 2012 and 2015.

According to CBS News, in December 2010, four women's remains were found in the Ocean Parkway area of Long Island, New York. The killings were linked to the Gilgo Beach murders, where seven women were strangled to death using the same method, and reportedly, all the women were s*x workers.

However, the police were unable to arrest any suspects until July 2023. In July 2023, authorities arrested Rex Heuerman and charged him with the murders that occurred between 1993 and 2011.

According to Moviedelic, James Burke led the investigation of the Gilgo Beach Killer. Nevertheless, some colleagues and others who worked on the case were critical of his investigative procedure.

In August 2023, James Burke was arrested at the Suffolk County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park in Farmingville, New York. He was charged with public lewdness, making a s*xual advance, and unlawful enticement.

All about James Burke: The former chief of the Suffolk County Police Department

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James Burke started as a New York City police officer in the 1980s. As a teenager, he testified in a case led by District Attorney Thomas Spota, who later became his mentor and influenced his career in law enforcement.

Burke joined the Suffolk County Police Department and gained recognition. However, in 1995, an internal investigation found he had been involved with an escort, worked on drug-related cases, and had s*x in police cars while on duty.

As per Movidelic, in 2012, Christopher Loeb broke into James Burke's vehicle by mistake and stole a duffle bag. The bag was reportedly said to have a gun, bullets, a box of cigars, and s*x toys. Loeb later claimed that Burke physically attacked him after he was arrested.

Burke resigned in 2015 from his position and then, in February 2016, pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and conspiring to commit civil rights abuses. He was sentenced to 46 months imprisonment with three years of supervised release.

James Burke was embroiled in yet another controversy in 2016

In December 2016, James Burke was again embroiled in a scandal when a s*x worker, Leanne, claimed she had celebrated with Burke on multiple occasions in 2011. She said they met at Burke's Oak Beach home, had s*x, and Burke used drugs.

As mentioned in Moviedelic, Burke's lawyer declined to comment on the claims. He served time at the Federal Correctional Institution, Allenwood Low Prison in Pennsylvania, from January 2017 to November 2018. He was under house arrest at his Smithtown home in New York and was released in April 2019.

Following his release, James Burke kept away from public life. In August 2023, however, he was arrested at the Suffolk County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park in Farmingville, New York. County park rangers carried out an undercover sting operation after reports of public lewdness.

As per Moviedelic, Burke was charged with lewdness in public, making a s*xual advance, and unlawful enticement. Burke pleaded not guilty to the charges in 2023. Neither he nor his attorney has made any public statement on the matter.

To find out more about the Gilgo Beach Killing's investigation, watch Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer, available to stream on Netflix.

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