At a news conference this afternoon on Long Island, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Richard Dormer announced that Shannan Gilbert's purse had been recovered along with some sort of identification. A cell phone as well as pieces of clothing were also recovered and believed to be Gilbert's.

Shannan Gilbert, a known prostitute from Jersey City, disappeared on May 1, 2010. She was last seen at a client's home in Oak Beach, a gated seashore community near Jones Beach State Park.

Police were looking for Gilbert last December when they stumbled upon what turned out to be 10 sets of human remains in the underbrush. Officials at first suspected several serial killers, but have recently said one person could be responsible for all 10 deaths. Police have said they don't think the same person killed Gilbert.

Police started searching that area again earlier this week after high resolution surveillance conducted by the FBI indicated new areas of interest. The police commissioner said the search will go on for the foreseeable future until her remains are recovered."At this point I don't know what to think," Gilbert's mother said yesterday. "I just wish that they would find her or find the person involved, and catch the psychopath who's doing this and put an end to it."

Officials say they are hoping upheaval from Tropical Storm Irene might turn up new evidence that will both lead to her body and lead to the killer.

LI police to continue beach search Wednesday