New York officials release new renderings of possible Gilgo Beach victim

BRENTWOOD, N.Y. (AP) — Law enforcement officials released new, more detailed renderings of one of the victims whose remains were found along a coastal highway in New York’s Long Island more than a decade ago in a string of deaths known as the Gilgo Beach killings.

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said at a news conference with other law enforcement officials that the victim was of Asian descent, with the remains found off Ocean Parkway in 2011.

The victim, who for years had been identified by officials as male but who police believe now may have presented outwardly as female, died in 2006 or earlier, was likely between ages 17 and 23 and about 5 feet 6 inches (170 centimeters) tall, and was likely of Southern Chinese, or Han, descent.

The victim was found dressed in women’s clothing, Tierney said. New renderings were being released Monday in the hopes they may generate new leads. They include versions that are both male- and female-presenting.

“This person certainly had a life and loved ones,” Tierney said. “It's important that this person get their name back and that their loved ones know what happened.”

Flyers with the renderings and a description of the victim and the clothes they were found wearing are being distributed in Asian communities across New York and will be translated into a range of languages, including Mandarin, Cantonese, Thai and Indonesian, he said.

Local officials released a more basic sketch of the victim back in 2011.

Tierney said DNA records from Asian people are less common in U.S. genetic databases, making it difficult to compare and identify the remains through traditional methods.

No one has been charged in the death. A local architect is accused in the killings of six women, some of whose remains were found near the unidentified man’s.

Rex Heuermann, 61, was arraigned in June in connection with the deaths of two young women long believed to have been preyed upon as sex workers.

The charges came after recent police searches of Heuermann's home and a wooded area on Long Island.

Jessica Taylor disappeared in 2003 and Sandra Costilla was killed 30 years ago, in 1993.

Costilla's inclusion in the case indicates prosecutors now believe Heuermann was killing women far longer than previously thought.

Heuermann was previously charged with killing four others: Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy, Amber Lynn Costello and Maureen Brainard-Barnes.

Since late 2010, police have been investigating the deaths of at least 10 people — mostly female sex workers — whose remains were discovered along an isolated highway near Gilgo Beach.

Heuermann, who lived across the bay, was arrested last July.

He has pleaded not guilty and his attorney, Michael Brown, did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment Monday and over the weekend.

FILE - Authorities continue to work at the home of suspect Rex Heuermann, who has been charged with the slayings known as the Gilgo Beach killings, in Massapequa Park, N.Y., July 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

This artist rendering provided by the Suffolk County, NY District Attorney, Monday, Sept 16, 2024, shows a male of Asian descent, one of the victims whose remains were found along a coastal highway in New York's Long Island more than a decade ago, known as the Gilgo Beach killings. (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children via AP)

This artist rendering provided by the Suffolk County, NY District Attorney, Monday, Sept 16, 2024, shows a male of Asian descent, one of the victims whose remains were found along a coastal highway in New York's Long Island more than a decade ago, known as the Gilgo Beach killings. (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children via AP)

This artist rendering provided by the Suffolk County, NY District Attorney, Monday, Sept 16, 2024, shows a male of Asian descent, one of the victims whose remains were found along a coastal highway in New York's Long Island more than a decade ago, known as the Gilgo Beach killings. (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children via AP)

These artist renderings provided by the Suffolk County, NY District Attorney, Monday, Sept 16, 2024, show a male of Asian descent, one of the victims whose remains were found along a coastal highway in New York's Long Island more than a decade ago, known as the Gilgo Beach killings. (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — Tupperware Brands, the company that revolutionized food storage decades ago, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Orlando, Florida-based Tupperware plans to continue operating during the bankruptcy proceedings and will seek court approval for a sale, “in order to protect its iconic brand,” the company said just before midnight on Tuesday.

The company is seeking bankruptcy protection amid growing struggles to revitalize its business. Tupperware sales growth improved some during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, but overall sales have been in steady decline since 2018 due to rising competition. And financial troubles have continued to pile up for the company.

Doubts around Tupperware's future have floated around for some time. Last year, the company sought additional financing as it warned investors about its ability to stay in business and its risk of being delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.

The company received an additional non-compliance notice from the NYSE for failing to file its annual results with the Securities and Exchange Commission earlier this year. And Tupperware had continued to warn about its ability to stay afloat in more recent months, with an August securities filing pointing to “significant liquidity challenges."

In Tuesday's bankruptcy petition, Tupperware reported more than $1.2 billion in total debts and $679.5 million in total assets. Shares for the company have fallen 75% this year and closed Tuesday at about 50 cents apiece.

“The reality is that the decline at Tupperware is not new,” Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, said in Wednesday commentary. “It is very difficult to see how the brand can get back to its glory days."

Saunders explained that many consumers have been migrating to cheaper home storage brands — noting that competition has intensified over years, particularly with the rise of online platforms like Temu and retailers like Target also beefing up their own home storage and kichenware brands.

Tupperware's roots date back to 1946. According to the company's website, shortly after the Great Depression, chemist Earl Tupper found inspiration while creating molds at a plastics factory — setting out on a mission to create an airtight seal for a plastic container, similar to that on a paint can, to help families save money on food waste.

The brand experienced explosive growth in the mid 20th century — particularly with the rise of Tupperware parties, first held in 1948. Tupperware parties notably gave many women a chance to run their own businesses out of their homes, selling the products within social circles.

The system worked so well that Tupperware eventually removed its products from stores. And in Tuesday's bankruptcy announcement, the company maintained that there were no current changes to Tupperware's independent sales consultant agreements.

According to court documents published Tuesday, Tupperware currently employs more than 5,450 employees across 41 countries — and additionally partners with global sales force of over 465,000 consultants who sell products on a freelance basis in nearly 70 countries.

Tuesday's announcement also pointed to aims to “further advance Tupperware’s transformation into a digital-first, technology-led company,” possibly signaling a move toward increased reliance of sales on the brand's website or perhaps more online-focused marketing, although the company did not provide exact specifics.

In a statement, Tupperware President and CEO Laurie Ann Goldman acknowledged Tupperware's recent financial struggles and said that the bankruptcy process is meant to provide “essential flexibility” as the company pursues this transformation. She also maintained that the brand wasn't going anywhere.

“Whether you are a dedicated member of our Tupperware team, sell, cook with, or simply love our Tupperware products, you are a part of our Tupperware family,” Goldman said in a statement. “We plan to continue serving our valued customers with the high-quality products they love and trust throughout this process.”

Goldman, who previously served as CEO of Spanx, was appointed as Tupperware's CEO in October 2023 — as part of larger leadership change ups. The company has appointed a new management team within the last year.

FILE - The logo for Tupperware Brands appears on a monitor on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Oct. 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

FILE - Colorful Tupperware products are seen in Bellflower, Calif. on Aug. 5, 2011. (AP Photo/Garrett Cheen, File)