The Latest: Attorney eyes insanity defence in mom’s killing

MINEOLA, N.Y. – The Latest on the upstate New York stabbing death of a woman whose daughter’s 2010 disappearance led to the discoveries of 10 people’s remains along a highway (all times local):

4 p.m.

An attorney says he’ll represent a woman who’s accused of fatally stabbing her mother and whose sister’s 2010 disappearance led to the discoveries of 10 people’s remains along a New York highway.

Attorney John Ray says his client Sarra Gilbert suffers from schizophrenia and other mental issues. He’s eyeing an insanity defence. Sarra Gilbert is charged with killing 52-year-old Mari (MEHR’-ee) Gilbert on Saturday in upstate Ellenville.

Another of Mari Gilbert’s daughters, Shannan Gilbert, was a prostitute. Police looking for her found the other people’s remains in 2010. They found her body miles away the following year.

Police and prosecutors have said they don’t think Shannan Gilbert was the 11th victim of a serial killer and they think she accidentally drowned. Mari Gilbert insisted they were wrong.

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3:15

An attorney says the death of a New York woman won’t end the quest to confirm her suspicions her daughter was a homicide victim.

Mari Gilbert’s daughter Shannan Gilbert was a prostitute whose 2010 disappearance led to the discovery of 10 sets of human remains along a Long Island beach highway. Shannan Gilbert’s body was found several miles away.

Police and prosecutors have said they don’t think Shannan Gilbert was the 11th victim of a serial killer and they think she accidentally drowned. Mari Gilbert insisted they were wrong.

Mari Gilbert was stabbed to death in upstate Ellenville on Saturday. Police allege she was killed by another daughter, Sarra Gilbert.

Sarra Gilbert’s lawyer hasn’t commented.

But family attorney John Ray says Sarra Gilbert suffered from mental illness. He says he’ll continue to seek answers in Shannan Gilbert’s death.