EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- Now that authorities know the identities of all four women whose bodies were found face-down in a drainage ditch behind a string of seedy motels last week, the really hard part starts: Trying to determine if their deaths were the work of a serial killer.

	AP Photo Molly Jean Dilts Click photo for larger image.

The body of a woman whose identity had stymied investigators for more than a week since it was found near three other corpses was identified yesterday as a 20-year-old from Blairsville, Indiana County, Pa.

Molly Jean Dilts was believed to have been in the ditch the longest -- up to a month.

Atlantic County Prosecutor Jeffrey Blitz said he could not speculate on whether a serial killer is to blame for the deaths because the cause of death for two of the women has not been established.

"There are similarities in the four deaths," he said. "What we have now is two confirmed homicides and two undetermined causes of death that are being investigated as homicides."

The prosecutor noted that all four women were found face-down in a drainage ditch behind motels along the Black Horse Pike just west of the Atlantic City border. All were barefoot and their heads were facing east toward the Atlantic City casinos.

At least three of the women were known prostitutes, but there was conflicting information as to whether Ms. Dilts was involved in prostitution. Lt. Michael Dunford, commander of the Atlantic City Police Department's special investigations unit, said she had not been arrested there and was not known to city police.

But several prostitutes working along Pacific Avenue who were shown a photo of Ms. Dilts said yesterday they had seen the woman, whom they knew as Molly, soliciting customers on the street.

Mr. Blitz said he could not comment on the prostitutes' claims and said Ms. Dilts' background is still being investigated. She had no known occupation locally, he said.

Joe Boccino, who owns Papa Joe's Restaurant, where many prostitutes buy food, said he saw Ms. Dilts a few weeks ago.

"She comes and goes, comes and goes," he said. "She was always very polite with everybody in the neighborhood."

Mr. Boccino said he saw no evidence she was involved in prostitution.

Ms. Dilts had last been in touch with her family in Blairsville on Oct. 7, authorities said. A missing persons report about her had been filed and Ms. Dilts' fingerprints were used to learn her identity.

Ms. Dilts was charged last year in Pennsylvania for assault and possession of drug paraphernalia but did not show up for a court hearing in May, according to court records.

An autopsy could not determine her cause of death. She had no known local address, authorities said.

The other women have been identified as Kim Raffo, 35, Tracy Ann Roberts, 23, and Barbara V. Breidor, 42. Ms. Raffo, who had been living in Atlantic City, was strangled. Ms. Roberts, whose last known address also was in Atlantic City, died from asphyxia, but authorities do not know exactly how she was killed.

Like Ms. Dilts, a cause of death could not be determined for Ms. Breidor.