American authorities have made a major breakthrough in a decades-old murder case once connected to the infamous Gilgo Beach investigation, arresting a man for the 1997 killing of a young mother and her toddler.
A Decades-Long Mystery
For over two decades, the brutal 1997 murder of a woman found in a Long Island state park seemed destined to remain in the cold case files. The victim, whose body was dismembered, could only be identified by a distinctive tattoo of a peach on her torso. The case remained stagnant until 2011, when a grim discovery on a beachfront strip near Gilgo Beach changed everything.
While searching the area as part of a wider investigation into multiple murders, police uncovered new skeletal fragments. They also found the remains of the woman's two-year-old daughter. This discovery tied the case to the broader Gilgo Beach inquiry, which would later become one of America's most notorious serial killer investigations.
Arrest and Charges Filed
This week, the long-stalled case saw dramatic progress. Police have arrested and charged Andrew Dykes, 66, with the murder of the woman, who has since been identified as Tanya Denise Jackson. According to sources familiar with the sealed indictment, Dykes is also the father of the two-year-old victim, Tatiana Marie Jackson.
Dykes was apprehended in Tampa, Florida, and is currently being held in Hillsborough County jail as he awaits extradition to Long Island to face charges. A spokesperson for the Nassau County District Attorney's office has declined to comment on the ongoing case.
Separate from the Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Case
The arrest highlights the complex nature of the Gilgo Beach discoveries. In total, 10 sets of human remains were found along Ocean Parkway. While some victims are believed to be the work of a serial killer, authorities have long maintained the remote area may have been a dumping ground used by multiple perpetrators.
Another man, Rex Heuermann, a Long Island architect, has been charged in connection with seven of the Gilgo Beach killings. He has pleaded not guilty. Officials state there is no apparent link between Heuermann and Andrew Dykes, confirming this as a separate strand of the wider tragedy.
The identification of Tanya Jackson, previously known only as "Peaches" or Jane Doe #3, was confirmed by Nassau County police in April of this year. She was a 26-year-old Gulf War veteran originally from Mobile, Alabama, who was living in Brooklyn with her daughter at the time of her disappearance. Advanced DNA and genealogical research were crucial in finally putting a name to the victim.
At the time of the identification, officials noted the toddler's father was cooperating and was not considered a subject. The arrest of Dykes represents a significant new development. He is expected to be extradited to New York to face justice in the coming days.
