Florida Man Charged with Murder in 1997 Gilgo Beach Case Involving “Peaches” and Her Daughter
Florida Man Charged with Murder in 1997 Gilgo Beach Case of Tanya Denise Jackson
In a significant breakthrough in a decades-old murder case, Andrew Dykes, 66, of Tampa, Florida, has been arrested and charged with the murder of Tanya Denise Jackson, a victim long known as “Peaches.” The indictment comes nearly 26 years after Jackson’s remains were discovered in Nassau County, just miles from those of her toddler daughter, Tatiana Marie Dykes.
Dykes was indicted on Wednesday by a grand jury in Nassau County and is currently being held in the Hillsborough County jail on a fugitive warrant from New York. He made his initial court appearance in Florida on Thursday, just hours after his indictment, and is awaiting extradition to face charges in New York.
Jackson, a Gulf War veteran originally from Mobile, Alabama, was last seen alive just days before her dismembered torso was found in a wooded area at Hempstead Lake State Park on June 28, 1997. Her remains were identified only by an abdominal scar and a distinctive tattoo of a bitten peach on her chest. Tragically, her daughter Tatiana’s skeletal remains were discovered along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach in 2011, although they had been missing for years.
The investigation into Jackson’s murder has been complex, with the FBI making a rough identification of both mother and daughter in 2022. By 2023, additional DNA evidence confirmed their identities, leading to the notification of family members. Dykes, identified as the biological father of Tatiana, has not yet been charged in connection with the child’s death.
Detective Captain Stephen Fitzpatrick of the Nassau County homicide squad described Jackson as a single mother who worked as a medical assistant. The circumstances surrounding her disappearance and the subsequent discovery of her remains have left investigators puzzled for years, especially given her transient lifestyle as a military family member.
The case gained renewed attention in recent years, particularly as it is linked to the ongoing investigation into the Gilgo Beach murders, where several women’s remains were found in close proximity to Tatiana’s. Notably, Rex A. Heuermann, 62, has been charged with multiple murders in connection with these cases, though he has pleaded not guilty.
As the investigation continues, the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office has declined to comment on the indictment, and officials from the Nassau County Police Department and the FBI have not yet responded to inquiries.
The remains of Tanya Denise Jackson and her daughter were laid to rest earlier this year at the Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery, bringing a somber closure to a case that has haunted families and investigators alike for decades. The arrest of Andrew Dykes marks a pivotal moment in the pursuit of justice for both mother and daughter, as the community awaits further developments in this tragic story.