Andrew Dykes Pleads Not Guilty in 1997 Murder of Tanya Jackson, Linked to Gilgo Beach Investigation

Decades-Long Murder Mystery Solved

• 📌 A 66-year-old man, Andrew Dykes, has been extradited and charged with the 1997 murder of Tanya Jackson, with whom he fathered a child.
• 💡 The case was cracked using advanced DNA technology and a discarded drinking straw, solving a decades-long mystery.

The Victim and the Accused

• 💔 Tanya Jackson was the victim of a violent act by Andrew Dykes, a man she reportedly trusted.
• 🤝 Dykes and Jackson met in the army in Texas, had a baby, but Dykes was married with children.
• 👮‍♂️ Dykes went on to become a state police and corrections officer after Jackson's decapitated torso was found in 1997.

Gilgo Beach Connection and DNA Evidence

• 🔍 The search for victims near Gilgo Beach in 2011 led to the discovery of an unidentified toddler and the skull of the "Peaches" victim, later identified as Tanya Jackson.
• 👶 Advances in DNA technology two years ago identified Jackson and her baby, Tatiana Dykes, with the defendant listed as the father on the birth certificate.
• 🥤 DNA found on Jackson's torso allegedly matched a straw discarded by Dykes.

Legal Proceedings and Future Charges

• 🚫 Andrew Dykes pleaded not guilty to the charges.
• ⚖️ While Dykes is only charged with Jackson's murder, the DA believes he is responsible for the toddler's death and is pursuing additional charges.
• 🗣️ Dykes allegedly admitted to being the child's father but claimed ignorance regarding the deaths of the two women.