Man Indicted for 1997 Murder of Tanya Jackson, Body Found Near Gilgo Beach

Cold Case Arrest in Tanya Jackson Murder

• 🎯 Andrew Dykes, a 66-year-old Florida resident, has been indicted for the 1997 murder of Tanya Jackson, also known as 'Peaches'.
• 💡 Dykes, a former state trooper, army veteran, and anatomy instructor, was arrested decades after the crime.

Gruesome Details of the Crime

• 🔪 Prosecutors allege Dykes, with his anatomy expertise, dismembered Jackson's body.
• 💔 Jackson, a Gulf War veteran, and her two-year-old daughter, Tatiana Dykes, were discovered near Gilgo Beach.
• ⚠️ Dykes is currently charged only with Jackson's murder, though investigators believe he committed both killings.

DNA Evidence and Technological Advances

• 🔬 DNA found in Jackson's torso in 1997 was matched decades later to a plastic straw used by Dykes.
• 📈 The use of newer DNA technology is highlighted as crucial in solving this nearly 30-year-old case.
• 🗣️ Defense attorneys have raised concerns about the scrutiny and challenge of the technology used.

Connection to Gilgo Investigation

• 📌 Tatiana Dykes' body was discovered in 2011, bringing the case into the spotlight during the Gilgo investigation.
• 🚫 It is important to note that Dykes is not linked to the alleged Gilgo serial killer, Rex Heuermann, who was connected to seven other sets of remains.
• 🔍 The identification of Tanya Jackson was aided by a tattoo, leading to her being known as 'Peaches' by police.