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A man from Florida has been arrested in relation to the death of Tanya Jackson, a mother whose murder was once suspected to be linked to the infamous Gilgo Beach serial killer, as reported by various news outlets.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office detained 66-year-old Andrew Dykes on November 3 under a fugitive warrant for a murder charge originating from New York. Camille Gayle, the Public Relations Coordinator for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed to Oxygen that the arrest occurred at a residence in Ruskin, Florida, on November 5.
Law enforcement officials have identified the victim in this case as Tanya Jackson, according to ABC News.
As per previous police statements, Jackson’s body was found in June 1997 at Hempstead Lake State Park in Lakeview, New York. For many years, she was referred to as “Peaches” due to a unique tattoo she bore.
The investigation took a significant turn in 2011 when the remains of her 2-year-old daughter, Tatiana Dykes, were discovered on Gilgo Beach amid the search for the Gilgo Beach serial killer. This led investigators to initially suspect a connection between their deaths and the serial killer.
More than a decade later, in 2011, the remains of her 2-year-old daughter Tatiana Dykes were found along Gilgo Beach during the investigation into the Gilgo Beach serial killer, causing investigators to initially think the pair could be connected to the serial killer.
In April of 2025, authorities announced that they had identified “Peaches” as Jackson, a 26-year-old military veteran. At the time she disappeared, police said she had been living in Brooklyn and working as a medical assistant, per The New York Post.
Dykes appeared before a Hillsborough County judge Thursday Dec. 4, according to WFLA, and is expected to be extradited back to New York at a later date.
It’s unclear whether he has retained an attorney.
The Nassau County Police and Nassau County District Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the reports to Oxygen.
After the arrest, Dykes’ neighbor Rich Moran told WFLA he was shocked to see law enforcement officers taking the 66-year-old into custody.
“That’s kind of scary when you think about it actually,” he told the outlet. “I would never have thought that; he didn’t seem anything like that.”
Who is the Gilgo Beach Serial Killer?
Long Island architect Rex Heuermann was arrested in 2023 in connection to the Gilgo Beach murders.
Authorities believe Heuermann—who was never charged in connection to the death of Jackson or her daughter—killed seven women, disposing of many of their bodies in the Gilgo Beach area.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and is awaiting trial at the Riverhead Correctional Facility in Suffolk County.
