Appearing before the court on Thursday, the man accused of a harrowing crime involving the murder of a mother and her toddler daughter near the infamous Gilgo Beach area, took center stage in a case that has gripped the public’s attention. The suspect, Andrew Dykes, aged 66, was taken into custody on Wednesday in Florida, close to Tampa, following an arrest warrant from Nassau County, New York. This warrant is directly connected to the deaths of Tanya Jackson and her young daughter, Tatiana Dykes.

Back in April 2025, a significant development in this long-standing case was made public. Detective Sergeant Stephen E. Fitzpatrick of the Nassau County Police revealed that the bodies found along the Long Island shoreline belonged to 26-year-old Tanya Jackson and her daughter. This revelation brought to light new details in a mystery that had lingered for years.

For decades, Jackson was known only by the moniker Jane Doe #3, or “Peaches,” a nickname derived from a distinctive fruit tattoo she bore. This information was reported by The New York Times, which chronicled her tragic story. The gruesome details of Jackson’s murder include the discovery of her dismembered body, with her torso initially found inside a container in a wooded area of Hempstead Lake State Park back in June 1997. Additional remains were later uncovered near Gilgo Beach in 2011.

Jackson, a U.S. Army veteran, was known for decades as Jane Doe #3, or Peaches, due to a fruit tattoo she had, according to The New York Times.

Jackson’s body was reportedly dismembered. Initially, her torso was recovered from a container in a wooded area at Hempstead Lake State Park in June 1997. More of her remains were recovered near Gilgo Beach in 2011.

In 2011, Dykes’ body was found wrapped in a blanket on Ocean Parkway in Babylon. The toddler’s body was located near her mother’s remains. In 2015, DNA testing confirmed Dykes was Jackson’s daughter.

Genetic genealogy positively identified Dykes and Jackson in 2024.

“The pair were found during an extraordinary months-long search effort by police across Long Island that uncovered the remains of ten people. The massive search began in 2010 as police looked for Shannan Gilbert, who had gone missing earlier that year.

In December 2010, four other sets of human remains were found on Gilgo Beach in Suffolk County. These four—Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Lynn Costello, and Maureen Brainard-Barnes—were dubbed “The Gilgo Four.”

Orthram, the Texas-based forensic genetic genealogy company that helped identify Jackson and her daughter, said in a statement.

Dykes is facing murder charges, according to ABC7.

“She went out with a fight,” John Powell said.

“I promise you,” Randy Powell stated in agreement with John Powell.

While no suspect has been named in the death of Charity and the two children, SCSO CID is performing a thorough investigation.

“Search warrants have been written and executed, with more search warrants anticipated during the investigation,” SCSO wrote. “Interviews have taken place with more anticipated.”

SCSO is still in the information-gathering stage and encourages anyone with information to contact FSSO at 479-783-1051.

[Feature Photo: Nassau County police]