Suspect Indicted in 1997 Peaches Cold Case After DNA Breakthrough

Nassau County prosecutors returned an indictment on December 19 charging Andrew Dykes, a 66 year old Florida resident and U.S. Army veteran, with second degree murder in the 1997 death of Tanya Denise Jackson. Jackson, who had been publicly known for decades as the unidentified victim Peaches, was discovered in Hempstead Lake State Park in 1997. Investigators later linked those remains through additional discoveries and forensic work to a two year old child identified as Tatiana Marie Dykes.

Authorities said the break came after advances in forensic genetic genealogy and DNA testing were applied to the evidence. A DNA sample collected from a discarded drinking cup, described as an abandonment sample, played a key role in connecting Dykes to the remains. The multi agency investigative effort included the Nassau County Police Department, the FBI and other partners, officials said.

Dykes was arrested in Florida on December 3 and extradited to New York. He was arraigned and pleaded not guilty. He is due back in court in January. Prosecutors emphasized that the new charges are allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Officials also clarified that this matter is being handled as a long unsolved homicide rather than as part of the Gilgo Beach serial killer investigations. That distinction narrows the focus of the inquiry to the evidence and victims tied to the Hempstead Lake State Park discovery and subsequent identifications.

For the community this development provides a concrete example of how modern forensic methods can revive cold cases and produce new leads even after decades. Family members affected by the 1997 discovery may gain long awaited answers, and investigators elsewhere may view this as a model for reexamining unsolved files. If you have information related to this case, contact local law enforcement so investigators can follow up.