Man arrested in Florida in killing of woman in case once associated with Long Island serial murders: Sources

A 26-year-old woman's body was discovered in a lake on Long Island in June 1997. She was later identified as Tanya Jackson, whose life was forever changed by this tragic event. Eighteen years after Jackson's death, her two-year-old daughter, Tatiana Dykes, also met with a terrible end - her remains were found near Gilgo Beach.

The investigation led to the arrest of Andrew Dykes, who is believed to be Jackson's father and whose DNA investigators matched in connection with the case. Dykes, 66, was arrested near Tampa on charges of two counts of murder after an arrest warrant was issued for him from Nassau County, New York.

Dykes did not enter a plea and will return next week to a Florida court as the prosecution seeks his extradition to New York. The Nassau County district attorney's office declined to comment.

In 2023, Long Island architect Rex Heuermann was arrested in connection with several of the Gilgo Beach slayings. However, he was never charged with the killings of Jackson or her daughter. Despite this, the case of Tanya and Tatiana Dykes remains one that has been linked to the same serial killer who terrorized the Long Island area.

In April, authorities announced they had finally identified Jackson and her daughter, offering a $25,000 reward for information in the cold case. The girl's body was discovered close to where other women were found along the southern shore of Long Island, leading to speculation that these deaths might be connected to the work of a serial killer.

The Gilgo Beach murders drew national attention due to their gruesome nature and the eerie circumstances surrounding the bodies' locations.

OMG like what's going on with this Dykes guy?! he's been linked to Tatiana's death and now he's in trouble for murder charges... 18 years too late but I guess justice is being served? I mean, can you even imagine how tough it must've been for Tanya Jackson and her family all those years ago? I feel so bad for them. And to think Rex Heuermann was also involved in the Gilgo Beach slayings... what a twisted world we live in

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this case ... 18 years after her death, Tatiana's life was cut short too? It's just heartbreaking thinking about what these women went through and what their families are going through now . The fact that Andrew Dykes is being extradited to NY for the murders of Tanya and her daughter sends chills down my spine... it's like justice is finally being served after all this time . And what's even more disturbing is that there was a serial killer lurking around Long Island, preying on these women... how many others were victims before Tatiana? It's just so surreal thinking about the lives lost and the pain endured by families who never got closure .

I cant even imagine what Tanya Jackson's family must have gone thru all those years ago . Eighteen years on, they finally get some answers - her daughter Tatiana is also gone . And now Andrew Dykes is behind bars, but the fact that he might've killed them both in the first place still gives me chills . The whole thing just feels so wrong, especially after finding out Rex Heuermann was involved in other Gilgo Beach murders without being charged . It's crazy how this all ties together now - same serial killer, same beach, same tragedy... it's just heartbreaking .

just saw this news about the guy who's supposedly the dad of Tanya Jackson's daughter Tatiana... like, I'm all for closure and justice but 18 years late? seems like an awful lot of time for DNA to magically match up, don't you think? also, can we talk about how Rex Heuermann got away with being an architect AND a serial killer lol? what's the criteria for that kind of skillset again?

omg u guys think this case is getting cold ?? no way !! Tanya & Tatiana's story is still so fresh in our minds , and now that Andrew Dykes has been caught, i'm low-key hoping justice is served . I mean, can you even imagine being in his shoes (or lack thereof) knowing u did this to these 2 innocent souls ?? . The fact that Rex Heuermann got arrested back in 2023 but wasn't charged for the same murders is just wild ... it's like, what's going on with those authorities??

Ugh, serial killers are just so 90s lol . I mean, who needs a TV show when you've got real-life horrors like this? Anyway, glad they were able to identify Tanya's remains after all these years - it's about time justice was served for her and her kiddo . And now Andrew Dykes is facing some serious charges... let's hope he gets what's coming to him . It's wild that Rex Heuermann didn't get charged with the killings, though - guess you could say he got a free pass or something . This whole thing just gives me chills, but I'm glad we're finally getting some answers after all these years .

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this case... The fact that Andrew Dykes, supposedly Tanya Jackson's dad, is being charged with her murder & his daughter Tatiana's too, is just mind-blowing. I mean, 18 years later and suddenly he's a suspect? It's like they've been investigating this for ages and finally have enough evidence to pin it on him. But what about the architect Rex Heuermann who was arrested in 2023? Didn't that count for anything? The fact that his case is separate from Jackson & her daughter's is still a bit weird. And what about the investigation timeline? It seems like all these cases are somehow linked to this serial killer, but how did it take so long to get them all solved? Anyway, I'm glad justice might finally be served for Tanya and Tatiana...

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this case. 18 years after Tatiana's death, we're finally getting some answers about what happened to Tanya and her daughter. It's just heartbreaking to think about what they went through. And now that Andrew Dykes has been arrested, it's like a weight has been lifted off the community's shoulders. I do wonder why he didn't come forward all those years ago... maybe justice will be served when he's extradited back to NY?

omg this is so weird how it's all connected to Long Island where i went to school i mean, remember those rumors about there being a serial killer around Gilgo Beach? everyone thought it was just old news but now it seems like there are more victims... tanya and tatiana dykes were identified 18 yrs after tanya died which is just crazy i feel bad for her daughter who had to go through all that without even knowing the truth about her mom's death and now they're saying that another guy might be behind it all... rex heuermann was arrested but not charged? what a bummer

Man, this is just so sad . I feel for Tanya's family, you know? Her daughter Tatiana was just two years old... it's like, what happened to her? And now we're talking about Andrew Dykes, who's been arrested again after 18 years . It's like, the justice system is just catching up and trying to make sense of all this.

And you know, I'm still thinking about Rex Heuermann... he was supposed to be charged with some of these murders but didn't get the chance . So now we're left wondering if there's more than one guy out there who was behind all these terrible things .

I just wish Tanya and Tatiana could've had a happy life, you know? They deserved it . The whole thing is just so tragic and it makes me really grateful for my own family and the safety we have .

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this case... so many lives lost and no one should ever have to go through what Tanya Jackson and Tatiana Dykes' families went through . The fact that there was a cold case for 18 years is just heartbreaking... it's like, where did the investigation even start?

I'm glad they were finally able to identify Jackson and her daughter, but now we have more questions than answers . It's crazy that Andrew Dykes was able to fly under the radar for so long without anyone suspecting him of being Tatiana's father or a serial killer... what did he do while all these women were dying?

I'm also kinda curious about Rex Heuermann... how did they link him to some of the murders, but not the ones that Tanya and Tatiana died from? Was there a reason they couldn't charge him with those killings?

Ugh, just thinking about all this is giving me the chills... these girls deserved so much better

omg did u know that lake michigan is like 75% frozen in winter?? i was just chillin on reddit reading about the gilgo beach murders and suddenly i'm thinking of wintery lakes and how cold it must be to swim in them lol anyway back to the case - so this andrew dykes guy seems super shady but at least he's being extradited to ny? guess u can say justice is being served for tatiana & tanya

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this case... it's like, what do we even learn from these kinds of tragedies? That our lives are so fragile, you know? One minute you're swimming in a lake, enjoying time with your little one, and the next... it's all over. Tatiana was only two years old! Can you imagine growing up without seeing her mom again? It's heartbreaking.

And Andrew Dykes, he's like this enigma, right? He was hiding in plain sight all these years, just going about his life while his daughter and half-sister were being brutally taken away. I keep thinking about the choices we make in life, and how they can lead us down paths we never could have imagined.

I also think about Rex Heuermann, who's been arrested for other killings but wasn't charged in this case... it's like, justice is so complicated, you know? We want to see bad guys held accountable, but sometimes the system gets it wrong. What do we do with that knowledge? Do we just keep moving forward, or do we use it as a reminder to hold onto hope?

Ugh, this case is still giving me chills ! I mean, 18 years ago, Tanya Jackson's life was brutally cut short, and now her tiny daughter Tatiana has also paid the ultimate price . The fact that Andrew Dykes is being accused of both murders is just devastating... I'm all for justice, but how did it take so long to catch this guy?

And can you even imagine going through life with a family tragedy like this? It's like, you're trying to heal and move on, but then there's always this looming sense of fear that someone from your past is still out there... . I'm glad authorities were finally able to identify the girls and offer some closure to the family... 25k reward for info was a good start .

Long Island has been through so much trauma with these Gilgo Beach murders , it's like they've become a part of the island's dark history. I hope justice is served and Dykes gets what's coming to him... he needs to face his demons ! #JusticeForTanyaAndTatiana #LongIslandTragedy #ColdCaseSolved

this is just so heartbreaking - two young lives lost in such tragedy & now we're left with questions like how did it all come to this? 18 yrs after Tanya's death, Tatiana's remains were found near Gilgo Beach... it's like the cycle of pain kept going on . The investigation that led to Andrew Dykes' arrest is a big step forward, but extradition to NY is still pending, what if he's not guilty?! and Rex Heuermann being arrested in 2023 was a shock... it just goes to show how long this case has been open . A $25k reward for info... maybe now justice will be served for Tanya & Tatiana .

just saw this news about the Dykes case and its crazy how it all connects back to Tanya Jackson's life 18 yrs ago... like what are the chances that her daughter would get killed too? anyway, the fact that they finally identified both women is amazing, i mean $25k reward for info was a good move by authorities. not sure why Rex Heuermann wasn't charged though, seems suspicious he's still walking free while Dykes is locked up... fingers crossed they get him extradited to NY next week

I don’t usually comment but I think it’s crazy how long this case has gone on . Eighteen years is a bloody eternity, right? It's like, what even happened to these girls? And now Tatiana's daughter meets the same end... it's just heartbreaking . I mean, I've heard of cold cases going on for ages but this one's just mind-boggling. The fact that they finally identified Tanya and her daughter after all these years is just amazing . But like, what about Andrew Dykes? He's got DNA and everything... it feels like he should've been caught ages ago . Anyway, I hope justice gets served for Tatiana too . The thought of some twisted serial killer running around those beaches all those years... ugh, just gives me the chills .

this is so messed up, like 8 years after Tatiana's death her mom Tanya's remains were found too... what was going on? and now Andrew Dykes is a suspect, but he's already been arrested in Florida, I guess they're trying to get him back to NY for trial... this case is just so sad, Tatiana was only 2 years old when she died...

its crazy to think about how far this case has gone . 18 yrs after the girl got murdered, her daughter turns up dead too... and now her dad is in the slammer . i mean, what a web of tragedy . the fact that rex heuermann was arrested but never charged with anything just adds to all the unanswered questions .

i wish they could get more info out about the serial killer... its so frustrating when crimes like these go cold . i guess justice is finally being served for tanya and tatiana, even if it's 18 yrs late .