Monday, May 19, 2025
Tanya Denise Jackson is the name of the woman who was known as "Peaches" and whose body was found in Lakeview near Hempstead Lake State Park in 1997. Her baby, who was also murdered, was identified as Tatiana Marie Dykes.
The identities were revealed by the Nassau County police on Monday after DNA was tested by the FBI, police said.
"The reality is our work has just begun," Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said. "Knowing the identities of the mom and the little baby is just the first step to help us get to solving these murders."
"Please, if you knew Tanya, if you worked with her, if you met her at the grocery store, you had an interaction with her, please contact us and let us know," Donnelly added. "Every little thing we can find out about her leading up to her death will help us to solve this horrific, horrific crime."
Jackson was born in Alabama and served in the U.S. army from July 1993 to February 1995 in Texas, Georgia and Missouri, according to information from NCPD. The 26-year-old single mother was living in Brooklyn at the time of the murder.
Jackson's body was located 27 years ago, when her torso was found in Hempstead Lake State Park on June 28, 1997. Prior to identifying Jackson, she was often refered to as "Peaches," based on the heart-shapped peach tattoo located on her chest.
Tatiana was born in Texas on March 17, 1995. Tatiana was two years old when she was murdered. Her body was found 14 years ago, on April 11, 2011, near Ocean Parkway in Babylon.
Officials said Jackson possibly worked at a doctor's office as a medical assistant. While she was at work a female friend or neighbor watched Tatiana.
Due to the location at which Tatiana's body, along with scattered remains of Jackson's were found, their deaths have often been associated with the Gilgo Beach murders. It is widely suspected they were victims of the serial killer now allegedly identified as Rex Heuermann. Though the NCPD has not determined they are linked and are looking into all potential leads.
"I hope todays announcement brings a sense of peace to their family and loved ones," said Christopher Raia, assistant director in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's New York field office.
In December 2016 DNA evidence linked the bodies of Jane Doe #3 and Baby Doe together as mother and daughter, but it was in partnering with the FBI that investigators were able to identify Jackson and Tatiana.
The FBI's Investigative Genetic Geneology Team "combines crime scene DNA with traditional genealogy research and historical records to generate leads to identify unknown DNA," Raia said.
The DNA evidence in this case was given to the FBI in 2020, which they potentially identified in 2022 and delivered to Nassau County detectives in 2023. County police then traveled to interview relatives of Jackson and gather DNA that allowed them to confirm the victims identities in 2024.
"The meticulous work of our team in partnership with the determined efforts of the detectives from the Nassau County homicide squad ultimately helped confirm the identites of our victims in this case," Raia said.
Police said that Tatiana's father is alive and cooperating with authorities. Jackson and her daughter have since been laid to rest with family in Alabama and Jackson was given full military honors.
"We will follow every lead, we will pull at every thread, until we can get justice for this mother and this child," Donnelly said.
A $25,000 reward has been offered for information leading to an arrest of the killer or killers. A tip can be submitted to 1-800-244-8477 or www.nassaucountycrimestoppers.com
