Decades-Old Mystery: Mother and Child Identified in Gilgo Beach Case

Police have identified the remains of a woman and her child found near Long Island's Gilgo Beach as Tanya Denise Jackson and her daughter Tatiana Marie Dykes. Despite previous links, no evidence currently connects their murders to those related to suspect Rex Heuermann. Advanced genetic research aided these identifications.

In a significant development in the Gilgo Beach investigation, Nassau County Police have identified the remains of a woman and her child discovered near Gilgo Beach nearly 30 years ago. The mother, known as 'Peaches' due to a tattoo on her body, has been identified as Tanya Denise Jackson, a former US Army veteran.

Jackson's 2-year-old daughter has been identified as Tatiana Marie Dykes. Despite previous suspicions of a link to the Gilgo Beach serial killings, authorities have found no evidence linking their deaths to suspect Rex Heuermann. Investigators stressed that their probe continues with an open mind.

DNA and advanced genealogy research were instrumental in identifying the victims. Jackson's family had been estranged, and she had served in the US Army in the mid-1990s. The identification is a crucial step toward solving these cold case murders, though their connection to other found remains remains uncertain.

(With inputs from agencies.)