A new DNA test has the potential to provide a resolution to the Lindbergh Baby case. The upcoming trial related to the “Long Island Serial Killer” has drawn national attention, and recent developments have shed light on possible additional victims. Two bodies discovered near Long Island’s Gilgo Beach 14 years apart have been identified and are believed to be connected.
One of the bodies, known as “Peaches” due to a tattoo of the fruit being a distinguishing feature, has been identified through DNA analysis as 26-year-old Tanya Jackson. The second body, that of a 2-year-old child found 20 miles away, has been confirmed to be her daughter, Tatiana Dykes. Investigators are now working to determine the circumstances of their deaths and if they are linked to the killings attributed to suspect Rex Heuermann.
The use of cutting-edge DNA analysis in the Gilgo Beach case has sparked discussions among historians and true crime enthusiasts about how this technology could have impacted infamous cases from the past. One such case is the Lindbergh Baby kidnapping, known as the “Crime of the Century.” Charles Lindbergh’s child was abducted in 1932, and the subsequent trial led to the conviction and execution of Bruno Hauptmann. However, doubts have persisted about Hauptmann’s guilt and possible accomplices.
In a recent development, three individuals who have questioned Hauptmann’s conviction have filed a lawsuit seeking to re-examine evidence from the Lindbergh case using modern DNA analysis. They hope to test envelopes containing the original ransom notes to identify potential collaborators in the crime. By extracting DNA from the adhesive materials on the envelopes, similar to the methods used in the Gilgo Beach case, they aim to uncover new leads that could clarify uncertainties surrounding the historic case.
The lawsuit, filed by an American history professor, a retired New Jersey teacher, and a developmental psychologist, underscores the evolving potential of DNA testing in solving long-standing mysteries. Genetic genealogist Colleen Fitzpatrick highlighted the advancements in DNA technology, emphasizing the opportunity to uncover critical information that could resolve lingering doubts surrounding the Lindbergh Baby case.
Patrick discussed with Newsday the aim of the lawsuit, explaining that genetic genealogy could potentially help researchers track down other living relatives of any potential coconspirators involved in the kidnapping, even those who have long since passed away. She highlighted the fact that DNA had been successfully extracted from 19th-century envelopes before, indicating that similar efforts have been done in the past. The lawyer who filed the complaint, Kurt W. Perhach, suggested that conducting this analysis could shed light on whether Hauptmann had assistance in the crime, possibly from someone close to the Lindbergh family. Perhach argued that there are too many circumstantial elements in the case to believe that Hauptmann acted alone.
