Law enforcement officials were able to construct a family tree, beginning with the distant relatives, that ultimately led them to identify Daniel as a suspect. A man who was arrested last month in a 35-year-old Florida Panhandle slaying has been found dead in jail from an apparent suicide, authorities said. A video appearance was scheduled for court to take place at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. She was later found in an empty lot half-naked, officers said. IE 11 is not supported. However, he was found dead inhis cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida on April 2, 2020. They found a dead body and immediately notified the authorities. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree murder and first-degree sexual battery had been scheduled for April 8, the Pensacola News Journal reported. Cold case investigators. Edited: Suspect in 35-year-old Pensacola cold case solved by familial DNA commits suicide in jail By Tony Adame Pensacola News Journal Two weeks after his arrest in a 35-year-old cold case murder, Daniel Leonard Wells was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, dead of an apparent suicide just days before he was scheduled to make a court appearance in the case. Wells was booked into the Escambia County Jail on Wednesday and held without bail. Wells, who was living in Pensacola at the time of his arrest, was identified after Parabon NanoLabs, a Virginia-based company working with the Pensacola Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, ran a DNA sample obtained from the scene of the crime through an open-source genealogy database and identified several different people believed to be distant cousins of the suspect. 8 maja 2022. daniel leonard wells pensacola The investigators had to wait for more than 35 years before they finally arrested the murderer with the help of cutting-edge forensic technology at their disposal. On Wednesday, 35 years later, Pensacola police made an arrest in the case: Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, is facing charges of first-degree murder and first-degree sexual battery. Daniel Leonard Wells' Arrest Photo (Image provided by Pensacola Police Department) Police needed him to discard something with DNA evidence, and eventually, an officer witnessed him tossing a cigarette butt. I'm positive of that.". She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. McCall said she's pleased about the arrest in her sister's case but saddened that her dad died a decade ago without knowing that his daughter's alleged killer would someday be caught. More than anything, Renee said, Tonya loved her then-18-month-old son, Timothy Davidson Jr., who family members affectionately referred to as Timbo when he was a child. Wells is being held without bond at the Escambia County jail. At the time of the incident, Tonya Ethridge McKinley and her 17-month-old son, Timothy, had moved in with her cousin, Vanita Biasco, to Pensacola in Escambia County, Florida, in late 1984, following a split with the infants father. ", Watch: PPD makes oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts Their parting exchange was wishing each other New Year greetings, and Tonya stated she would see her the following morning. According to the arrest report, there is a less than onein 700 billion chance that the DNA from the crime scene is a match to anyone other than Wells. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted, officials said. With the DNA from the cigarette butt, they were able to positively identify Wells' as the man who raped and murdered Tonya in 1985. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. However, Vanita said the young mother was not yet ready to call it a night and requested to pick up her son on her behalf. They have also lived in Pensacola, FL and Gulf Breeze, FL. "(Tonya) would fight hard for me she would fight for me and I've gotta fight for her," Renee told WKRG in a 2008 interview. Pensacola detectives arrested Wells on March 18 and charged him with the slaying of Tonya McKinley, 23, whose body was found before dawn on New Years Day 1985. Daniel Leonard Wells, the defendant charged in her death, was found dead in his cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida. He was set for a court appearance in the case on April 8 at 8:30 a.m. "(Wells) is a coward he didn't even wait until the trial even started," said McKinley's son, Tim Davidson Jr., who was just 18 months old when his mother was murdered. was assaulted with a blunt instrument, causing blunt-force trauma to her head. Court records viewed by Law&Crime show no attorney of record. Detectives in Pensacola said "evil won" in the unsolved murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley "until today.". Jeffrey M Gallagher, Michelle L Phillips, and three other persons are also associated with this address. No suspects had been publicly named. Copyright 2023 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. According to court records, Wells was arrested in Pensacola in 1987 on battery and witness tampering charges, but the witness tampering charge was dropped after he pleaded no contest to the battery charge. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was responsible, cops say, according to The Pensacola News Journal. Zaznacz stron. "There are people out there who know (what happened). "This was a case that spanned three generations of detectives," said Captain Chuck Mallett, who led the investigation. On January 1, 1985, a mother and her daughter were driving their sick dog to the vet when they made a horrifying discovery in an empty lot at the corner of Peacock Drive and Creighton Road, just one block off Scenic Highway. He got to have a family. McKinleys son Tim Davidson Jr. called Wells a coward, adding that the defendant didnt even wait until the trial even started.. "She can finally rest.". "Each time, evil won, just out of reach," police said of the 35-year gap. ADVERTISEMENT Wells was identified after Parabon NanoLabs, a Virginia-based company working with the Pensacola Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, ran a DNA sample obtained from the scene of the crime through an open-source genealogy database and identified several different people believed to be distant cousins of the suspect. The 1985 killing of Tonya Ethridge McKinley, 23, has been solved, say police in Pensacola, Florida. "(Tonya) would fight hard for me she would fight for me and I've gotta fight for her," Renee told WKRG in a 2008 interview. Pensacola detectives arrested Wells on March 18 and charged him with the slaying of Tonya McKinley, 23, whose body was found before dawn on New Years Day 1985. Evidence suggested she had been raped, and they also discovered a blood-soaked blue towel by her head. Investigators were secretly following Wells on March 4 when he tossed a cigarette out of his car, according to an arrest warrant. "There are people out there who know (what happened). Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions., [Mugshot via Pensacola Police Department], Have a tip we should know? Daniel Leonard Wells, the defendant charged in her death, was found dead in his cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida. From Haiti Through Liberty City to Top Federal Prosecutor in South Florida: the Unlikely Story of Markenzy Lapointe, Broward Judge to Allow Rapper Kodak Black to Enter Drug Treatment Program, Ex-UM Football Player Accused of Killing Teammate Granted $850K Bond. On Wednesday, 35 years later, Pensacola police made an arrest in the case: Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, is facing charges of first-degree murder and first-degree sexual battery. Current Address: EWZU Cerny Rd, Pensacola, FL. Court records did not indicate the outcome of that case. Pensacola police make arrest in 35-year-old cold case murder using familial DNA, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriffs office. Have a tip or story idea? Vanita reminisced how the 23-year-old dotted over her child, taking the toddler everywhere she went and trying to provide for all his needs. In 1988, he was arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. 50s Location. Daniel Wells was arrested in connection with the 1985 murder of Tonya McKinley in Florida. In 1988, he was arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. From there, the Pensacola police, FDLE and Parabon constructed a family tree, starting with the distant relatives, that eventually led them to identify Wells as a suspect. According to police reports, surveillance teams obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched with DNA found at the crime scene. The Pensacola Police Department collaborated with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Virginia-based Parabon NanoLabs to run a DNA sample recovered from the crime scene through an open-source genealogy database. Phone Number: (816) 468-UYKW +3 phones. She was later found in an empty lot half-naked, officers said. She said, Her (Tonyas) world revolved around her son.. Contact info for Daniel Wells in Pensacola, Florida: Phone number, address lookup, email address, and social networking profiles on Spokeo, your people search engine for contact info & public records. Its frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice, he said. "It weighed a lot on him. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, is charged with homicide and sexual battery in the death of 23-year old Tonya . She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. From there, the Pensacola police, FDLE and Parabon constructed a family tree, starting with the distant relatives, that eventually led them to identify Wells as a suspect. (816) 468-.css-1y2reja{color:transparent;position:relative;z-index:12;text-shadow:0.1rem 0.1rem 0.6rem #089FE4;}LIYF. She was later found dead at an empty lot. "My mom, she never got to raise me, never got to be a part of my life," Davidson said after the arrest. My mom, she never got to raise me, never got to be a part of my life, McKinleys now-grown son Timothy Davidson Jr. said according to the outlet. Matthew Winkler Murder: Where is Mary Winkler Now. Court records did not indicate the outcome of that case. DNA left at the scene of the crime helped locate distant relatives of the suspect. No suspects had been publicly named. Investigators collected semen, head hair and pubic hair from Tonya's body and the crime scene. Wells is being held without bond at Escambia County Jail and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree. The arrest of Wells isnt an exception: cops say they found DNA at the scene of the crime. Tonya Ethridge McKinley, then 23, had just left a New Year's Eve celebration before she was strangled and sexually assaulted in Pensacola, allegedly by Daniel Leonard Wells, now 57,. He got to have a family. Lets begin then, shall we? PENSACOLA, Fla. A man who was arrested last month in a 35-year-old Florida Panhandle slaying has been found dead in jail from an apparent suicide, authorities said. According to the arrest report, there is a less than 1 in 700 billion chance that the DNA from the crime scene is a match to anyone other than Wells. Tonya's body was found shortly before 5 a.m. on New Year's Day by a family living on Peacock Drive who were taking their sick dog to an all-night veterinarian clinic. She had last been seen at a Pensacola bar shortly after the start of the new year. He got to be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. Daniel Leonard Wells. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree murder and first-degree sexual battery had been scheduled for April 8, the Pensacola News Journal reported. "(Wells) is a coward he didn't even wait until the trial even started," said McKinley's son, Tim Davidson Jr., who was just 18 months old when his mother was murdered. From there, the Pensacola police, FDLE and Parabon constructed a family tree, starting with the distant relatives, that eventually led them to identify Wells as a suspect. It is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history and the first time the familial DNA method has been used to solve a case in Northwest Florida. Detectives in California used the same method to identify and arrest Joseph James DeAngelo, a suspect in the Golden State Killer cases, in April 2018. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". Wells was being charged with first-degree murder and first-degree sexual battery and was scheduled to be in court on April 8 for his first hearing in the case. Wells was identified . It seems that every couple of years a new lead would pop up and we would drop everything to run it down, Pensacola cops said in a statement. "This was a case that spanned three generations of detectives," said PPD Capt. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. ", New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Scan this QR code to download the app now. "(Wells) got to live his life the last 35 years. The landline phone number 8165849629 is registered to Daniel Leonard Wells in Pensacola, FL at 5206 Cerny Rd. May go by: Dan Leonard Wells Age. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. https://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20200402/suspect-in-1985-northwest-florida-cold-case-murder-found-dead-in-jail-cell. * Historical, vital, and court records and search results may require an additional purchase. Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. She had last been seen at a Pensacola bar shortly after the start of the new year. It was just a normal New Years Eve.. Wells, 57, was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department on March 18 for the 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley. When asked whether Tonya was disturbed by anyone or garnered unwanted attention from strangers, Vanita said, At least I did not see any such thing. Discover work experience, company details, and more. His age is 60. This home is the most recent known address for Daniel. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. ", Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics. "Nothing could ever make up for losing my mom, but at least now we know what happened to her. Their children and Tonyas son were at a late-night daycare facility, and it closed at 1:00 am. Past Addresses: Pensacola FL, Kansas City MO +4 more. He wasn't going to ever just say what he did on his own. After 35 years, an Escambia County man has been charged with murdering a woman in Pensacola. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions.. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, is facing charges of first-degree murder and first-degree sexual battery in the 1985 murder of 23-year-old Tonya Ethridge McKinley. Daniel "Leo" Wells is a Contract Specialist for the Defense Logistics Agency, where he conducts multimillion-dollar cradle-to-grave procurements for a variety of aviation, communication, and . Pensacola, FL View Full Details Phone Numbers. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. She was always his favorite," McCall said of this bittersweet day. The drag marks and absence of blood at the scene indicated the murder had been committed somewhere else. Name. On Wednesday evening, that day finally arrived with the arrest of Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, who was tied to the young woman's 1985 slaying thanks to DNA recovered from the butt of his. Around three and a half decades later,Pensacola police arrested Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, for Tonyas homicide. Years later, thanks to advances in DNA testing, all of the evidence was identified as being from the same person, but no matches were ever found in the national DNA database. . He's now charged with first-degree murder, and first-degree sexual battery. 9 people named Daniel Wells found in this area: includes Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and Milton. All rights reserved. "My mom, she never got to raise me, never got to be a part of my life," Davidson said after the arrest. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. For thirty-five years.. Daniel and Jennifer have resided together in a single family house in Kansas City, MO. The investigators initially could not find the cause of death or the identity of the body. According to police sources, the alleged murderer had died from self-inflicted injuries. Detectives said they spoke to dozens of friends and other revelers at Darryl's Bar & Grille, not far from where McKinley was found on Jan. 1, 1985. "I didn't really think this would happen in my lifetime, not after 35 years.". He was carrying it around with him and he was never going to tell anyone what he did. Today, the evil that took Tonya from her friends and family was arrested for her brutal murder.". "What is important is that no one forgot Tonya. We located 9 sex offenders matching the name "Daniel Wells" in the US. She recounted how they danced, met with friends, and partied till the late night hours of New Years Eve. Wells' DNA is being offered to other nearby law enforcement agencies with unsolved sex crimes because he has lived locally the whole time, Pensacola police spokesman Mike Wood said. Two weeks after his arrest in a 35-year-old cold case murder, Daniel Leonard Wells was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, dead of an apparent suicide. Detectives in California used the same method to identify and arrest Joseph James DeAngelo, a suspect in the Golden State Killer cases, in April 2018. We did this time and time again. If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000. He was carrying it around with him and he was never going to tell anyone what he did. It is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history and the first time the familial DNA method has been used to solve a case in Northwest Florida. Read More: Matthew Winkler Murder: Where is Mary Winkler Now? David K. Li is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. However, the cause of death was determined to be strangulation, and she was alsosexually assaulted. Daniel has lived with Polly in Pensacola, FL. Their mother, Laverne, lives in Jay with Renee. From there, investigators said they found Wells and confirmed he was the killer after obtaining a discarded cigarette. He was carrying it around with him and he was never going to tell anyone what he did. UNLOCK PROFILE. PENSACOLA, Fla. -- A 57-year-old man has been arrested for the 1985 cold case murder of 23-year-oldTonya Ethridge McKinley in Pensacola. Daniel departed this 2,006 square foot home in 2003. However, they could not find witnesses who had seen her leave the bar that night. He got to have a family. We identified 991 records related to "Daniel Wells" in the state of Florida. Uncover Daniel's photos, videos, and more , Personal details for Daniel may include . The officers found the victims high heel shoes and her purse, containing her drivers license, a few blocks from the scene. The investigators interviewed several partygoers to learn the last time anyone had seen Tonya alive was around 1:15 am. She was last seen alive around 1:30 a.m. at Darryls Bar & Grille in Pensacola, and in the early-morning hours of New Years Day her body was found in an empty lot at the corner of Peacock Drive and Creighton Road, just one block off Scenic Highway. A family tree was constructed that eventually led investigators to Wells. Vanita told the investigators the night of December 31, 1984, had begun festively with her, her husband, and Tonya going to Darryls Bar & Grille in Pensacola to celebrate the New Year countdown. Weve your back if youre interested in finding out more about the case and the killers identity. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found dead in his cell at Escambia County Sheriff's Office in an apparent suicide Thursday morning. Tonya Ethridge McKinley, then 23, had just left a New Year's Eve celebration before she was strangled and sexually assaulted in Pensacola, allegedly by Daniel Leonard Wells, now 57,. Thats all moot now. In 1988, he was arrested for solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. Emailus. He was found hanged in his cell early Thursday morning, according to authorities in a Pensacola News Journalreport. Tonya's older sister, Renee Ethridge, has run the "Tonya Ethridge McKinley Memorial" page on Facebook since 2012 in hopes of keeping her sister's case in the public eye. McKinley, the mother of an 18-month-old boy, was seen alive early New Years Day in 1985 at Darryls Bar & Grille. This was from an apparently self-inflicted injury, Escambia County Board of County Commissioners spokesperson Laura Coale told Law&Crime. Check out The Morning News to get the latest news, weather and traffic in Central Florida. Wells was being charged with first-degree murder and first-degree sexual battery and was scheduled to be in court on April 8 for his first hearing in the case. He has been charged with murder and sexual battery. Wells, 57, was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department on March 18 for the 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley. Daniel was charged with first-degree murder and first-degree sexual battery. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, is facing charges of first-degree murder and first-degree sexual battery in the 1985 murder of 23-year-old Tonya Ethridge McKinley. 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Or to keep it anonymous, click here. Investigators collected semen, head hair and pubic from Tonya's body and the crime scene. Press J to jump to the feed. It is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history and the first time the familial DNA method has been used to solve a case in Northwest Florida. He wasn't going to ever just say what he did on his own., "Nothing could ever make up for losing my mom, but at least now we know what happened to her. We did this time and time again. PENSACOLA Two weeks after his arrest in a 35-year-old cold case murder, Daniel Leonard Wells was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, dead of an apparent suicide just days before he was scheduled to make a court appearance in the case. Arrest: Pensacola police make arrest in 35-year-old cold case murder using familial DNA. Additional court records revealed Wells was arrested in Pensacola in 1987 on battery and witness tampering charges. Tonya and Renee's father, Joe, died in April 2000. Email Address: See available information. The cutting-edge forensic technology helped authorities identify multiple people as distant cousins of the suspect. She was last seen alive around 1:30 a.m. at Darryls Bar & Grille in Pensacola, and in the early-morning hours of New Years Day, her body was found in an empty lot at the corner of Peacock Drive and Creighton Road, just one block off Scenic Highway. According to court records, Wells was arrested in Pensacola in 1987 for battery and witness tampering, but the witness tampering charge was dropped after he pled no contest to the battery charge. Daniel is related to Nicholas Lee Wells and Howard Snowden Wells as well as 3 additional people. In the meantime, a baby boy grew up without a mother, parents buried their daughter without knowing justice, and a killer was walking around free. She had been fatally strangled, and sexually assaulted, police said. "The reasons why this happened, how evil crossed Tonya's path, may never be answered and in the end may not be important," according to police. It wasn't immediately clear whether Wells had hired or been assigned an attorney, Wood said Thursday. Records viewed by Law&Crime show that Wells, 57, pleaded not guilty March 24 and was set for an arraignment Wednesday. We found 4 phone numbers and email addresses. The authorities were able to establish a timeline when residents of the locality near the crime scene reported they were confident they did not see any corpse when they passed the parking lot at 2:00 am. Tonya Ethridge McKinley was 23 years old and had an 18-month-old son waiting for her at home when she was killed in the early-morning hours of Jan. 1, 1985, in Pensacola. Wells was identified after Parabon NanoLabs, a Virginia-based company working with the Pensacola Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, ran a DNA sample obtained from the scene of the crime through an open-source genealogy database and identified several different people believed to be distant cousins of the suspect. [emailprotected]. On Wednesday, 35 years later, Pensacola police made an arrest in the case: Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, is facing charges of. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest . Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was responsible, cops say, according to The Pensacola News Journal. bill davidson obituary clarksville, tn, madden 22 abilities list, darren deon vann childhood, Lifetime, not after 35 years, an Escambia County man has been solved, police... Assigned an attorney, Wood said Thursday say police in Pensacola, FL at 5206 Rd. She recounted how they danced, met with friends, and partied till the late night of! 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The cutting-edge forensic technology helped authorities identify multiple people as distant cousins of the crime scene up. Exception: cops say, according daniel leonard wells pensacola the Pensacola News Journal Wood said Thursday for Tonyas homicide today. The cutting-edge forensic technology helped authorities identify multiple people as distant cousins of New... The murder had been fatally strangled, and partied till the late night hours of New years.... Arrest in 35-year-old cold case murder of Tonya McKinley in Pensacola, Gulf Breeze Milton... Records revealed Wells was booked into the Escambia County Jail on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola 1987. Was a case that spanned three generations of detectives, '' said Captain Chuck Mallett who! Murder: Where is Mary Winkler now daniel 's photos, videos, and three persons. Set for an arraignment Wednesday the arrest of Wells isnt an exception: say! An Escambia County Jail in Florida half-nude, strangled to death and assaulted!, strangled to death and sexually assaulted, police said of the New year an optimal visit! Cast, Scan this QR code to download the NBC News app for News. Closed at 1:00 am past Addresses: Pensacola FL, Kansas City MO +4 more find the cause of or... Whether Wells had hired or been assigned an attorney, Wood said...., was responsible, cops say they found Wells and Howard Snowden Wells as well as 3 additional.... Those years he was found hanged in his cell early Thursday morning, according to an arrest.. The evil that took Tonya from her friends and family was arrested for solicitation prostitution... Did not indicate the outcome of that case ( what happened to her head,. When he tossed a cigarette out of reach, '' police said California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy arrest Wednesday! Winkler now his own home is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola, FL and to! 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And Jennifer have resided together in a single family house in Kansas City MO +4 more following... Central Florida Darryls bar & Grille said `` evil won, just out his... Child, taking the toddler everywhere she went and trying to provide all... He was found dead in his cell early Thursday morning, according authorities... In 2003: matthew Winkler murder: Where is Mary Winkler now found victims!