Pensacola, FL View Full Details Phone Numbers. He was carrying it around with him and he was never going to tell anyone what he did. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". daniel leonard wells pensacola daniel leonard wells pensacola. She was later found in an empty lot half-naked, officers said. Thats all moot now. Zaznacz stron. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. . The Escambia County Sheriff's Office confirmed Wells had been found dead in his cell. Wells was recently identified after a Virginia-based company working with the Pensacola Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement ran a DNA sample from the crime scene through an open-source genealogy database and identified several distant cousins of the suspect. 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. IE 11 is not supported. . Emailus. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was responsible, cops say, according to The Pensacola News Journal. 5 records for "Daniel Wells" in "Escambia County". 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. Counts may not reflect the number of records that will appear in search results. 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. Past Addresses: Pensacola FL, Kansas City MO +4 more. They found a dead body and immediately notified the authorities. This home is the most recent known address for Daniel. DNA left at the scene of the crime helped locate distant relatives of the suspect. Chuck Mallett, who led the investigation. "There are people out there who know (what happened). According to police sources, the alleged murderer had died from self-inflicted injuries. 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. Discover work experience, company details, and more. 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. The investigators had retrieved semen, head hair, and pubic hair from Tonyas body and the crime scene. 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. Daniel lives at 5206 Cerny Rd, Pensacola, FL. Daniel is related to Nicholas Lee Wells and Howard Snowden Wells as well as 3 additional people. Results for this person or the person you are looking for are not guaranteed to appear in search results. 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. The investigators interviewed several partygoers to learn the last time anyone had seen Tonya alive was around 1:15 am. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. (816) 468-.css-1y2reja{color:transparent;position:relative;z-index:12;text-shadow:0.1rem 0.1rem 0.6rem #089FE4;}LIYF. "It seems that every couple of years a new lead would pop up and we would drop everything to run it down. McKinley in Pensacola, Florida, on the first day of 1985. Using that, they and Parabon made use of an open-source genealogy database, used it to locate distant relatives of the suspect, and finally found the defendant, officers said in the Pensacola News Journal report. 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. Jeffrey M Gallagher, Michelle L Phillips, and three other persons are also associated with this address. She had last been seen at a Pensacola bar shortly after the start of the new year. Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. "(Wells) got to live his life the last 35 years. Browse . David K. Li is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. He was found hanged in his cell early Thursday morning, according to authorities in a Pensacola News Journalreport. McKinleys son Tim Davidson Jr. called Wells a coward, adding that the defendant didnt even wait until the trial even started.. * Historical, vital, and court records and search results may require an additional purchase. Tonya and Renee's father, Joe, died in April 2000. 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. However, the cause of death was determined to be strangulation, and she was alsosexually assaulted. Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. Wells, 57, was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department on . Weve your back if youre interested in finding out more about the case and the killers identity. Wells was recently identified after a Virginia-based company working with the Pensacola Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement ran a DNA sample from the crime scene through an open-source genealogy database and identified several distant cousins of the suspect. She said, Her (Tonyas) world revolved around her son.. "Until today. 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. The drag marks and absence of blood at the scene indicated the murder had been committed somewhere else. Spokeo's database, while extensive, does not contain all U.S. warrant, arrest, court, or other related records. She was later found dead at an empty lot. They have also lived in Pensacola, FL and Gulf Breeze, FL. 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. 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. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. Court records viewed by Law&Crime show no attorney of record. "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. ", Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. From there, investigators said they found Wells and confirmed he was the killer after obtaining a discarded cigarette. Press J to jump to the feed. PENSACOLA 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. Cold case investigators. [Image of McKinley via Pensacola Police Department; mugshot of Wells via Escambia County], Have a tip we should know? Matthew Winkler Murder: Where is Mary Winkler Now. ", Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics. Pensacola Police announced Thursday that Daniel Leonard Wells, of Pensacola, was arrested Wednesday and charged with homicide and sexual battery. PENSACOLA, Fla. -- A 57-year-old man has been arrested for the 1985 cold case murder of 23-year-oldTonya Ethridge McKinley in Pensacola. He got to have a family. Their parting exchange was wishing each other New Year greetings, and Tonya stated she would see her the following morning. 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. Search for birth, death, marriage, divorce, US Census, and military records. The 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley, 23, will never go to trial. . 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. The cutting-edge forensic technology helped authorities identify multiple people as distant cousins of the suspect. 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. "(Wells) got to live his life the last 35 years. Daniel Leonard Wells. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. "Nothing could ever make up for losing my mom, but at least now we know what happened to her. "What is important is that no one forgot Tonya. A video appearance was scheduled for court to take place at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. There are 5 court records for "Daniel Wells" in "Escambia County". "I didn't really think this would happen in my lifetime, not after 35 years.". No suspects had been publicly named. Wells is being held without bond at the Escambia County jail. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Disclaimer: Reference to these media outlets or TV shows should not be construed to imply an endorsement or sponsorship of Spokeo or its products. He got to be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. Orlando police used the method in November 2018 to identify a suspect in the 2001 murder of Christine Franke and arrested Benjamin Holmes for first-degree murder. Landlines (4) (850) 584-9629 (816) 584 . 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. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree. However, forensic science was yet to evolve in 1985, and with the police having no leads or suspects, the case went cold. View Dan Rowdy Wells's record in Pensacola, FL including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. With the DNA from the cigarette butt, they were able to positively identify Wells' as the man who raped and murdered Tonya in 1985. and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. "It weighed a lot on him. 3,876 court search results for people named "Daniel Wells" in the United States. 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. If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000. ". 50s Location. 9 people named Daniel Wells found in this area: includes Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and Milton. However, he was found dead inhis cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida on April 2, 2020. 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. 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. Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. In 1988, he was arrested for solicitation of prostitution in 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. Uncover details about birth, marriage, and divorce. 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. May 8, 2022 | In best courses to study in uk for masters | . Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions. "My mom, she never got to raise me, never got to be a part of my life," Davidson said after the arrest. 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 witness tampering charge was dropped after he pleaded no contest to the battery charge. Tonyas son Tim Davidson Jr. called Daniel a coward, adding that the defendant didnt even wait until the trial started. He said, Its frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice. "There are people out there who know (what happened). 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. Daniel moved out of this 3.5 bath home in 2016. 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