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. Spokeo's database, while extensive, does not contain all U.S. warrant, arrest, court, or other related records. He was carrying it around with him and he was never going to tell anyone what he did. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree. I'm positive of that.". Records viewed by Law&Crime show that Wells, 57, pleaded not guilty March 24 and was set for an arraignment Wednesday. 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. 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. Also, the way he had disposed of the body and other evidence, such as her purse and shoes, indicated the perpetrator was in a hurry. May 8, 2022 | In best courses to study in uk for masters | . Hes now charged with first-degree murder, and first-degree sexual battery. Wells, 57, was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department on March 18 for the 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley. Today, the evil that took Tonya from her friends and family was arrested for her brutal murder.". A video appearance was scheduled for court to take place at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. Press J to jump to the feed. Emailus. In 1988, he was arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. Detectives in Pensacola said "evil won" in the unsolved murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley "until today.". Weve your back if youre interested in finding out more about the case and the killers identity. 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. Pensacola police make arrest in 35-year-old cold case murder using familial DNA, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Phone & Email (4) All Addresses (7) Family (3) 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. We located 9 sex offenders matching the name "Daniel Wells" in the US. Police "immediately stopped and recovered the cigarette butt," which had DNA matching semen taken off the victim's body, according to the warrant. 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. They found a dead body and immediately notified the authorities. The cutting-edge forensic technology helped authorities identify multiple people as distant cousins of the suspect. He was born on 1-06-1962. Phone Number: (816) 468-UYKW +3 phones. Renee said Tonya loved Rod Stewart and KISS and was trying to make a better life for herself when she was killed. He's now charged with first-degree murder, and first-degree sexual battery. Lets begin then, shall we? 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. We did this time and time again. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". "(Wells) got to live his life the last 35 years. But for most of the time, they had no suspect in the killing of McKinley, who was survived by an 18-month-old son. The defendant got to live his life the last 35 years. 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. 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. 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. 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. [emailprotected]. On Wednesday, 35 years later, Pensacola police made an arrest in the case: Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, is facing charges of. 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. 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. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. "It seems that every couple of years a new lead would pop up and we would drop everything to run it down. "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. 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. 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. With the DNA from the cigarette butt, they were able to positively identify Wells' as the man who raped and murdered Tonya in 1985. Search for birth, death, marriage, divorce, US Census, and military records. Results for this person or the person you are looking for are not guaranteed to appear in search results. "My mom, she never got to raise me, never got to be a part of my life," Davidson said after the arrest. He was carrying it around with him and he was never going to tell anyone what he did. 5 records for "Daniel Wells" in "Escambia County". Around three and a half decades later, Pensacola police arrested Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, for Tonya's homicide. View their profile including current address, phone number 850-584-XXXX, background check reports, and property record on Whitepages, the most trusted online directory. 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. Discover work experience, company details, and more. She was later found in an empty lot half-naked, officers said. 50s Location. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. 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. Investigation Discoverys On The Case With Paula Zahn: New Years Eve Nightmare chronicles the brutal rape and murder of 23-year-old mother Tonya McKinley in Pensacola, Florida, on the first day of 1985. 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. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted, officials said. Email Address: See available information. (816) 468-.css-1y2reja{color:transparent;position:relative;z-index:12;text-shadow:0.1rem 0.1rem 0.6rem #089FE4;}LIYF. Have a tip or story idea? She had last been seen at a Pensacola bar shortly after the start of the new year. Investigators nationwide say the genetics company have aided in solving cold cases. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. Read More: Matthew Winkler Murder: Where is Mary Winkler Now? Additional court records revealed Wells was arrested in Pensacola in 1987 on battery and witness tampering charges. The drag marks and absence of blood at the scene indicated the murder had been committed somewhere else. . "This was a case that spanned three generations of detectives," said Captain Chuck Mallett, who led the investigation. 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. ", Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. 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. From there, Pensacola police, FDLE and Parabon constructed a family tree, starting with the distant relatives, that eventually led them to identify Wells as a suspect. Wells is being held without bond at the Escambia County jail. She was always his favorite," McCall said of this bittersweet day. He is being held in Escambia County jail. Check out The Morning News to get the latest news, weather and traffic in Central Florida. 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. The investigation hit numerous dead ends over the years, lasting so long that retiring detectives had to pass it on to their successors. Uncover Daniel's photos, videos, and more , Personal details for Daniel may include . In 1988, he was arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. They have also lived in Pensacola, FL and Gulf Breeze, FL. McKinley 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. 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. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree. ADVERTISEMENT Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. McKinley, the mother of an 18-month-old boy, was seen alive early New Year's Day in 1985 at Darryl's Bar & Grille. 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. McKinleys son Tim Davidson Jr. called Wells a coward, adding that the defendant didnt even wait until the trial even started.. "Nothing could ever make up for losing my mom, but at least now we know what happened to her. Have a tip or story idea? "I didn't really know if this [arrest] would ever happen," the victim's relieved sister, Renee McCall, 62, a nurse, told NBC News on Thursday. If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000. "What is important is that no one forgot Tonya. We did this time and time again. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. Lets begin then, shall we? BREAKING: Daniel Wells -- recently arrested for the 1985 Pensacola New Year's murder of Tonya McKinley -- has committed suicide in jail, deputies confirm. 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. IE 11 is not supported. He was carrying it around with him and he was never going to tell anyone what he did. 3,876 court search results for people named "Daniel Wells" in the United States. Landlines (4) (850) 584-9629 (816) 584 . View Dan Rowdy Wells's record in Pensacola, FL including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. A family tree was constructed that eventually led investigators to Wells. Counts may not reflect the number of records that will appear in search results. Pensacola, FL View Cell Phone Number View Background Report. 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. 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. After 35 years, an Escambia County man has been charged with murdering a woman in Pensacola. He was set for a court appearance in the case on April 8 at 8:30 a.m. McKinley 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. He got to have a family. Chuck Mallett, who led the investigation. At the point, the process has become kind of routine. 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. 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,. 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. 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. He is being held.. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. McKinley, 23, was last seen alive early New Years Day in 1985 at a restaurant. From there, investigators said they found Wells and confirmed he was the killer after obtaining a discarded cigarette. Cops said they confirmed he was their suspect by getting his DNA from a discarded cigarette. Click a city to find Daniel more easily. Daniel has lived with Polly in Pensacola, FL. Landlines (4) (850 . 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 . . Daniel Leonard Wells. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". 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. "It's frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice. 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