According to the arrest report, there is a greater than 1 in 700 billion chance that the DNA from the crime scene is a match to anyone other than Wells. The investigators initially could not find the cause of death or the identity of the body. He was held without bond at Escambia County Jail and made his court appearance the following morning, where he professed his innocence. 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. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. "(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. Wells, 57, was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department on . In 1988, he was arrested for solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. According to the show, she and her husband reminded Tonya after midnight that it was time to pick up their children and head home. He got to be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. Daniel has lived in a single family house in Liberty, MO with Mary. She was half naked and had been strangled and sexually assaulted, Pensacola police officers said. 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. Current Address: EWZU Cerny Rd, Pensacola, FL. Additional court records revealed Wells was arrested in Pensacola in 1987 on battery and witness tampering charges. Detectives in Pensacola said "evil won" in the unsolved murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley "until today.". 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. Emailus. A family tree was constructed that eventually led investigators to Wells. With the DNA from the cigarette butt, they were able to positively identify Wells' as the man who raped and murdered Tonya in 1985. Phone & Email (4) All Addresses (7) Family (3) ", New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Scan this QR code to download the app now. Investigators were secretly following Wells on March 4 when he tossed a cigarette out of his car, according to an arrest warrant. The 1985 killing of Tonya Ethridge McKinley, 23, has been solved, say police in Pensacola, 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. She had last been seen at a Pensacola bar shortly after the start of the new year. 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. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Daniel is related to Nicholas Lee Wells and Howard Snowden Wells as well as 3 additional people. No suspects had been publicly named. You may have heard that name before. 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. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office confirmed Wells had been found dead in his cell. 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) got to live his life the last 35 years. The drag marks and absence of blood at the scene indicated the murder had been committed somewhere else. "Despite having a good bit of physical evidence and dozens of interviews, over time, the trail went cold," police said in a statement Thursday. "It's frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice. 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. https://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20200402/suspect-in-1985-northwest-florida-cold-case-murder-found-dead-in-jail-cell. 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. He wasn't going to ever just say what he did on his own. Around three and a half decades later,Pensacola police arrested Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, for Tonyas homicide. 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 . The victim was identified as Tonya, and an autopsy report stated she was assaulted with a blunt instrument, causing blunt-force trauma to her head. and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. 3,876 court search results for people named "Daniel Wells" in the United States. 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, according to police. Counts may not reflect the number of records that will appear in search results. 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. Jeffrey M Gallagher, Michelle L Phillips, and three other persons are also associated with this address. 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. Search for birth, death, marriage, divorce, US Census, and military records. Watch: PPD makes oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. "(Tonya) can rest now," Renee said after being told of Wells' arrest. She said she did not have any more information to share. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. No suspects had been publicly named. However, the cause of death was determined to be strangulation, and she was alsosexually assaulted. Have a tip or story idea? Landlines (4) (850 . Find census, military, and other historical records.*. It wasn't immediately clear whether Wells had hired or been assigned an attorney, Wood said Thursday. 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. "Until today. 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. She said she did not have any more information to share. 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. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. . 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 case went nowhere for years, but officers said they used Parabon NanoLabs to help them break the case. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions. 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. At the point, the process has become kind of routine. A family tree was constructed that eventually led investigators to Wells. Wells, 57, was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department on March 18 for the 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley. "This was a case that spanned three generations of detectives," said PPD Capt. If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000. View their profile including current address, phone number 850-584-XXXX, background check reports, and property record on Whitepages, the most trusted online directory. Assessor records link the name of Daniel Wells to thirteen properties, including . Daniel was charged with first-degree murder and first-degree sexual battery. The price to rent a two bedroom unit in the zip code 32526 is around . In 1988, he was arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. "My mom, she never got to raise me, never got to be a part of my life," Davidson said after the arrest. 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. He's now charged with first-degree murder, and first-degree sexual battery. Spokeo's database, while extensive, does not contain all U.S. warrant, arrest, court, or other related records. Court records did not indicate the outcome of that case. Daniel Leonard Wells, age 50s, lives in Pensacola, FL. 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. After 35 years, an Escambia County man has been charged with murdering a woman in Pensacola. Daniel Wells was arrested in connection with the 1985 murder of Tonya McKinley in Florida. 5 records for "Daniel Wells" in "Escambia County". She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. 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. Moreover, the winding roads and complex layout of the neighborhood convinced the cops that the killer hailed from the local community. Read More: Matthew Winkler Murder: Where is Mary Winkler Now? 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. The investigators interviewed several partygoers to learn the last time anyone had seen Tonya alive was around 1:15 am. 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. Wells was booked into the Escambia County Jail on Wednesday and held without bail. She recounted how they danced, met with friends, and partied till the late night hours of New Years Eve. 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. May go by: Dan Leonard Wells Age. 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. 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. PENSACOLA, Fla. -- A 57-year-old man has been arrested for the 1985 cold case murder of 23-year-oldTonya Ethridge McKinley in Pensacola. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions.. 8 maja 2022. daniel leonard wells pensacola However, the cause of death was determined to be strangulation, and she was also. 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. View property details and household demographic information related to income, investments, and interests. * Historical, vital, and court records and search results may require an additional purchase. Its frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice, he said. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. was assaulted with a blunt instrument, causing blunt-force trauma to her head. May 8, 2022 | In best courses to study in uk for masters | . His age is 60. 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. 50s Location. . 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. "She can finally rest.". 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,. Chuck Mallett, who led the investigation. 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. 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. 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. Name. 9 people named Daniel Wells found in this area: includes Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and Milton. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. He got to be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. 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. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest . Around three and a half decades later, Pensacola police arrested Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, for Tonya's homicide. [emailprotected]. 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. He got to be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. Daniel departed this 2,006 square foot home in 2003. 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 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. 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. Wells is being held without bond at the Escambia County jail. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal. Browse . "There are people out there who know (what happened). 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. The investigation hit numerous dead ends over the years, lasting so long that retiring detectives had to pass it on to their successors. Top Result for Daniel Wells in Pensacola, FL 1 The best result we found for your search is Daniel Ray Wells age 50s in Fairhope, AL. She was later found in an empty lot half-naked, officers said. It was just a normal New Years Eve.. The investigators had retrieved semen, head hair, and pubic hair from Tonyas body and the crime scene. The cutting-edge forensic technology helped authorities identify multiple people as distant cousins of the suspect. McKinley, the mother of an 18-month-old boy, was seen alive early New Year's Day in 1985 at Darryl's Bar & Grille. . Davidson was 18 months old at the time of the murder. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriffs office. 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. Daniel moved out of this 3.5 bath home in 2016. 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. Records viewed by Law&Crime show that Wells, 57, pleaded not guilty March 24 and was set for an arraignment Wednesday. The57-year-old pleaded not guilty on March 24 and was set for an arraignment in the first week of April. "This was a case that spanned three generations of detectives," said Captain Chuck Mallett, who led the investigation. McKinley in Pensacola, Florida, on the first day of 1985. 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. Daniel has lived with Polly in Pensacola, FL. They found a dead body and immediately notified the authorities. 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