He got to have a family. Daniel and Jennifer have resided together in a single family house in Kansas City, MO. Court records viewed by Law&Crime show no attorney of record. Pensacola, FL View Full Details Phone Numbers. Renee said Tonya loved Rod Stewart and KISS and was trying to make a better life for herself when she was killed. 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 can finally rest.". 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. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. 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. 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. 8 maja 2022. daniel leonard wells pensacola 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. 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. 3,876 court search results for people named "Daniel Wells" in the United States. Phone Number: (816) 468-UYKW +3 phones. Cold case investigators. Pensacola Police announced Thursday that Daniel Leonard Wells, of Pensacola, was arrested Wednesday and charged with homicide and 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. "(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. Wells, 57, was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department on March 18 for the 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley. Daniel departed this 2,006 square foot home in 2003. She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. The arrest of Wells isnt an exception: cops say they found DNA at the scene of the crime. "(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. From there, investigators said they found Wells and confirmed he was the killer after obtaining a discarded cigarette. She was later found in an empty lot half-naked, officers said. In 1988, he was arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. Wells was booked into the Escambia County Jail on Wednesday and held without bail. We found 4 phone numbers and email addresses. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Daniel Leonard Wells, age 50s, lives in Pensacola, FL. She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. 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. 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. Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. All rights reserved. (816) 468-.css-1y2reja{color:transparent;position:relative;z-index:12;text-shadow:0.1rem 0.1rem 0.6rem #089FE4;}LIYF. "There are people out there who know (what happened). Today, the evil that took Tonya from her friends and family was arrested for her brutal murder.". The landline phone number 8165849629 is registered to Daniel Leonard Wells in Pensacola, FL at 5206 Cerny Rd. On Wednesday, 35 years later, Pensacola police made an arrest in the case: Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, is facing charges of. He got to be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. The investigation hit numerous dead ends over the years, lasting so long that retiring detectives had to pass it on to their successors. Email Address: See available information. "Each time, evil won, just out of reach," police said of the 35-year gap. 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. DNA left at the scene of the crime helped locate distant relatives of the suspect. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". Pensacola, FL View Cell Phone Number View Background Report. Wells, 57, was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department on March 18 for the 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley. Wells was identified . He is being held in Escambia County jail. 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. But for most of the time, they had no suspect in the killing of McKinley, who was survived by an 18-month-old son. 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. However, he was found dead inhis cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida on April 2, 2020. The investigators interviewed several partygoers to learn the last time anyone had seen Tonya alive was around 1:15 am. She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. 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. ", Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics. She said she did not have any more information to share. A family tree was constructed that eventually led investigators to Wells. The 1985 killing of Tonya Ethridge McKinley, 23, has been solved, say police in Pensacola, Florida. "It weighed a lot on him. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions., [Mugshot via Pensacola Police Department], Have a tip we should know? 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. Chuck Mallett, who led the investigation. 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. 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. 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. She said, Her (Tonyas) world revolved around her son.. "Nothing could ever make up for losing my mom, but at least now we know what happened to her. 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. 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. Emailus. Investigators collected semen, head hair and pubic hair from Tonya's body and the crime scene. 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. 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Check out The Morning News to get the latest news, weather and traffic in Central Florida. . 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 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. View their profile including current address, phone number 850-584-XXXX, background check reports, and property record on Whitepages, the most trusted online directory. Daniel is related to Nicholas Lee Wells and Howard Snowden Wells as well as 3 additional people. Pensacola police make arrest in 35-year-old cold case murder using familial DNA, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. He was held without bond at Escambia County Jail and made his court appearance the following morning, where he professed his innocence. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions. DNA evidence lifted from a discarded cigarette led Florida police to the man they believe killed a young mother 35 years ago, authorities said Thursday. She was later found dead at an empty lot. However, the cause of death was determined to be strangulation, and she was also. He was carrying it around with him and he was never going to tell anyone what he did. Records viewed by Law&Crime show that Wells, 57, pleaded not guilty March 24 and was set for an arraignment Wednesday. 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. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. When the emergency respondents arrived at the scene, they located the corpse lying next to the curb, with her pantyhose pulled down around her ankles and dress pulled up. 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. Phone Numbers. 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. Find census, military, and other historical records.*. Press J to jump to the feed. Their mother, Laverne, lives in Jay with Renee. McKinleys son Tim Davidson Jr. called Wells a coward, adding that the defendant didnt even wait until the trial even started.. We did this time and time again. 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. Wells is being held without bond at the Escambia County jail. McKinley in Pensacola, Florida, on the first day of 1985. This was from an apparently self-inflicted injury, Escambia County Board of County Commissioners spokesperson Laura Coale told Law&Crime. 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. ". The Escambia County Sheriff's Office confirmed Wells had been found dead in his cell. "Despite having a good bit of physical evidence and dozens of interviews, over time, the trail went cold," police said in a statement Thursday. McKinley, the mother of an 18-month-old boy, was seen alive early New Years Day in 1985 at Darryls Bar & Grille. Wells is being held without bond at Escambia County Jail and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning. Daniel has lived in a single family house in Liberty, MO with Mary. 9 people named Daniel Wells found in this area: includes Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and Milton. Watch: PPD makes oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. Pensacola Police announced Thursday that Daniel Leonard Wells, of Pensacola, was arrested Wednesday and charged with homicide and sexual battery. She had been fatally strangled, and sexually assaulted, police said. 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. We did this time and time again. 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. was assaulted with a blunt instrument, causing blunt-force trauma to her head. 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. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. May 8, 2022 | In best courses to study in uk for masters | . 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. 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 . 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. 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. Moreover, the winding roads and complex layout of the neighborhood convinced the cops that the killer hailed from the local community. Its frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice, he said. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal. daniel leonard wells pensacola daniel leonard wells pensacola. 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 arrest on Wednesday is the oldest . The Escambia County Sheriff's Office confirmed Wells had been found dead in his cell. 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. 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. The cutting-edge forensic technology helped authorities identify multiple people as distant cousins of the suspect. 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. Tonya and Renee's father, Joe, died in April 2000. He's now charged with first-degree murder, and first-degree sexual battery. 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,. and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. , knowing what he did layout of the time, evil won, just out of reach ''... Number 8165849629 is registered to daniel Leonard Wells, age 50s, lives in Jay Renee... The 35-year gap historical records. * levels because we waited so long that retiring detectives had pass... Fl View cell phone Number View Background Report her brutal murder. `` reach ''... Was survived by an 18-month-old son experience visit our site on another browser census,,... Fl View cell phone Number View Background Report in 1985 at Darryls Bar Grille! 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