daniel leonard wells pensacoladaniel leonard wells pensacola

DNA left at the scene of the crime helped locate distant relatives of the suspect. 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. 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. 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. 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. She had been fatally strangled, and sexually assaulted, police said. 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. Wells is being held without bond at Escambia County Jail and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning. The 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley, 23, will never go to trial. Lets begin then, shall we? Name. 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. IE 11 is not supported. Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. Investigators nationwide say the genetics company have aided in solving cold cases. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. May go by: Dan Leonard Wells Age. 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. However, he was found dead inhis cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida on April 2, 2020. 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. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was responsible, cops say, according to The Pensacola News Journal. She said she did not have any more information to share. 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. Copyright 2023 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Email Address: See available information. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions. He has been charged with murder and sexual battery. 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. UNLOCK PROFILE. "It's frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice. 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. McKinley, the mother of an 18-month-old boy, was seen alive early New Year's Day in 1985 at Darryl's Bar & Grille. "(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. David K. Li is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. "My mom, she never got to raise me, never got to be a part of my life," Davidson said after the arrest. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office confirmed Wells had been found dead in his cell. McKinleys son Tim Davidson Jr. called Wells a coward, adding that the defendant didnt even wait until the trial even started.. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts Pensacola police make arrest in 35-year-old cold case murder using familial DNA, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. On Wednesday, 35 years later, Pensacola police made an arrest in the case: Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, is facing charges of. In 1988, he was arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. The case went nowhere for years, but officers said they used Parabon NanoLabs to help them break the case. Spokeo's database, while extensive, does not contain all U.S. warrant, arrest, court, or other related records. Press J to jump to the feed. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, is charged with homicide and sexual battery in the death of 23-year old Tonya . 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. View property details and household demographic information related to income, investments, and interests. 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. [Image of McKinley via Pensacola Police Department; mugshot of Wells via Escambia County], Have a tip we should know? At the point, the process has become kind of routine. 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. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. ". "She can finally rest.". The presence or absence of records for any individual is not a guarantee of any kind. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found dead in his cell at Escambia County Sheriff's Office in an apparent suicide Thursday morning. 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. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree. Explore the listing below to find Daniel's address, relatives, and other public records. "It seems that every couple of years a new lead would pop up and we would drop everything to run it down. 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. "(Wells) got to live his life the last 35 years. The investigators initially could not find the cause of death or the identity of the body. 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. However, the cause of death was determined to be strangulation, and she was alsosexually assaulted. Uncover details about birth, marriage, and divorce. "This was a case that spanned three generations of detectives," said PPD Capt. 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. Pensacola Police announced Thursday that Daniel Leonard Wells, of Pensacola, was arrested Wednesday and charged with homicide and sexual battery. "(Tonya) can rest now," Renee said after being told of Wells' arrest. Daniel moved out of this 3.5 bath home in 2016. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. Assessor records link the name of Daniel Wells to thirteen properties, including . Emailus. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions., [Mugshot via Pensacola Police Department], Have a tip we should know? Uncover Daniel's photos, videos, and more , Personal details for Daniel may include . Current Address: EWZU Cerny Rd, Pensacola, FL. We found 4 phone numbers and email addresses. and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Browse . 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. "There are people out there who know (what happened). Read More: Matthew Winkler Murder: Where is Mary Winkler Now? Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was responsible, cops say, according to The Pensacola News Journal. McKinley in Pensacola, Florida, on the first day of 1985. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. [emailprotected]. The investigators interviewed several partygoers to learn the last time anyone had seen Tonya alive was around 1:15 am. According to the show, she and her husband reminded Tonya after midnight that it was time to pick up their children and head home. Court records did not indicate the outcome of that case. 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 booked into the Escambia County Jail on Wednesday and held without bail. The investigation hit numerous dead ends over the years, lasting so long that retiring detectives had to pass it on to their successors. Search for birth, death, marriage, divorce, US Census, and military records. Wells, 57, was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department on . 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. 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. 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. Wells was identified . 9 people named Daniel Wells found in this area: includes Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and Milton. ", New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Scan this QR code to download the app now. Their children and Tonyas son were at a late-night daycare facility, and it closed at 1:00 am. They found a dead body and immediately notified the authorities. He is being held.. 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. "There are people out there who know (what happened). daniel leonard wells pensacola daniel leonard wells pensacola. 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. We located 9 sex offenders matching the name "Daniel Wells" in the US. 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. 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. Thats all moot now. Police arrested 57-year-old Daniel Leonard Wells (Escambia County Jail) A 57-year-old man has been arrested 35 years after the murder of a young mother in Florida. ", Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics. Matthew Winkler Murder: Where is Mary Winkler Now. He wasnt going to ever just say what he did on his own.. 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Landlines (4) (850) 584-9629 (816) 584 . "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. Disclaimer: Reference to these media outlets or TV shows should not be construed to imply an endorsement or sponsorship of Spokeo or its products. 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. 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. Weve your back if youre interested in finding out more about the case and the killers identity. 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. Pensacola; Daniel Leonard Wells; Daniel Leonard Wells, Age 60. aka Dan Wells, D L Wells. 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. 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. 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. 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