Have a tip or story idea? Arrest: Pensacola police make arrest in 35-year-old cold case murder using familial DNA. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted, officials said. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was responsible, cops say, according to The Pensacola News Journal. In 1988, he was arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. 50s Location. He wasnt going to ever just say what he did on his own.. Wells is being held without bond at Escambia County Jail and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning. Chuck Mallett, who led the investigation. Around three and a half decades later, Pensacola police arrested Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, for Tonya's homicide. The investigators had retrieved semen, head hair, and pubic hair from Tonyas body and the crime scene. We did this time and time again. I'm positive of that.". She was later found in an empty lot half-naked, officers said. 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 Wells was arrested in connection with the 1985 murder of Tonya McKinley in Florida. The arrest of Wells isnt an exception: cops say they found DNA at the scene of the crime. Detectives in Pensacola said "evil won" in the unsolved murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley "until today.". "Despite having a good bit of physical evidence and dozens of interviews, over time, the trail went cold," police said in a statement Thursday. 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. 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. McKinley, 23, was last seen alive early New Years Day in 1985 at a restaurant. 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. Daniel Leonard Wells, the defendant charged in her death, was found dead in his cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida. Renee said Tonya loved Rod Stewart and KISS and was trying to make a better life for herself when she was killed. 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. Its frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice, he said. . Pensacola, FL View Cell Phone Number View Background Report. But DNA in a public database eventually linked McKinley's killer to Wells' family and then to him, police said. Phone Numbers. 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 . No suspects had been publicly named. Daniel lives at 5206 Cerny Rd, Pensacola, FL. "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. Zaznacz stron. "(Wells) got to live his life the last 35 years. https://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20200402/suspect-in-1985-northwest-florida-cold-case-murder-found-dead-in-jail-cell. She had last been seen at a Pensacola bar shortly after the start of the new year. 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. We did this time and time again. We identified 991 records related to "Daniel Wells" in the state of 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. [Image of McKinley via Pensacola Police Department; mugshot of Wells via Escambia County], Have a tip we should know? 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. However, the cause of death was determined to be strangulation, and she was also. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree. She was half naked and had been strangled and sexually assaulted, Pensacola police officers said. 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. ". Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. 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. 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. . 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. Past Addresses: Pensacola FL, Kansas City MO +4 more. Weve your back if youre interested in finding out more about the case and the killers identity. Their parting exchange was wishing each other New Year greetings, and Tonya stated she would see her the following morning. From there, investigators said they found Wells and confirmed he was the killer after obtaining a discarded cigarette. She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. "It's frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice. Wells is being held without bond at Escambia County Jail and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning. They found a dead body and immediately notified the authorities. Weve your back if youre interested in finding out more about the case and the killers identity. Daniel Leonard Wells, age 50s, lives in Pensacola, FL. . Wells, 57, was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department on March 18 for the 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley. Investigators collected semen, head hair and pubic from Tonya's body and the crime scene. 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. He was carrying it around with him and he was never going to tell anyone what he did. Tonya and Renee's father, Joe, died in April 2000. 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. The case went nowhere for years, but officers said they used Parabon NanoLabs to help them break the case. He's now charged with first-degree murder, and first-degree sexual battery. Name. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions.". 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. Discover work experience, company details, and more. Uncover Daniel's photos, videos, and more , Personal details for Daniel may include . Results for this person or the person you are looking for are not guaranteed to appear in search results. Police credit Parabon NanoLabs with helping them break the case. The landline phone number 8165849629 is registered to Daniel Leonard Wells in Pensacola, FL at 5206 Cerny Rd. There are 5 court records for "Daniel Wells" in "Escambia County". After 35 years, an Escambia County man has been charged with murdering a woman in Pensacola. He was held without bond at Escambia County Jail and made his court appearance the following morning, where he professed his innocence. Moreover, the winding roads and complex layout of the neighborhood convinced the cops that the killer hailed from the local community. 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. 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 was booked into the Escambia County Jail on Wednesday and held without bail. 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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 was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. With the DNA from the cigarette butt, they were able to positively identify Wells' as the man who raped and murdered Tonya in 1985. Pensacola Police announced Thursday that Daniel Leonard Wells, of Pensacola, was arrested Wednesday and charged with homicide and sexual battery. The drag marks and absence of blood at the scene indicated the murder had been committed somewhere else. Their children and Tonyas son were at a late-night daycare facility, and it closed at 1:00 am. "Nothing could ever make up for losing my mom, but at least now we know what happened to her. 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. Watch: PPD makes oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. No suspects had been publicly named. PENSACOLA, Fla. -- A 57-year-old man has been arrested for the 1985 cold case murder of 23-year-oldTonya Ethridge McKinley in Pensacola. According to police sources, the alleged murderer had died from self-inflicted injuries. 9 people named Daniel Wells found in this area: includes Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and Milton. 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. "What is important is that no one forgot Tonya. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions.. In 1988, he was arrested for solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. Email Address: See available information. She said she did not have any more information to share. 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. Investigators nationwide say the genetics company have aided in solving cold cases. On Wednesday evening, that day finally arrived with the arrest of Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, who was tied to the young woman's 1985 slaying thanks to DNA recovered from the butt of his. He got to have a family. Phone & Email (4) All Addresses (7) Family (3) 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. McKinley, the mother of an 18-month-old boy, was seen alive early New Years Day in 1985 at Darryls Bar & Grille. 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. 3,876 court search results for people named "Daniel Wells" in the United States. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was responsible, cops say, according to The Pensacola News Journal. We found 4 phone numbers and email addresses. 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. 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. 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. Court records did not indicate the outcome of that case. 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 investigation hit numerous dead ends over the years, lasting so long that retiring detectives had to pass it on to their successors. He got to be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts "Until today. Today, the evil that took Tonya from her friends and family was arrested for her brutal murder.". Daniel has lived in a single family house in Liberty, MO with Mary. 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. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree. 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. Hes now charged with first-degree murder, and first-degree sexual battery. However, they could not find witnesses who had seen her leave the bar that night. The 1985 killing of Tonya Ethridge McKinley, 23, has been solved, say police in Pensacola, Florida. He got to be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. 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. 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 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. 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. He got to have a family. BREAKING: Daniel Wells -- recently arrested for the 1985 Pensacola New Year's murder of Tonya McKinley -- has committed suicide in jail, deputies confirm. 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. She had last been seen at a Pensacola bar shortly after the start of the new year. All rights reserved. Court records viewed by Law&Crime show no attorney of record. I'm positive of that.". However, he was found dead inhis cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida on April 2, 2020. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". "She can finally rest.". "It's frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice. 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. Around three and a half decades later,Pensacola police arrested Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, for Tonyas homicide. Pensacola police make arrest in 35-year-old cold case murder using familial DNA, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley, 23, will never go to trial. It wasn't immediately clear whether Wells had hired or been assigned an attorney, Wood said Thursday. Daniel moved out of this 3.5 bath home in 2016. 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. ", Watch: PPD makes oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. Daniel was charged with first-degree murder and first-degree sexual battery. 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