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. He was carrying it around with him and he was never going to tell anyone what he did. This home is the most recent known address for Daniel. "She can finally rest.". Phone Numbers. Current Address: EWZU Cerny Rd, Pensacola, FL. "I didn't really think this would happen in my lifetime, not after 35 years.". She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. Chuck Mallett, who led the investigation. She was later found dead at an empty lot. We did this time and time again. "It's frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice. Their parting exchange was wishing each other New Year greetings, and Tonya stated she would see her the following morning. 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. Its frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice, he said. I'm positive of that.". She had been strangled and sexually assaulted, officials said. The57-year-old pleaded not guilty on March 24 and was set for an arraignment in the first week of April. 50s Location. The case went nowhere for years, but officers said they used Parabon NanoLabs to help them break the case. However, he was found dead inhis cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida on April 2, 2020. 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Pensacola police make arrest in 35-year-old cold case murder using familial DNA, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. He was carrying it around with him and he was never going to tell anyone what he did. https://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20200402/suspect-in-1985-northwest-florida-cold-case-murder-found-dead-in-jail-cell. 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. "It weighed a lot on him. It wasn't immediately clear whether Wells had hired or been assigned an attorney, Wood said Thursday. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". Uncover Daniel's photos, videos, and more , Personal details for Daniel may include . Read More: Matthew Winkler Murder: Where is Mary Winkler Now? She was later found in an empty lot half-naked, officers said. Wells is being held without bond at Escambia County Jail and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning. He got to be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. The officers found the victims high heel shoes and her purse, containing her drivers license, a few blocks from the scene. Daniel Leonard Wells, the defendant charged in her death, was found dead in his cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida. According to the show, she and her husband reminded Tonya after midnight that it was time to pick up their children and head home. This was from an apparently self-inflicted injury, Escambia County Board of County Commissioners spokesperson Laura Coale told Law&Crime. Landlines (4) (850 . Pensacola Police announced Thursday that Daniel Leonard Wells, of Pensacola, was arrested Wednesday and charged with homicide and sexual battery. Pensacola, FL View Full Details Phone Numbers. "Nothing could ever make up for losing my mom, but at least now we know what happened to her. Cold case investigators. In 1988, he was arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. He was born on 1-06-1962. Records viewed by Law&Crime show that Wells, 57, pleaded not guilty March 24 and was set for an arraignment Wednesday. ", Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics. She said she did not have any more information to share. We located 9 sex offenders matching the name "Daniel Wells" in the US. Hes now charged with first-degree murder, and first-degree sexual battery. 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. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions.". She had been strangled and sexually assaulted, officials said. Browse . Or to keep it anonymous, click here. "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. Their mother, Laverne, lives in Jay with Renee. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". 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. Spokeo's database, while extensive, does not contain all U.S. warrant, arrest, court, or other related records. 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 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 investigation hit numerous dead ends over the years, lasting so long that retiring detectives had to pass it on to their successors. He's now charged with first-degree murder, and first-degree sexual battery. Have a tip or story idea? She had last been seen at a Pensacola bar shortly after the start of the new year. 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. "My mom, she never got to raise me, never got to be a part of my life," Davidson said after the arrest. Check out The Morning News to get the latest news, weather and traffic in Central Florida. . The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. On Wednesday, 35 years later, Pensacola police made an arrest in the case: Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, is facing charges of. He got to have a family. "Despite having a good bit of physical evidence and dozens of interviews, over time, the trail went cold," police said in a statement Thursday. 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. Evidence suggested she had been raped, and they also discovered a blood-soaked blue towel by her head. No suspects had been publicly named. 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. We did this time and time again. 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. Watch: PPD makes oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. 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. "This was a case that spanned three generations of detectives," said Captain Chuck Mallett, who led the investigation. A family tree was constructed that eventually led investigators to Wells. 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. 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. Matthew Winkler Murder: Where is Mary Winkler Now. Tonya and Renee's father, Joe, died in April 2000. "(Tonya) can rest now," Renee said after being told of Wells' arrest. 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. She was later found in an empty lot half-naked, officers said. Detectives in Pensacola said "evil won" in the unsolved murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley "until today.". ", Watch: PPD makes oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. Their mother, Laverne, lives in Jay with Renee. 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. Daniel departed this 2,006 square foot home in 2003. "(Wells) got to live his life the last 35 years. 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. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. "This was a case that spanned three generations of detectives," said PPD Capt. After 35 years, an Escambia County man has been charged with murdering a woman in Pensacola. View property details and household demographic information related to income, investments, and interests. DNA left at the scene of the crime helped locate distant relatives of the suspect. 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. This was from an apparently self-inflicted injury, Escambia County Board of County Commissioners spokesperson Laura Coale told Law&Crime. 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. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. Find census, military, and other historical records.*. 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. 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. I'm positive of that.". 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. 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. 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. McKinley, 23, was last seen alive early New Years Day in 1985 at a restaurant. He was found hanged in his cell early Thursday morning, according to authorities in a Pensacola News Journalreport. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was responsible, cops say, according to The Pensacola News Journal. 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 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. Results for this person or the person you are looking for are not guaranteed to appear in search results. His age is 60. 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. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. Wells was identified . He got to be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. Daniel Leonard Wells, the defendant charged in her death, was found dead in his cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida. Cops said they confirmed he was their suspect by getting his DNA from a discarded cigarette. She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. [emailprotected]. 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 . In 1988, he was arrested for solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. 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. Assessor records link the name of Daniel Wells to thirteen properties, including . The presence or absence of records for any individual is not a guarantee of any kind. 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. ", New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Scan this QR code to download the app now. 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. The defendant got to live his life the last 35 years. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. "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. 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. 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. And Tonya stated she would see her the following morning defendant got to live his life last... 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