3,876 court search results for people named "Daniel Wells" in the United States. https://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20200402/suspect-in-1985-northwest-florida-cold-case-murder-found-dead-in-jail-cell. The investigation hit numerous dead ends over the years, lasting so long that retiring detectives had to pass it on to their successors. 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. Uncover Daniel's photos, videos, and more , Personal details for Daniel may include . Or to keep it anonymous, click here. 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. Daniel Leonard Wells. 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. Watch: PPD makes oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. She had been fatally strangled, and sexually assaulted, police said. 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. In the meantime, a baby boy grew up without a mother, parents buried their daughter without knowing justice, and a killer was walking around free. Cops said they confirmed he was their suspect by getting his DNA from a discarded cigarette. 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. 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. . 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. Tonya and Renee's father, Joe, died in April 2000. ", New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Scan this QR code to download the app now. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was responsible, cops say, according to The Pensacola News Journal. . Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. I'm positive of that.". She said she did not have any more information to share. David K. Li is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. 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 said, Her (Tonyas) world revolved around her son.. PENSACOLA, Fla. -- A 57-year-old man has been arrested for the 1985 cold case murder of 23-year-oldTonya Ethridge McKinley in Pensacola. Today, the evil that took Tonya from her friends and family was arrested for her brutal murder.". The price to rent a two bedroom unit in the zip code 32526 is around . 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. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was responsible, cops say, according to The Pensacola News Journal. * Historical, vital, and court records and search results may require an additional purchase. Emailus. 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. 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. Landlines (4) (850) 584-9629 (816) 584 . 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 is being held without bond at Escambia County Jail and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning. He is being held in Escambia County jail. Check out The Morning News to get the latest news, weather and traffic in Central Florida. 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. 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. This was from an apparently self-inflicted injury, Escambia County Board of County Commissioners spokesperson Laura Coale told Law&Crime. "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. According to police sources, the alleged murderer had died from self-inflicted injuries. Disclaimer: Reference to these media outlets or TV shows should not be construed to imply an endorsement or sponsorship of Spokeo or its products. Phone Number: (816) 468-UYKW +3 phones. 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. Email Address: See available information. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. "It's frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. Court records viewed by Law&Crime show no attorney of record. 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. Wells is being held without bond at Escambia County Jail and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning. They have also lived in Pensacola, FL and Gulf Breeze, FL. 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. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office confirmed Wells had been found dead in his cell. Court records did not indicate the outcome of that case. 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. Have a tip or story idea? They found a dead body and immediately notified the authorities. "(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. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts He got to have a family. 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. "This was a case that spanned three generations of detectives," said Captain Chuck Mallett, who led the investigation. DNA left at the scene of the crime helped locate distant relatives of the suspect. 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. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Click a city to find Daniel more easily. A video appearance was scheduled for court to take place at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. He got to be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. 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. May 8, 2022 | In best courses to study in uk for masters | . 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) got to live his life the last 35 years. With the DNA from the cigarette butt, they were able to positively identify Wells' as the man who raped and murdered Tonya in 1985. Search for birth, death, marriage, divorce, US Census, and military records. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree. 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. 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. "Nothing could ever make up for losing my mom, but at least now we know what happened to her. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". Pensacola; Daniel Leonard Wells; Daniel Leonard Wells, Age 60. aka Dan Wells, D L Wells. Daniel is related to Nicholas Lee Wells and Howard Snowden Wells as well as 3 additional people. 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. and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. 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. McKinley, the mother of an 18-month-old boy, was seen alive early New Years Day in 1985 at Darryls Bar & Grille. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest . Pensacola, FL View Cell Phone Number View Background Report. 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. Spokeo's database, while extensive, does not contain all U.S. warrant, arrest, court, or other related records. Davidson was 18 months old at the time of the murder. Cold case investigators. 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. 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. "My mom, she never got to raise me, never got to be a part of my life," Davidson said after the arrest. Daniel Wells was arrested in connection with the 1985 murder of Tonya McKinley in Florida. We located 9 sex offenders matching the name "Daniel Wells" in the US. Court records did not indicate the outcome of that case. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. She had last been seen at a Pensacola bar shortly after the start of the new year. 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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, 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,. Police "immediately stopped and recovered the cigarette butt," which had DNA matching semen taken off the victim's body, according to the warrant. 8 maja 2022. daniel leonard wells pensacola The defendant got to live his life the last 35 years. 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. He got to have a family. Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. Name. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found dead in his cell at Escambia County Sheriff's Office in an apparent suicide Thursday morning. In the meantime, a baby boy grew up without a mother, parents buried their daughter without knowing justice, and a killer was walking around free. Phone & Email (4) All Addresses (7) Family (3) [Image of McKinley via Pensacola Police Department; mugshot of Wells via Escambia County], Have a tip we should know? After 35 years, an Escambia County man has been charged with murdering a woman in Pensacola. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. He was found hanged in his cell early Thursday morning, according to authorities in a Pensacola News Journalreport. 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. Daniel departed this 2,006 square foot home in 2003. Detectives in Pensacola said "evil won" in the unsolved murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley "until today.". He was born on 1-06-1962. The57-year-old pleaded not guilty on March 24 and was set for an arraignment in the first week of April. Results for this person or the person you are looking for are not guaranteed to appear in search results. "My mom, she never got to raise me, never got to be a part of my life," Davidson said after the arrest. 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. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions. The case went nowhere for years, but officers said they used Parabon NanoLabs to help them break the case. 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. Daniel was charged with first-degree murder and first-degree sexual battery. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". Hes now charged with first-degree murder, and first-degree sexual battery. 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. 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. ". Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. It wasn't immediately clear whether Wells had hired or been assigned an attorney, Wood said Thursday. From there, investigators said they found Wells and confirmed he was the killer after obtaining a discarded cigarette. We found 4 phone numbers and email addresses. 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. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted, officials said. 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. 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. We did this time and time again. 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. 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. Wells was booked into the Escambia County Jail on Wednesday and held without bail. "It weighed a lot on him. Pensacola Police announced Thursday that Daniel Leonard Wells, of Pensacola, was arrested Wednesday and charged with homicide and sexual battery. Counts may not reflect the number of records that will appear in search results. IE 11 is not supported. Daniel lives at 5206 Cerny Rd, Pensacola, FL. 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. 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. The drag marks and absence of blood at the scene indicated the murder had been committed somewhere else. Its frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice, he said. Jeffrey M Gallagher, Michelle L Phillips, and three other persons are also associated with this address. 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. 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