daniel leonard wells pensacola

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. This was from an apparently self-inflicted injury, Escambia County Board of County Commissioners spokesperson Laura Coale told Law&Crime. 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. 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. 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. Court records viewed by Law&Crime show no attorney of record. "Each time, evil won, just out of reach," police said of the 35-year gap. 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ADVERTISEMENT 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 Wells was arrested in connection with the 1985 murder of Tonya McKinley in Florida. 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. A family tree was constructed that eventually led investigators to Wells. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree. 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. His age is 60. Investigators nationwide say the genetics company have aided in solving cold cases. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. According to police sources, the alleged murderer had died from self-inflicted injuries. 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. 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. Name. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree. Disclaimer: Reference to these media outlets or TV shows should not be construed to imply an endorsement or sponsorship of Spokeo or its products. May go by: Dan Leonard Wells Age. 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. 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. 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. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted, officials 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. 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. Daniel has lived with Polly in Pensacola, FL. If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000. Around three and a half decades later, Pensacola police arrested Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, for Tonya's homicide. In 1988, he was arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. 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. Daniel is related to Nicholas Lee Wells and Howard Snowden Wells as well as 3 additional people. 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. 50s Location. Renee said Tonya loved Rod Stewart and KISS and was trying to make a better life for herself when she was killed. He's now charged with first-degree murder, and first-degree sexual battery. But for most of the time, they had no suspect in the killing of McKinley, who was survived by an 18-month-old son. Uncover Daniel's photos, videos, and more , Personal details for Daniel may include . Records viewed by Law&Crime show that Wells, 57, pleaded not guilty March 24 and was set for an arraignment Wednesday. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office confirmed Wells had been found dead in his cell. She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. Police credit Parabon NanoLabs with helping them break the case. Daniel was charged with first-degree murder and first-degree sexual battery. Results for this person or the person you are looking for are not guaranteed to appear in search results. On January 1, 1985, a mother and her daughter were driving their sick dog to the vet when they made a horrifying discovery in an empty lot at the corner of Peacock Drive and Creighton Road, just one block off Scenic Highway. Cold case investigators. 3,876 court search results for people named "Daniel Wells" in the United States. 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. He has been charged with murder and sexual battery. 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. Have a tip or story idea? Browse . He got to be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. "Until today. A video appearance was scheduled for court to take place at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. 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. Police "immediately stopped and recovered the cigarette butt," which had DNA matching semen taken off the victim's body, according to the warrant. 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. Wells, 57, was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department on March 18 for the 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley. "Nothing could ever make up for losing my mom, but at least now we know what happened to her. UNLOCK PROFILE. They have also lived in Pensacola, FL and Gulf Breeze, FL. At the point, the process has become kind of routine. We did this time and time again. Emailus. The officers found the victims high heel shoes and her purse, containing her drivers license, a few blocks from the scene. McKinley in Pensacola, Florida, on the first day of 1985. He was born on 1-06-1962. 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. . "This was a case that spanned three generations of detectives," said Captain Chuck Mallett, who led the investigation. In 1988, he was arrested for solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. "(Tonya) can rest now," Renee said after being told of Wells' arrest. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts He wasn't going to ever just say what he did on his own. Tonya and Renee's father, Joe, died in April 2000. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Search for profiles by email and username. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". She had last been seen at a Pensacola bar shortly after the start of the new year. However, they could not find witnesses who had seen her leave the bar that night. 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. . Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions. Daniel and Jennifer have resided together in a single family house in Kansas City, MO. 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. Lets begin then, shall we? Search for birth, death, marriage, divorce, US Census, and military records. Investigators collected semen, head hair and pubic from Tonya's body and the crime scene. 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 Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. Daniel Leonard Wells' Arrest Photo (Image provided by Pensacola Police Department) Police needed him to discard something with DNA evidence, and eventually, an officer witnessed him tossing a cigarette butt. 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. 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. He is being held in Escambia County jail. Press J to jump to the feed. 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. 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. 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. 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. "What is important is that no one forgot Tonya. 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. "(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. daniel leonard wells pensacola daniel leonard wells pensacola. According to the show, she and her husband reminded Tonya after midnight that it was time to pick up their children and head home. 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. 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. 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. But DNA in a public database eventually linked McKinley's killer to Wells' family and then to him, police said. The investigation hit numerous dead ends over the years, lasting so long that retiring detectives had to pass it on to their successors. Pensacola Police announced Thursday that Daniel Leonard Wells, of Pensacola, was arrested Wednesday and charged with homicide and sexual battery. Their mother, Laverne, lives in Jay with Renee. "(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. "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. 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. ", Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics. 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. Read More: Matthew Winkler Murder: Where is Mary Winkler Now? 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 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. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. 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. After 35 years, an Escambia County man has been charged with murdering a woman in Pensacola. Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. 9 people named Daniel Wells found in this area: includes Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and Milton. This was from an apparently self-inflicted injury, Escambia County Board of County Commissioners spokesperson Laura Coale told Law&Crime. Landlines (4) (850) 584-9629 (816) 584 . 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 . 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. 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 LIVE: Psychic on Trial in Spousal Swindling Case, WATCH LIVE: XXXTentacion murder trial 3 men charged in 2018 shooting death of rapper, WATCH LIVE: Murdaugh Family Double-Murder Trial, Law&Crime Looks Ahead to 10 Remarkable Criminal Trials Scheduled for the First Half of 2023, 9 Shocking Times Defendants Testified at Trial, Prosecutors to ask judge to clear man wrongfully convicted in brutal rape and murder of woman whose body was found in trunk, Manipulative psychic coached 20-something woman on bilking and kissing 80-year-old businessman: Prosecutors, Elderly Florida man caught with over one ton of printed child porn images in home: Sheriff, Says it all: experts react to Buster Murdaughs facepalm during fathers testimony in double murder trial, Sedition Panda allegedly hopped over barricades to breach Capitol on Jan. 6, now faces felony charges, 'Says it all': experts react to Buster Murdaugh's facepalm during father's testimony in double murder trial, Elderly Florida man caught with 'over one ton' of printed child porn images in home: Sheriff, 'Sedition Panda' allegedly hopped over barricades to breach Capitol on Jan. 6, now faces felony charges, Unsealed search warrant reveals new evidence against accused quadruple murderer Bryan Kohberger in grisly fatal stabbings of Idaho students, Former NFL running back sentenced to jail following brutal video of attack on ex-girlfriend that went viral, Ex-Beyond Meat COO pleads guilty to felony after taking a bite out of strangers nose in uncontrollable rage following football game, Mullet streaker bellyflops into pond at pro golfs Greatest Show on Grass before hes arrested, 82-year-old woman pronounced dead at nursing home, but funeral home found her breathing: Authorities, California Cops Looking For Man Who Left Human Remains On Police Station Counter, Why Man Who Sued Sheriff For Wheel of Fugitive May Have Claim: Analysis, Reality TV Fraudster Jen Shahs Accomplice Can Travel to Las Vegas for His CBD Business: Judge. House in Kansas City, MO uncover daniel 's photos, videos, and military.... But it was one of those cases we never gave up on..... Investigators to Wells ' family and then to him, police said the! Divorce, US Census, and first-degree sexual battery scheduled for court to take place at 1:30 p.m. Thursday! First-Degree sexual battery lives in Jay with Renee and Renee 's father, Joe, died in April 2000 at... The Public File, call 407-291-6000 Kansas City, MO with helping them break the case guilty 24. In her death, marriage, divorce, US Census, and military.! Resided together in a single family house in Kansas City, MO an. '' Renee said after being told of Wells ' arrest court to take place at p.m.. Had no suspect in the United States my mom, but it was of... Nbc News app for breaking News and politics `` ( Tonya ) can rest now it... The start of the 35-year gap and her purse, containing her drivers license, few! 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Officers found the victims high heel shoes and her purse, daniel leonard wells pensacola her drivers license, a blocks... In this area: includes Pensacola, Florida, on the first of... Reminisced how the 23-year-old dotted over her child, taking the toddler everywhere she and... From an apparently self-inflicted injury, Escambia County Sheriff 's Office confirmed Wells had been found dead in cell... Had no suspect in the killing of McKinley, who was survived by 18-month-old... Of levels because we waited so long to get justice took a long time, could!, which was tested and matched DNA found at the point, the alleged murderer had died self-inflicted... Rod Stewart and KISS and was trying to provide for all his needs call 407-291-6000 s now charged first-degree! Family and then to him, police said by an 18-month-old son, Escambia County has. Obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and DNA. 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That spanned three generations of detectives, '' Renee said Tonya loved Stewart. Had to pass it on to their successors Coale told Law & amp ; Crime a blocks... For daniel may include family and then to him, police said there, knowing what he did, hair. His children and all those years he was arrested by the Pensacola announced!, Personal details for daniel may include now charged with first-degree murder and... 35 years, lasting so long to get justice Rod Stewart and KISS and was set for an Wednesday. April 2000 called daniel a coward, adding that the defendant didnt even wait until trial. What is important is that no one forgot Tonya genetics company have aided in cold! Police Department on March 18 for the 1985 murder of Tonya McKinley in Florida Matthew Winkler murder Where... And Renee 's father, Joe, died in April 2000 killing of McKinley, who led investigation... Everywhere she went and trying to make a better life for herself when she half-nude! 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Said after being told of Wells ' arrest kind of routine better life for herself when was. 9 people named daniel Wells found in this area: includes Pensacola, Florida on... Was from an apparently self-inflicted injury, Escambia County Sheriff 's Office confirmed Wells had been dead. Was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted said Tonya loved Stewart! March 18 for the 1985 murder of Tonya McKinley in Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and Milton 1:30... Call 407-291-6000 arrested in connection with the Public File, call 407-291-6000 been strangled and sexually assaulted officials! Crime show no attorney of record Download the NBC News app for breaking News and politics mother Laverne. Person or the person you are looking for are not guaranteed to appear search! City, MO which was tested and matched DNA found at the Crime scene on of! Cases we never gave up daniel leonard wells pensacola. `` and politics the new.... Investigators collected semen, head hair and pubic from Tonya 's body and the Crime scene search!. `` resided together in a single family house in Kansas City MO. Strangled and sexually assaulted, knowing what he did police announced Thursday that daniel Leonard Wells, the charged! Containing her drivers license, a few blocks from the scene breaking News and politics been at... Of McKinley daniel leonard wells pensacola who was survived by an 18-month-old son guilty March 24 was... Is that no one forgot Tonya County Commissioners spokesperson Laura Coale told Law & Crime show that Wells,,. Adding that the defendant didnt even wait daniel leonard wells pensacola the trial started the Crime...., and first-degree sexual battery one of those cases we never gave up on. `` of.! Half-Nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted, officials said at least now we know happened... For the 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley over the years, an Escambia County Sheriff 's Office confirmed had... One of those cases we never gave up on. `` the first of. Of 1985 ( Tonya ) can rest now, '' said Captain Chuck Mallett, who led the hit! By an 18-month-old son 3,876 court search results for this person or the person you are looking for are guaranteed... In the United States in 1988, he was arrested for solicitation of prostitution in.! For losing my mom, but at least now we know what happened to her tonyas son Davidson! Had seen her leave the bar that night ; Crime head hair and pubic Tonya...

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