daniel leonard wells pensacola
8 maja 2022. daniel leonard wells pensacola The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. 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. Court records did not indicate the outcome of that case. Daniel moved out of this 3.5 bath home in 2016. 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. 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. Cops said they confirmed he was their suspect by getting his DNA from a discarded cigarette. Phone & Email (4) All Addresses (7) Family (3) Daniel Leonard Wells. McKinley, the mother of an 18-month-old boy, was seen alive early New Years Day in 1985 at Darryls Bar & Grille. 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. She recounted how they danced, met with friends, and partied till the late night hours of New Years Eve. She was later found in an empty lot half-naked, officers said. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriffs office. 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,. * Historical, vital, and court records and search results may require an additional purchase. "(Wells) got to live his life the last 35 years. 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. She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. 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. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted, officials said. 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. Wells was identified . "What is important is that no one forgot Tonya. Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. 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. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions. Explore the listing below to find Daniel's address, relatives, and other public records. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions.". 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 was found hanged in his cell early Thursday morning, according to authorities in a Pensacola News Journalreport. This was from an apparently self-inflicted injury, Escambia County Board of County Commissioners spokesperson Laura Coale told Law&Crime. Daniel is related to Nicholas Lee Wells and Howard Snowden Wells as well as 3 additional people. PENSACOLA, Fla. -- A 57-year-old man has been arrested for the 1985 cold case murder of 23-year-oldTonya Ethridge McKinley 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. 5 records for "Daniel Wells" in "Escambia County". Hes now charged with first-degree murder, and first-degree sexual battery. Daniel departed this 2,006 square foot home in 2003. "Each time, evil won, just out of reach," police said of the 35-year gap. PENSACOLA, Fla. 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. 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. According to the show, she and her husband reminded Tonya after midnight that it was time to pick up their children and head home. 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. Their children and Tonyas son were at a late-night daycare facility, and it closed at 1:00 am. He is being held.. Investigators collected semen, head hair and pubic from Tonya's body and the crime scene. She had been fatally strangled, and sexually assaulted, police said. Thats all moot now. https://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20200402/suspect-in-1985-northwest-florida-cold-case-murder-found-dead-in-jail-cell. "I didn't really think this would happen in my lifetime, not after 35 years.". Copyright 2023 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Their parting exchange was wishing each other New Year greetings, and Tonya stated she would see her the following morning. She was half naked and had been strangled and sexually assaulted, Pensacola police officers said. "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. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. "This was a case that spanned three generations of detectives," said Captain Chuck Mallett, who led the investigation. Emailus. He was born on 1-06-1962. 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. Weve your back if youre interested in finding out more about the case and the killers identity. He's now charged with first-degree murder, and first-degree sexual battery. Pensacola; Daniel Leonard Wells; Daniel Leonard Wells, Age 60. aka Dan Wells, D L Wells. She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. 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. 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. He got to have a family. She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. The arrest of Wells isnt an exception: cops say they found DNA at the scene of the crime. We identified 991 records related to "Daniel Wells" in the state of Florida. 9 people named Daniel Wells found in this area: includes Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and Milton. She had last been seen at a Pensacola bar shortly after the start of the new year. Email Address: See available information. We located 9 sex offenders matching the name "Daniel Wells" in the US. But for most of the time, they had no suspect in the killing of McKinley, who was survived by an 18-month-old son. "It weighed a lot on him. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree. 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. 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. 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. 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. Spokeo's database, while extensive, does not contain all U.S. warrant, arrest, court, or other related records. Police "immediately stopped and recovered the cigarette butt," which had DNA matching semen taken off the victim's body, according to the warrant. Discover work experience, company details, and more. "There are people out there who know (what happened). Assessor records link the name of Daniel Wells to thirteen properties, including . 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. 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. Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. We did this time and time again. Pensacola Police announced Thursday that Daniel Leonard Wells, of Pensacola, was arrested Wednesday and charged with homicide and sexual battery. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". . 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. Pensacola police make arrest in 35-year-old cold case murder using familial DNA, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. She was later found dead at an empty lot. "(Tonya) can rest now," Renee said after being told of Wells' arrest. McKinley, 23, was last seen alive early New Years Day in 1985 at a restaurant. He got to have a family. 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. Wells is being held without bond at Escambia County Jail and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning. Wells is being held without bond at the Escambia County jail. 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. She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. Lets begin then, shall we? Court records viewed by Law&Crime show no attorney of record. View property details and household demographic information related to income, investments, and interests. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. "(Tonya) can rest now," Renee said after being told of Wells' arrest. Weve your back if youre interested in finding out more about the case and the killers identity. 3,876 court search results for people named "Daniel Wells" in the United States. Powerful social search locates profiles on social networks, dating sites, online shopping, web forums, music platforms, etc. Wells, 57, was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department on . Or to keep it anonymous, click here. 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. The 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley, 23, will never go to trial. ". She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. 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. There are 5 court records for "Daniel Wells" in "Escambia County". "(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. 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. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. Davidson was 18 months old at the time of the murder. 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. She said she did not have any more information to share. We found 4 phone numbers and email addresses. 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. "This was a case that spanned three generations of detectives," said PPD Capt. 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. No suspects had been publicly named. 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. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions., [Mugshot via Pensacola Police Department], Have a tip we should know? Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was responsible, cops say, according to The Pensacola News Journal. The defendant got to live his life the last 35 years. 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. 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. Detectives in Pensacola said "evil won" in the unsolved murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley "until today.". Matthew Winkler Murder: Where is Mary Winkler Now. The cutting-edge forensic technology helped authorities identify multiple people as distant cousins of the suspect. Read More: Matthew Winkler Murder: Where is Mary Winkler Now? The price to rent a two bedroom unit in the zip code 32526 is around . BREAKING: Daniel Wells -- recently arrested for the 1985 Pensacola New Year's murder of Tonya McKinley -- has committed suicide in jail, deputies confirm. A family tree was constructed that eventually led investigators to Wells. He was held without bond at Escambia County Jail and made his court appearance the following morning, where he professed his innocence. Daniel Leonard Wells, the defendant charged in her death, was found dead in his cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida. This was from an apparently self-inflicted injury, Escambia County Board of County Commissioners spokesperson Laura Coale told Law&Crime. 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. 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. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts 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. Investigators collected semen, head hair and pubic hair 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. 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. 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. 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 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. They found a dead body and immediately notified the authorities. 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.. However, forensic science was yet to evolve in 1985, and with the police having no leads or suspects, the case went cold. However, he was found dead inhis cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida on April 2, 2020. 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. 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. 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. 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. The investigators interviewed several partygoers to learn the last time anyone had seen Tonya alive was around 1:15 am. Defendant didnt even wait until the trial started police announced Thursday that Daniel Leonard Wells was half naked and been. 3 additional people on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in 35-year-old cold case of! Half-Naked, officers said trial even started while extensive, does not contain All U.S. warrant,,! Led investigators to Wells to learn the last 35 Years. `` by his. Is that no one forgot Tonya 7 ) family ( 3 ) Daniel Wells..., online shopping, web forums, music platforms, etc a family tree was constructed that led..., dating sites, online shopping, web forums, music platforms, etc officers said according to in. 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