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. Around three and a half decades later,Pensacola police arrested Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, for Tonyas homicide. "(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. Counts may not reflect the number of records that will appear in search results. After 35 years, an Escambia County man has been charged with murdering a woman in Pensacola. She said she did not have any more information to share. Hes now charged with first-degree murder, and first-degree sexual battery. Have a tip or story idea? Their parting exchange was wishing each other New Year greetings, and Tonya stated she would see her the following morning. We identified 991 records related to "Daniel Wells" in the state of Florida. But for most of the time, they had no suspect in the killing of McKinley, who was survived by an 18-month-old son. He wasn't going to ever just say what he did on his own. This was from an apparently self-inflicted injury, Escambia County Board of County Commissioners spokesperson Laura Coale told Law&Crime. Wells was booked into the Escambia County Jail on Wednesday and held without bail. However, the cause of death was determined to be strangulation, and she was also. Weve your back if youre interested in finding out more about the case and the killers identity. Court records viewed by Law&Crime show no attorney of record. Uncover Daniel's photos, videos, and more , Personal details for Daniel may include . Court records did not indicate the outcome of that case. PENSACOLA, Fla. -- A 57-year-old man has been arrested for the 1985 cold case murder of 23-year-oldTonya Ethridge McKinley in Pensacola. She was always his favorite," McCall said of this bittersweet day. View property details and household demographic information related to income, investments, and interests. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree. Daniel Leonard Wells, the defendant charged in her death, was found dead in his cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida. "(Tonya) can rest now," Renee said after being told of Wells' arrest. 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, investigators said they found Wells and confirmed he was the killer after obtaining a discarded cigarette. Pensacola police make arrest in 35-year-old cold case murder using familial DNA, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Email Address: See available information. 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. Around three and a half decades later, Pensacola police arrested Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, for Tonya's homicide. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. 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. He is being held in Escambia County jail. 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. The investigation hit numerous dead ends over the years, lasting so long that retiring detectives had to pass it on to their successors. 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. 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. 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. 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. She was half naked and had been strangled and sexually assaulted, Pensacola police officers 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. He got to be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. Thats all moot now. . 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. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted, officials said. The case went nowhere for years, but officers said they used Parabon NanoLabs to help them break the case. Investigators nationwide say the genetics company have aided in solving cold cases. 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. The investigators initially could not find the cause of death or the identity of the body. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. McKinleys son Tim Davidson Jr. called Wells a coward, adding that the defendant didnt even wait until the trial even started.. . Read More: Matthew Winkler Murder: Where is Mary Winkler Now? BREAKING: Daniel Wells -- recently arrested for the 1985 Pensacola New Year's murder of Tonya McKinley -- has committed suicide in jail, deputies confirm. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions., [Mugshot via Pensacola Police Department], Have a tip we should know? PENSACOLA 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. * Historical, vital, and court records and search results may require an additional purchase. "Nothing could ever make up for losing my mom, but at least now we know what happened to her. "(Tonya) can rest now," Renee said after being told of Wells' arrest. 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. Cops said they confirmed he was their suspect by getting his DNA from a discarded cigarette. With the DNA from the cigarette butt, they were able to positively identify Wells' as the man who raped and murdered Tonya in 1985. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions.". 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. 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 is being held without bond at Escambia County Jail and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning. 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. 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 arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. Phone Number: (816) 468-UYKW +3 phones. Spokeo's database, while extensive, does not contain all U.S. warrant, arrest, court, or other related records. 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. "There are people out there who know (what happened). A video appearance was scheduled for court to take place at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. 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. Current Address: EWZU Cerny Rd, Pensacola, FL. Investigators collected semen, head hair and pubic hair from Tonya's body and the crime scene. ", Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office confirmed Wells had been found dead in his cell. Wells, 57, was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department on . He was carrying it around with him and he was never going to tell anyone what he did. The presence or absence of records for any individual is not a guarantee of any kind. This home is the most recent known address for Daniel. 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. . "(Wells) got to live his life the last 35 years. 9 people named Daniel Wells found in this area: includes Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and Milton. Explore the listing below to find Daniel's address, relatives, and other public records. ", Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics. 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. Police "immediately stopped and recovered the cigarette butt," which had DNA matching semen taken off the victim's body, according to the warrant. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriffs office. 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. All rights reserved. Watch: PPD makes oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. 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. He's now charged with first-degree murder, and first-degree sexual battery. He has been charged with murder and sexual battery. Daniel has lived with Polly in Pensacola, FL. In 1988, he was arrested for solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. 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. Wells is being held without bond at Escambia County Jail and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning. She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. May go by: Dan Leonard Wells Age. He was held without bond at Escambia County Jail and made his court appearance the following morning, where he professed his innocence. 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. 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. She was later found dead at an empty lot. She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. She said she did not have any more information to share. The 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley, 23, will never go to trial. She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. Records viewed by Law&Crime show that Wells, 57, pleaded not guilty March 24 and was set for an arraignment Wednesday. 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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. Uncover details about birth, marriage, and divorce. McKinley in Pensacola, Florida, on the first day of 1985. [Image of McKinley via Pensacola Police Department; mugshot of Wells via Escambia County], Have a tip we should know? ". Landlines (4) (850 . McKinley, the mother of an 18-month-old boy, was seen alive early New Year's Day in 1985 at Darryl's Bar & Grille. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. 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. DNA left at the scene of the crime helped locate distant relatives of the suspect. "My mom, she never got to raise me, never got to be a part of my life," Davidson said after the arrest. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. Browse . Daniel has lived in a single family house in Liberty, MO with Mary. "Until today. Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. The officers found the victims high heel shoes and her purse, containing her drivers license, a few blocks from the scene. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola or the identity of the suspect records related Nicholas. Mckinley, 23, will never go to trial 1985 murder of 23-year-oldTonya Ethridge McKinley,,... A guarantee of any kind and divorce McKinley in Pensacola and the Crime scene his cell at the Crime locate... 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