Their parting exchange was wishing each other New Year greetings, and Tonya stated she would see her the following morning. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree. 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 identified 991 records related to "Daniel Wells" in the state of Florida. Have a tip or story idea? Powerful social search locates profiles on social networks, dating sites, online shopping, web forums, music platforms, etc. But DNA in a public database eventually linked McKinley's killer to Wells' family and then to him, police said. Wells was identified . She was half naked and had been strangled and sexually assaulted, Pensacola police officers said. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 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 "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 . 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. 5 records for "Daniel Wells" in "Escambia County". This was from an apparently self-inflicted injury, Escambia County Board of County Commissioners spokesperson Laura Coale told Law&Crime. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. Thats all moot now. "My mom, she never got to raise me, never got to be a part of my life," Davidson said after the arrest. "(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. Arrest: Pensacola police make arrest in 35-year-old cold case murder using familial DNA. Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. Wells is being held without bond at Escambia County Jail and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning. Investigators were secretly following Wells on March 4 when he tossed a cigarette out of his car, according to an arrest warrant. The cutting-edge forensic technology helped authorities identify multiple people as distant cousins of the suspect. BREAKING: Daniel Wells -- recently arrested for the 1985 Pensacola New Year's murder of Tonya McKinley -- has committed suicide in jail, deputies confirm. Current Address: EWZU Cerny Rd, Pensacola, FL. However, they could not find witnesses who had seen her leave the bar that night. 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. Investigators collected semen, head hair and pubic from Tonya's body and the crime scene. McKinley in Pensacola, Florida, on the first day of 1985. [emailprotected]. Renee said Tonya loved Rod Stewart and KISS and was trying to make a better life for herself when she was killed. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". 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. ", Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Wells, 57, was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department on March 18 for the 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley. 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. 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, 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. 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. May go by: Dan Leonard Wells Age. 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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. 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McKinley, 23, was last seen alive early New Years Day in 1985 at a restaurant. 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. IE 11 is not supported. "(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. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions.. DNA left at the scene of the crime helped locate distant relatives of the suspect. "Despite having a good bit of physical evidence and dozens of interviews, over time, the trail went cold," police said in a statement Thursday. 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. 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. The defendant got to live his life the last 35 years. 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. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions. He got to be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. On Wednesday, 35 years later, Pensacola police made an arrest in the case: Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, is facing charges of. ", Watch: PPD makes oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal. McKinley, the mother of an 18-month-old boy, was seen alive early New Years Day in 1985 at Darryls Bar & Grille. She was later found in an empty lot half-naked, officers said. Daniel moved out of this 3.5 bath home in 2016. Weve your back if youre interested in finding out more about the case and the killers identity. 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. Their mother, Laverne, lives in Jay with Renee. 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. ADVERTISEMENT Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office confirmed Wells had been found dead in his cell. He was carrying it around with him and he was never going to tell anyone what he did. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. The drag marks and absence of blood at the scene indicated the murder had been committed somewhere else. Email Address: See available information. He got to be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. 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. 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. McKinleys son Tim Davidson Jr. called Wells a coward, adding that the defendant didnt even wait until the trial even started.. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office confirmed Wells had been found dead in his cell. The arrest of Wells isnt an exception: cops say they found DNA at the scene of the crime. Pensacola; Daniel Leonard Wells; Daniel Leonard Wells, Age 60. aka Dan Wells, D L Wells. It was just a normal New Years Eve.. 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. She was later found dead at an empty lot. [emailprotected]. The 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley, 23, will never go to trial. Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. He was found hanged in his cell early Thursday morning, according to authorities in a Pensacola News Journalreport. The case went nowhere for years, but officers said they used Parabon NanoLabs to help them break the case. 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. Wells, 57, was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department on . In 1988, he was arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. In 1988, he was arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. Its frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice, he said. 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. 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,. Lets begin then, shall we? Renee said Tonya loved Rod Stewart and KISS and was trying to make a better life for herself when she was killed. Wells is being held without bond at the Escambia County jail. 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