Daniel Leonard Wells, age 50s, lives in Pensacola, FL. Cops said they confirmed he was their suspect by getting his DNA from a discarded cigarette. 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. He was born on 1-06-1962. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Phone & Email (4) All Addresses (7) Family (3) 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) got to live his life the last 35 years. View Dan Rowdy Wells's record in Pensacola, FL including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. 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 be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. 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. Search for profiles by email and username. Pensacola, FL View Cell Phone Number View Background Report. Lets begin then, shall we? 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. 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. The landline phone number 8165849629 is registered to Daniel Leonard Wells in Pensacola, FL at 5206 Cerny Rd. IE 11 is not supported. 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. Using that, they and Parabon made use of an open-source genealogy database, used it to locate distant relatives of the suspect, and finally found the defendant, officers said in the Pensacola News Journal report. 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. However, they could not find witnesses who had seen her leave the bar that night. 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. Phone Number: (816) 468-UYKW +3 phones. [Image of McKinley via Pensacola Police Department; mugshot of Wells via Escambia County], Have a tip we should know? "It seems that every couple of years a new lead would pop up and we would drop everything to run it down. Uncover details about birth, marriage, and divorce. 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. 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. Pensacola Police announced Thursday that Daniel Leonard Wells, of Pensacola, was arrested Wednesday and charged with homicide and sexual battery. 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. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office confirmed Wells had been found dead in his cell. Their parting exchange was wishing each other New Year greetings, and Tonya stated she would see her the following morning. The 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley, 23, will never go to trial. She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. 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. You may have heard that name before. 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. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest . 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. [emailprotected]. 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. 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. 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. Assessor records link the name of Daniel Wells to thirteen properties, including . 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 said she did not have any more information to share. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts "Despite having a good bit of physical evidence and dozens of interviews, over time, the trail went cold," police said in a statement Thursday. 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. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted, officials said. The drag marks and absence of blood at the scene indicated the murder had been committed somewhere else. He got to be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. "I didn't really think this would happen in my lifetime, not after 35 years.". Wells was booked into the Escambia County Jail on Wednesday and held without bail. "This was a case that spanned three generations of detectives," said Captain Chuck Mallett, who led the investigation. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was responsible, cops say, according to The Pensacola News Journal. Counts may not reflect the number of records that will appear in search results. 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. After 35 years, an Escambia County man has been charged with murdering a woman in Pensacola. Thats all moot now. Their children and Tonyas son were at a late-night daycare facility, and it closed at 1:00 am. She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. 3,876 court search results for people named "Daniel Wells" in the United States. 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. McKinleys son Tim Davidson Jr. called Wells a coward, adding that the defendant didnt even wait until the trial even started.. * Historical, vital, and court records and search results may require an additional purchase. 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. 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. He was carrying it around with him and he was never going to tell anyone what he did. In 1988, he was arrested for solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. "It's frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice. All rights reserved. He is being held in Escambia County jail. ", Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. 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. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". 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. McKinley, 23, was last seen alive early New Years Day in 1985 at a restaurant. She had last been seen at a Pensacola bar shortly after the start of the new year. Powerful social search locates profiles on social networks, dating sites, online shopping, web forums, music platforms, etc. Wells is being held without bond at Escambia County Jail and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning. 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. McKinley, the mother of an 18-month-old boy, was seen alive early New Years Day in 1985 at Darryls Bar & Grille. May go by: Dan Leonard Wells Age. Check out The Morning News to get the latest news, weather and traffic in Central Florida. UNLOCK PROFILE. Their mother, Laverne, lives in Jay with Renee. She was later found dead at an empty lot. Its frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice, he said. "Each time, evil won, just out of reach," police said of the 35-year gap. The cutting-edge forensic technology helped authorities identify multiple people as distant cousins of the suspect. Detectives in Pensacola said "evil won" in the unsolved murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley "until today.". In 1988, he was arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. 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. Investigators collected semen, head hair and pubic from Tonya's body and the crime scene. He was held without bond at Escambia County Jail and made his court appearance the following morning, where he professed his innocence. Discover work experience, company details, and more. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. "My mom, she never got to raise me, never got to be a part of my life," Davidson said after the arrest. 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. The arrest of Wells isnt an exception: cops say they found DNA at the scene of the crime. The officers found the victims high heel shoes and her purse, containing her drivers license, a few blocks from the scene. . They have also lived in Pensacola, FL and Gulf Breeze, FL. He was found hanged in his cell early Thursday morning, according to authorities in a Pensacola News Journalreport. Copyright 2023 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions., [Mugshot via Pensacola Police Department], Have a tip we should know? Click a city to find Daniel more easily. 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. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. [emailprotected]. 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. Phone Numbers. 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. Watch: PPD makes oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. Read More: Matthew Winkler Murder: Where is Mary Winkler Now? However, forensic science was yet to evolve in 1985, and with the police having no leads or suspects, the case went cold. 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. This home is the most recent known address for Daniel. https://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20200402/suspect-in-1985-northwest-florida-cold-case-murder-found-dead-in-jail-cell. Davidson was 18 months old at the time of the murder. Pensacola, FL View Full Details Phone Numbers. He has been charged with murder and sexual battery. Cold case investigators. She was always his favorite," McCall said of this bittersweet day. We found 4 phone numbers and email addresses. The investigators initially could not find the cause of death or the identity of the body. Their mother, Laverne, lives in Jay with Renee. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. According to police sources, the alleged murderer had died from self-inflicted injuries. No suspects had been publicly named. "It's frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice. 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, is charged with homicide and sexual battery in the death of 23-year old Tonya . She was half naked and had been strangled and sexually assaulted, Pensacola police officers said. 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. He's now charged with first-degree murder, and first-degree sexual battery. 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. Additional court records revealed Wells was arrested in Pensacola in 1987 on battery and witness tampering charges. "(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. "She can finally rest.". ". 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. "It weighed a lot on him. Landlines (4) (850 . Daniel Leonard Wells, the defendant charged in her death, was found dead in his cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida. 50s Location. 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. 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. . 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. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office confirmed Wells had been found dead in his cell. Moreover, the winding roads and complex layout of the neighborhood convinced the cops that the killer hailed from the local community. Daniel moved out of this 3.5 bath home in 2016. Have a tip or story idea? It wasn't immediately clear whether Wells had hired or been assigned an attorney, Wood said Thursday. "There are people out there who know (what happened). Daniel Leonard Wells, the defendant charged in her death, was found dead in his cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida. Daniel Leonard Wells. But for most of the time, they had no suspect in the killing of McKinley, who was survived by an 18-month-old son. 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. 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. and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. From there, Pensacola police, FDLE and Parabon constructed a family tree, starting with the distant relatives, that eventually led them to identify Wells as a suspect. County Jail and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning ( 816 ) +3... And traffic in daniel leonard wells pensacola Florida his needs all those years he was their suspect by his! 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