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. All rights reserved. Investigators were secretly following Wells on March 4 when he tossed a cigarette out of his car, according to an arrest warrant. I'm positive of that.". ADVERTISEMENT DNA left at the scene of the crime helped locate distant relatives of the suspect. 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. Daniel Leonard Wells, the defendant charged in her death, was found dead in his cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida. He got to have a family. 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. May go by: Dan Leonard Wells Age. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. He was carrying it around with him and he was never going to tell anyone what he did. The57-year-old pleaded not guilty on March 24 and was set for an arraignment in the first week of April. 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 March 18 for the 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley. 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. Jeffrey M Gallagher, Michelle L Phillips, and three other persons are also associated with this address. "There are people out there who know (what happened). Weve your back if youre interested in finding out more about the case and the killers identity. It wasn't immediately clear whether Wells had hired or been assigned an attorney, Wood said Thursday. 3,876 court search results for people named "Daniel Wells" in the United States. Wells, 57, was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department on . In 1988, he was arrested for solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. [Image of McKinley via Pensacola Police Department; mugshot of Wells via Escambia County], Have a tip we should know? We identified 991 records related to "Daniel Wells" in the state of Florida. 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. 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. Counts may not reflect the number of records that will appear in search results. 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. He is being held in Escambia County jail. Thats all moot now. View their profile including current address, phone number 850-584-XXXX, background check reports, and property record on Whitepages, the most trusted online directory. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions.. Court records did not indicate the outcome of that case. Uncover Daniel's photos, videos, and more , Personal details for Daniel may include . Daniel moved out of this 3.5 bath home in 2016. The landline phone number 8165849629 is registered to Daniel Leonard Wells in Pensacola, FL at 5206 Cerny Rd. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts We did this time and time again. Evidence suggested she had been raped, and they also discovered a blood-soaked blue towel by her head. Phone & Email (4) All Addresses (7) Family (3) Its frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice, he said. BREAKING: Daniel Wells -- recently arrested for the 1985 Pensacola New Year's murder of Tonya McKinley -- has committed suicide in jail, deputies confirm. The 1985 killing of Tonya Ethridge McKinley, 23, has been solved, say police in Pensacola, Florida. She was later found dead at an empty lot. 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. If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000. ", Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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 sheriff's office. Court records did not indicate the outcome of that case. 8 maja 2022. daniel leonard wells pensacola He was born on 1-06-1962. Wells is being held without bond at the Escambia County jail. 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. The drag marks and absence of blood at the scene indicated the murder had been committed somewhere else. Daniel Leonard Wells, age 50s, lives in Pensacola, FL. "Nothing could ever make up for losing my mom, but at least now we know what happened to her. "I didn't really think this would happen in my lifetime, not after 35 years.". * Historical, vital, and court records and search results may require an additional purchase. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest . 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. She was always his favorite," McCall said of this bittersweet day. Watch: PPD makes oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. . Cops said they confirmed he was their suspect by getting his DNA from a discarded cigarette. 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. The arrest of Wells isnt an exception: cops say they found DNA at the scene of the crime. Additional court records revealed Wells was arrested in Pensacola in 1987 on battery and witness tampering charges. 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. However, the cause of death was determined to be strangulation, and she was alsosexually assaulted. "(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 said she did not have any more information to share. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found dead in his cell at Escambia County Sheriff's Office in an apparent suicide Thursday morning. Browse . Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was responsible, cops say, according to The Pensacola News Journal. 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. Daniel was charged with first-degree murder and first-degree sexual battery. "(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 has lived in a single family house in Liberty, MO with Mary. "My mom, she never got to raise me, never got to be a part of my life," Davidson said after the arrest. He's now charged with first-degree murder, and first-degree sexual battery. Investigators collected semen, head hair and pubic hair from Tonya's body and the crime scene. Name. 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. "It's frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice. 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Check out The Morning News to get the latest news, weather and traffic in Central Florida. "This was a case that spanned three generations of detectives," said PPD Capt. "(Wells) got to live his life the last 35 years. 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 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. He wasn't going to ever just say what he did on his own. Phone Number: (816) 468-UYKW +3 phones. 9 people named Daniel Wells found in this area: includes Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and Milton. Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. 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. 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. We did this time and time again. Daniel Wells was arrested in connection with the 1985 murder of Tonya McKinley in Florida. 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, according to police. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". 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. Have a tip or story idea? 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. Explore the listing below to find Daniel's address, relatives, and other public records. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree. Phone Numbers. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree. was assaulted with a blunt instrument, causing blunt-force trauma to her head. Pensacola Police announced Thursday that Daniel Leonard Wells, of Pensacola, was arrested Wednesday and charged with homicide and sexual battery. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted, officials said. 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.. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. He was carrying it around with him and he was never going to tell anyone what he did. She had last been seen at a Pensacola bar shortly after the start of the new year. This home is the most recent known address for Daniel. Results for this person or the person you are looking for are not guaranteed to appear in search results. Daniel has lived with Polly in Pensacola, FL. Arrest: Pensacola police make arrest in 35-year-old cold case murder using familial DNA. 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. Read More: Matthew Winkler Murder: Where is Mary Winkler Now? 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. The cutting-edge forensic technology helped authorities identify multiple people as distant cousins of the suspect. He got to be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. He wasnt going to ever just say what he did on his own.. Assessor records link the name of Daniel Wells to thirteen properties, including . We located 9 sex offenders matching the name "Daniel Wells" in the US. "She can finally rest.". Search for profiles by email and username. 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. "It seems that every couple of years a new lead would pop up and we would drop everything to run it down. "There are people out there who know (what happened). A family tree was constructed that eventually led investigators to Wells. 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. "(Wells) got to live his life the last 35 years. 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. Up on. `` `` ( Wells ) got to live his life the last 35.! Run it down arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola in 1987 battery... Left at the scene of the keyboard shortcuts we did this time and again! Was carrying it around with him and he was their suspect by his... Revealed Wells was arrested Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder and daniel leonard wells pensacola sexual battery a Pensacola bar shortly the. This area: includes Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and Milton crime helped locate distant relatives the... 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