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. "I didn't really know if this [arrest] would ever happen," the victim's relieved sister, Renee McCall, 62, a nurse, told NBC News on Thursday. He is being held in Escambia County jail. 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. 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. 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. 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. "This was a case that spanned three generations of detectives," said Captain Chuck Mallett, who led the investigation. Phone Numbers. She had been fatally strangled, and sexually assaulted, police said. 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. 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. Search for profiles by email and username. Past Addresses: Pensacola FL, Kansas City MO +4 more. "I didn't really think this would happen in my lifetime, not after 35 years.". But DNA in a public database eventually linked McKinley's killer to Wells' family and then to him, police said. "My mom, she never got to raise me, never got to be a part of my life," Davidson said after the arrest. 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. Court records did not indicate the outcome of that case. Investigators collected semen, head hair and pubic from Tonya's body and the crime scene. She said she did not have any more information to share. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted, officials said. 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She was later found dead at an empty lot. 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. 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. . On January 1, 1985, a mother and her daughter were driving their sick dog to the vet when they made a horrifying discovery in an empty lot at the corner of Peacock Drive and Creighton Road, just one block off Scenic Highway. "It seems that every couple of years a new lead would pop up and we would drop everything to run it down. She said she did not have any more information to share. 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. Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. 50s Location. 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. Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. Thats all moot now. She had last been seen at a Pensacola bar shortly after the start of the new year. He was held without bond at Escambia County Jail and made his court appearance the following morning, where he professed his innocence. Around three and a half decades later,Pensacola police arrested Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, for Tonyas homicide. However, the cause of death was determined to be strangulation, and she was alsosexually assaulted. Results for this person or the person you are looking for are not guaranteed to appear in search results. The 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley, 23, will never go to trial. Pensacola, FL View Cell Phone Number View Background Report. Daniel has lived in a single family house in Liberty, MO with Mary. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, is charged with homicide and sexual battery in the death of 23-year old Tonya . He wasn't going to ever just say what he did on his own. He got to have a family. Have a tip or story idea? 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. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". She was later found in an empty lot half-naked, officers said. She was always his favorite," McCall said of this bittersweet day. UNLOCK PROFILE. 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. Counts may not reflect the number of records that will appear in search results. ", New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Scan this QR code to download the app now. Browse . "My mom, she never got to raise me, never got to be a part of my life," Davidson said after the arrest. The authorities were able to establish a timeline when residents of the locality near the crime scene reported they were confident they did not see any corpse when they passed the parking lot at 2:00 am. All rights reserved. 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 was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. Landlines (4) (850) 584-9629 (816) 584 . 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. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". 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. 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. Pensacola, FL View Full Details Phone Numbers. "This was a case that spanned three generations of detectives," said PPD Capt. Weve your back if youre interested in finding out more about the case and the killers identity. [emailprotected]. We did this time and time again. Detectives in Pensacola said "evil won" in the unsolved murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley "until today.". 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. Emailus. Investigators nationwide say the genetics company have aided in solving cold cases. 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 1985 killing of Tonya Ethridge McKinley, 23, has been solved, say police in Pensacola, Florida. Their mother, Laverne, lives in Jay with Renee. "(Wells) got to live his life the last 35 years. Renee said Tonya loved Rod Stewart and KISS and was trying to make a better life for herself when she was killed. 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. No suspects had been publicly named. She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office confirmed Wells had been found dead in his cell. 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. 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. If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000. 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. Police credit Parabon NanoLabs with helping them break the case. ". This was from an apparently self-inflicted injury, Escambia County Board of County Commissioners spokesperson Laura Coale told Law&Crime. 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. From there, investigators said they found Wells and confirmed he was the killer after obtaining a discarded cigarette. Daniel Leonard Wells. 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. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was responsible, cops say, according to The Pensacola News Journal. "It's frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice. Daniel Wells was arrested in connection with the 1985 murder of Tonya McKinley in Florida. "Each time, evil won, just out of reach," police said of the 35-year gap. 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. Pensacola history years. `` cold cases and matched DNA found at the crime scene the death of 23-year Tonya... 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