Home; Obituaries; Death Notices . Detectives in Pensacola said "evil won" in the unsolved murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley "until today.". Additional court records revealed Wells was arrested in Pensacola in 1987 on battery and witness tampering charges. ". The investigators had retrieved semen, head hair, and pubic hair from Tonyas body and the crime scene. Florida man linked by DNA to 1985 murder found dead in cell. Sign up for service and obituary updates. Bracknell celebrate a goal in their win over Longford last week. He was born on April 28, 1929, in Grants Pass, Oregon, to Kathryn and Wilson Wells. "I didn't really think this would happen in my lifetime, not after 35 years.". She said she did not have any more information to share. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. Leonard A Wells Sr. died Monday, September 23, 2019, at the Life Care Center of Richland at the age of 90. He was 95 years old. 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. Index Of Deceased Bixby Bulletin Obituary Archive Obituary Look-up by email is available free of charge at Bixby Historical Society. The investigation found she had been strangled to death and sexually assaulted. Funeral Services for Sidney Bain, 62. a resident of Warren St. Oakes Field, will be held at St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral, West Street, on Tuesday, May02, 2023 at 11:00 am. Funeral services will be held at 12:00pm, Saturday, January 28, 2023, at Mullins & Thompson Funeral Service, 186 Shelton Shop Road, Stafford, Virginia. John "Lenny" Wells Sr. of Tampa, 79, passed away at home August 7, 2021. He is survived by his brother Claude Wells, Leonard Wells, age 76, of Stafford, Virginia passed away Friday, January 20, 2023, at his daughters residence. According to the show, she and her husband reminded Tonya after midnight that it was time to pick up their children and head home. 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. Daniel Wheelwright Gooch (January 8, 1820 - November 1, 1891) was a United States representative from . Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. The witness tampering charge was dropped after he pleaded no contest to the battery charge. After the hit, authorities constructed a family tree, starting with the distant relatives to determine possible offenders. Recently there was a post announcing they had arrested a suspect who confessed to the 35 year old cold case. He married Norma Jean Purdue in 1946 and they had two children. She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. However, he was found dead inhis cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida on April 2, 2020. Apr 19, 2023; Click for details . A trailblazer. "The reasons why this happened, how evil crossed Tonya's path, may never be answered and in the end may not be important," according to police. The Dignity Memorial online obituary search tool gives you access to obituaries from thousands of locations across North America. The 1985 killing of Tonya Ethridge McKinley, 23, has been solved, say police in Pensacola, Florida. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions., [Mugshot via Pensacola Police Department], Have a tip we should know? McKinley was last seen alive celebrating New Years Eve around 1:30 a.m. at Darryls Bar & Grille in Pensacola, while her 18-month-old son was waiting for her at home. The case went nowhere for years, but officers said they used Parabon NanoLabs to help them break the case. Mon-Fri, 7am-6pm MDT. He pleaded no contest to the first charge, and the second was eventually dropped. Chief Ernest Hamel said that the man was dead when the department . "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. Also, the way he had disposed of the body and other evidence, such as her purse and shoes, indicated the perpetrator was in a hurry. She was a retired assistant manager for Jerry Lees Grocery . 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 . They celebrated 73 years together. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. Survived by beloved wife Jennifer Zeinner-Leonard, children: Scott Leonard Jr., Steven Strachota, James (Lori) Hestad, Samantha . 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. David K. Li is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. 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. Find service information, send flowers, and leave memories and thoughts in the Guestbook for your loved one. Daniel Wells was arrested in connection with the 1985 murder of Tonya McKinley in Florida. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. "It weighed a lot on him. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. Thomas "Tom" Daniel Wells Jr., age 89, of Thomasville . However, forensic science was yet to evolve in 1985, and with the police having no leads or suspects, the case went cold. Jim was born in Wadsworth on July 25, 1937 to Ralph Forrest and Bernice (Edis) Eby. Eventually, authorities said, the tree led them to identify Wells as a suspect. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 Friday at Davidson Funeral Home in Lexington. Footy is back and The Examiner will once again . See all obituaries for Daniel Wells. There was even an audio recording of the victim's son being informed of the arrest (which is quite hard to listen to). DANIEL LEONARD OBITUARY. Over the last couple of years, police have been comparing DNA profiles left behind at old murder scenes with open-source genealogy databases that have become popular among families hoping to find long-lost relatives. Born March 3, 1940 in Waynesville, NC to Patrick Joseph and Coralie Bolton Leonard, Dan was a recognized expert in the field of music education, having taught . The 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley, 23, will never go to trial.Daniel Leonard Wells, the defendant charged in her death, was found dead in his cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida.This was from an apparently self-inflicted injury, Escambia County Board of County Commissioners spokesperson Laura Coale told Law&Crime. 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.. That Wasn't a Meteorite in the South Florida Sky Sunday Night. The Pensacola Police Department said they followed Wells and were ultimately able to match DNA from a cigarette butt hed discarded to the evidence theyd collected 35 years ago. My Filebox . Graveside Services for Daniel Leo Leonard, Sr., age 83, of Picayune, MS, who passed away Saturday, December 25, 2021, will be held Friday, January 7, 2022 at 11:00 am at OLPH Cemetery, Belle Chasse, LA. Leonard A. Brookside Funeral Home & Crematory. It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of Ervin Wells Sr. (Wilmington, North Carolina), who passed away on December 14, 2022, at the age of 97, leaving to mourn family and friends. 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. Her case went cold, but Pensacola police remained committed to catching McKinleys killer, and her case was passed around to several detectives over the last 30 years. How smash-and-grab at Millcreek Jared's was part of nationwide heists. A 57-year-old man has been arrested 35 years after the murder of a young mother in Florida. He was born on January 31, 1946, in Lincoln County, West Virginia, the son of the late Harvey and Doris (Scites) Wells. Weve your back if youre interested in finding out more about the case and the killers identity. Let others know about your loved one's death. Arrangements are under the direction of McDonald Funeral Home . Moreover, the winding roads and complex layout of the neighborhood convinced the cops that the killer hailed from the local community. 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. was assaulted with a blunt instrument, causing blunt-force trauma to her head. For 35 years, the family of Tonya Ethridge McKinley anxiously waited for authorities to track down the man who murdered the gregarious 23-year-old, dumping her body on the side of a Florida highway. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Weve your back if youre interested in finding out more about the case and the killers identity. Read More: Matthew Winkler Murder: Where is Mary Winkler Now? He was held without bond at Escambia County Jail and made his court appearance the following morning, where he professed his innocence. He helped ensure African Americans had equal access to promotions in the desegregated Milwaukee Police Department. Have a tip or story idea? Daniel Steven Leonard Obituary. HAMPTON - Leonard Daniel Wells of Hampton, Va., died unexpectedly on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011, at the age of 56. Around three and a half decades later, Pensacola police arrested Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, for Tonya's homicide. ". Very deeply regretted by his loving parents Noreen and Dan, sister Dawn, brother-in-law Mark, nieces Lily and grace, aunts, uncles, other relatives and . Obituaries. Emailus. McKinley, 23, was last seen alive early New Years Day in 1985 at a restaurant. Searching obituaries is a great place to start your family tree research. Select boxes below to reduce the number of results. Four hours later, a family taking their dog to the vet found her body in an empty lot a block from a highway. Benjamin William Holland . The family will arrive at 10:00am and receive friends at 11:00am, one hour prior to the service. ", Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics. Snippet of text from article above: "The Escambia County Sheriff's Office said Daniel Leonard Wells took his own life in his cell early Thursday morning, just a few days ahead of a scheduled court appearance on April 8. 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. But DNA in a public database eventually linked McKinley's killer to Wells' family and then to him, police said. Shapiro to speak at first Erie Co. Community College graduation, Erie County Council primary election: 3 Dems, 4 GOP running for office, Erie County's Top Performers for high school athletics, April 24-29, Meet Trusted Company: The last known living daughter of Secretariat, National League's surprise top team is charting a new course, Why a PA official wants to create an Office of Outdoor Recreation, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Despite having a good bit of physical evidence and dozens of interviews, over time, the trail went cold, the Pensacola Police Department said in an emotional statement posted on Facebook Thursday. DNA left at the scene of the crime helped locate distant relatives of the suspect. James Forrest Eby, 85, of Seville, passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, March 7, 2023 after a lengthy battle with Huntington's Disease. No suspects had been publicly named. His arrest marks the beginning of the end of the oldest cold case in Pensacola history. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. David Charles Fryberg Sr. David Charles December 30, 1941 - Fryberg Sr. February 14, 2023 David Charles Fryberg Sr., 81, passed away on February 14, 2023 surrounded by his family. Leonard D. Wells, aka Bill, passed away on Wednesday, October 20, 2021 at Landmark Care Center, four days after his 92nd birthday. . The drag marks and absence of blood at the scene indicated the murder had been committed somewhere else. Daniel Brown sold property at 8005 Thon Drive to James Donald Shults for $130,000. Records viewed by Law&Crime show that Wells, 57, pleaded not guilty March 24 and was set for an arraignment Wednesday. The emergency squad of the Champlain Fire Department received a call for a resuscitator shortly after 4:40. Bill loved working on cars and was a Master Mason. 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 . (Escambia County Corrections via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. They found a dead body and immediately notified the authorities. Very sad story considering he evaded true justice by taking the coward's way out. It wasn't immediately clear whether Wells had hired or been assigned an attorney, Wood said Thursday. Lenny served in WELLS, John Leonard Jr., Lenny, 42, of Tampa, passed away in a tragic accident Thursday, May 26, 2016. "It seems that every couple of years a new lead would pop up and we would drop everything to run it down. He was visiting family in Milwaukee when he got sick. Lenard "Lenny" Wells died March 21 at age 69 of complications from the coronavirus. But for most of the time, they had no suspect in the killing of McKinley, who was survived by an 18-month-old son. [emailprotected]. Local obituaries for Escanaba, Michigan 332 Results Thursday, March 2, 2023 Add Photos Add a Memory Katherine "Kathy" Frappier Katherine "Kathy" Christine Frappier (nee Woodring), 71, of. "Until today. Lough borough was appointed assistant . Leonard Wells Obituary Search. Need help? According to court records obtained by the Pensacola News Journal, Wells has had previous run-ins with Pensacola authorities, including a 1987 arrest for alleged battery and witness tampering.
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