He was married to Rheva Jo Nichols in Bonham, Texas, on April 10, 1948. His arrest marks the beginning of the end of the oldest cold case in Pensacola history. Leonard Charles Wells was born April 25, 1940, to Alfred and Madelyn (Van Oss) Wells in White Earth, Minn. As a young boy, his parents moved to Portland to seek employment. She left behind an 18-month-old son. Wells was living in Olive Branch, Mississippi, about a 30-minute drive from Memphis, where he taught. All rights reserved. Born in Erie on May 20, 1957, a son of the late Logan and . He was charged with homicide and sexual battery in the death of 23-year old Tonya Ethridge McKinley." Authorities said a man arrested last month in a 35-year-old Florida Panhandle slaying has been found dead in jail from an apparent suicide 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. 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. Around three and a half decades later,Pensacola police arrested Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, for Tonyas homicide. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website, Leonard Wells, age 76, of Stafford, Virginia passed away Friday, January 20, 2023, at his daughters residence. . However, they could not find witnesses who had seen her leave the bar that night. Born February 10, 1942 in Arlington, Massachusetts, he relocated with his family to Tampa, Florida in 1981. Chief Ernest Hamel said that the man was dead when the department . With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Daniel Edward Wells of Lindale, Texas, born in Longview, Texas, who passed away on January 11, 2023 at the age of 76. . She had last been seen at a Pensacola bar shortly after the start of the new year. It seems that every couple of years a new lead would pop up and we would drop everything to run it down. 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. God is good. 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. 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. 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. 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. . Investigators were secretly following Wells on March 4 when he tossed a cigarette out of his car, according to an arrest warrant. 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. He was a Lead Electrician at Lockheed Martin and served in the U.S. Air Force during Vietnam. Last of 2 defendants has been sentenced in Erie for robbing Jared store near Millcreek Mall. Dan Johnson Wells was born in Yarnaby, Oklahoma, on March 26, 1928, to Glover Delon and Josie Ella (Johnson) Wells. As Milwaukee mourns the loss of Lenard "Lenny" Wells, those words have come up over and over. The officers found the victims high heel shoes and her purse, containing her drivers license, a few blocks from the scene. Oct 31, 2021. 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 . 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 . 0. A memorial service will be in 2014. 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. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Browse Toledo local obituaries on Legacy.com. A legend. He studied law, was admitted to the . Weve your back if youre interested in finding out more about the case and the killers identity. He was born on January 31, 1946, in Lincoln County, West Virginia, the son of the late Harvey and Doris (Scites) Wells. Footy is back and The Examiner will once again . However, he was found dead inhis cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida on April 2, 2020. William Edwin "Ed" Danallanko . 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. Shots fired near Danville school; no injuries reported. Today, the evil that took Tonya from her friends and family was arrested for her brutal murder.". Four hours later, a family taking their dog to the vet found her body in an empty lot a block from a highway. "Each time, evil won, just out of reach," police said of the 35-year gap. 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. Beverley Rose Melvin . The cutting-edge forensic technology helped authorities identify multiple people as distant cousins of the suspect. Leonard A Wells Sr. died Monday, September 23, 2019, at the Life Care Center of Richland at the age of 90. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. Kenneth is predeceased by his son David, brothers Donald, Leonard, Paul and his sisters Sheila Gallant, Rita MacIssac, Patsy Arsenault and Eva Kilbride. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. Jim was born in Wadsworth on July 25, 1937 to Ralph Forrest and Bernice (Edis) Eby. He was born on . Contributions are suggested to the American 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. Moreover, the winding roads and complex layout of the neighborhood convinced the cops that the killer hailed from the local community. They found a dead body and immediately notified the authorities. Thomas "Tom" Daniel Wells Jr., age 89, of Thomasville . http://www.northescambia.com/2020/04/suspect-recently-arrested-in-35-year-old-cold-case-murder-commits-suicide-in-jail. Find the obituary of Daniel Edward Wells (1946 - 2023) from Lindale, TX. Got a tip? Leonard Gordon Goodman (25 April 1944 - 22 April 2023) was an English professional ballroom dancer, dance teacher, and dance competition adjudicator.He appeared as head judge on the UK television programme Strictly Come Dancing, where various celebrities compete for the glitter ball trophy, from its beginning in 2004 until 2016 and on the U.S. television programme Dancing with the Stars from . 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. 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. He was 80. He was 95 years old. But for most of the time, they had no suspect in the killing of McKinley, who was survived by an 18-month-old son. Funeral services will be held at 12:00pm, Saturday, January 28, 2023, at Mullins & Thompson Funeral Service, 186 Shelton Shop Road, Stafford, Virginia. Late of Ballinacurra Gardens and Rathbane, Limerick. Daniel Robert Wells died at his Bay Ridge Annapolis home on January 2, 2023. "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. However, the cause of death was determined to be strangulation, and she was alsosexually assaulted. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. Daniel was charged with first-degree murder and first-degree sexual battery. William "Bill" Daniel Leonard, 82, of Lexington, passed away Monday October 24, 2022 at his home. DECATUR - Decatur Public Schools Board of Education has approved a new three-year contract with Superintendent Rochelle Clark. The 23-year-old, who was found only partially clothed, had been strangled and sexually assaulted, police said. Leonard Wells Obituary Search. He was predeceased by : his parents, Lillie Hodge Wells and Louis . Take a Look, Police Reunite Parents With Toddler Found Wandering at 3 AM in Miramar. Here's What You Actually Saw, Check Your Change! Obituaries. Daniel Wheelwright Gooch (January 8, 1820 - November 1, 1891) was a United States representative from . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 8:32 a.m.: David Chapple-Kerry Miller; Shane Larsson-Junior Flores Obituary. IE 11 is not supported. Mon-Fri, 7am-6pm MDT. 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. Around three and a half decades later, Pensacola police arrested Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, for Tonya's homicide. Lough borough was appointed assistant . Daniel J. Leonard Charleston - Daniel Joseph Leonard, a teacher to thousands, a mentor, friend, and role model to many, died July 14, 2020, at Summerville Community Hospice. She said she did not have any more information to share. Records viewed by Law&Crime show that Wells, 57, pleaded not guilty March 24 and was set for an arraignment Wednesday. Detectives laid fresh eyes on all of the evidence, new theories were presented, and hopes of catching Tonyas killer were renewed.. Apr 21, 2023; Click for details . Daniel Leonard Wells, 57 . We did this time and time again. Using a database, Pensacola authorities were able to match DNA evidence found near McKinleys body with several different people believed to be Wells distant cousins. Additional court records revealed Wells was arrested in Pensacola in 1987 on battery and witness tampering charges. Daniel A. Read More: Matthew Winkler Murder: Where is Mary Winkler Now? 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. 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. Apr 15, 2023 . I remember reading about this case actually on this subreddit which fascinated me because I was unaware of it despite living in Pensacola, Florida nearly my whole life. The57-year-old pleaded not guilty on March 24 and was set for an arraignment in the first week of April. 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. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. Sign up for service and obituary updates. Arrest:Pensacola police make arrest in 35-year-old cold case murder using familial DNA. Leonard Wells, 92, of Grand Haven died Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020, at Heartwood Lodge, Hospice. When asked whether Tonya was disturbed by anyone or garnered unwanted attention from strangers, Vanita said, At least I did not see any such thing. Apr 19, 2023; Click for details . (Escambia County Corrections via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. 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 . 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 . At the time of the incident, Tonya Ethridge McKinley and her 17-month-old son, Timothy, had moved in with her cousin, Vanita Biasco, to Pensacola in Escambia County, Florida, in late 1984, following a split with the infants father. Kentucky obituaries and death notices, 1988 to 2023. He is currently being held without bond at Escambia County Jail. However, forensic science was yet to evolve in 1985, and with the police having no leads or suspects, the case went cold. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Let others know about your loved one's death. But DNA in a public database eventually linked McKinley's killer to Wells' family and then to him, police said. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions.". "It weighed a lot on him. Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. Similar crews held up other Jared stores across U.S. Heubel concussion lawsuit expands as defendant AHN sues UPMC Hamot, Erie County traffic deaths jumped in 2022 as statewide numbers dropped, Erie man charged in assault and shots-fired incident at downtown spot, Meet District 10 baseball's Midseason Breakout Players from 2023, Erie has a bicycle licensing ordinance - but it's about to be repealed, Woman finds permanent home after 13 months at Erie emergency shelter, Vote in the Times-News' high school baseball Breakout Player poll, Remembering Broadway titan, Erie native Jim Wilhelm, Marriage licenses, births: Erie County vital statistics, May 1, 2023, Bills' Hamlin inspires, educates on CPR during youth event in Erie, Erie-area results, game stats for D-10 high school sports: April 24-29, Gov. His grandson, Cody Wells, and his sister, Leanna Wells, preceded him in death. Their parting exchange was wishing each other New Year greetings, and Tonya stated she would see her the following morning. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions.. Evidence suggested she had been raped, and they also discovered a blood-soaked blue towel by her head.

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