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Cases Old and Cold
1985 Rape and Murder Case Solved -- Florida

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Tonya McKinley ^ was 23-years-old when she was raped and murder after going to Darryl’s Bar & Grille in Pensacola, Florida for New Year's.  Her son was just 18-months-old.  

Tonya's partially nude body was found in an empty lot by a family taking their dog to the emergency vet early on New Year's Day. 

Police collected suspect DNA from the crime scene, but found no matches in the criminal database over the last three decades.

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As  is now becoming common practice, detectives recently ran the unidentified suspect's DNA through public genealogy databases where the general public submits DNA in order to learn about their family trees. 

Once they got a familial DNA hit, they looked for male members of the family who were in the area at the time.

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They narrowed in on Daniel Wells ^, 57, then followed him and collected a cigarette butt he'd discarded.  The DNA from the crime scene matched the DNA from the butt.

It's still not known how Tonya and Wells' paths crossed, but her son and friends are relieved that her case has finally been solved.

Wells is being held at the Escambia County Jail without bond, charged with first-degree murder and sexual battery. 

Ref:  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...aying.html
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