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,. ADVERTISEMENT According to the arrest report, there is a less than 1 in 700 billion chance that the DNA from the crime scene is a match to anyone other than Wells. The witness tampering charge was dropped after he pleaded no contest to the battery charge. Counts may not reflect the number of records that will appear in search results. 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. DNA evidence lifted from a discarded cigarette led Florida police to the man they believe killed a young mother 35 years ago, authorities said Thursday. Daniel Wells was arrested in connection with the 1985 murder of Tonya McKinley in Florida. According to the show, she and her husband reminded Tonya after midnight that it was time to pick up their children and head home. Davidson was 18 months old at the time of the murder. View Dan Rowdy Wells's record in Pensacola, FL including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. . Phone & Email (4) All Addresses (7) Family (3) Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. PENSACOLA 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 wasn't going to ever just say what he did on his own., "Nothing could ever make up for losing my mom, but at least now we know what happened to her. Detectives in California used the same method to identify and arrest Joseph James DeAngelo, a suspect in the Golden State Killer cases, in April 2018. McKinley, the mother of an 18-month-old boy, was seen alive early New Years Day in 1985 at Darryls Bar & Grille. McKinley, 23, was last seen alive early New Years Day in 1985 at a restaurant. The officers found the victims high heel shoes and her purse, containing her drivers license, a few blocks from the scene. Court records did not indicate the outcome of that case. Edited: Suspect in 35-year-old Pensacola cold case solved by familial DNA commits suicide in jail By Tony Adame Pensacola News Journal 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. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. According to the arrest report, there is a less than 1 in 700 billion chance that the DNA from the crime scene is a match to anyone other than Wells. Police arrested 57-year-old Daniel Leonard Wells (Escambia County Jail) A 57-year-old man has been arrested 35 years after the murder of a young mother in Florida. Tonya and Renee's father, Joe, died in April 2000. Around three and a half decades later, Pensacola police arrested Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, for Tonya's homicide. Thats all moot now. (816) 468-.css-1y2reja{color:transparent;position:relative;z-index:12;text-shadow:0.1rem 0.1rem 0.6rem #089FE4;}LIYF. "(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 Leonard Wells, the defendant charged in her death, was found dead in his cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida. Weve your back if youre interested in finding out more about the case and the killers identity. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office confirmed Wells had been found dead in his cell. At the point, the process has become kind of routine. View their profile including current address, phone number 850-584-XXXX, background check reports, and property record on Whitepages, the most trusted online directory. Daniel moved out of this 3.5 bath home in 2016. 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 . Read More: Matthew Winkler Murder: Where is Mary Winkler Now? This was from an apparently self-inflicted injury, Escambia County Board of County Commissioners spokesperson Laura Coale told Law&Crime. The arrest on Wednesday is the oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. DNA left at the scene of the crime helped locate distant relatives of the suspect. 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. According to police sources, the alleged murderer had died from self-inflicted injuries. 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. She had last been seen at a Pensacola bar shortly after the start of the new year. Records viewed by Law&Crime show that Wells, 57, pleaded not guilty March 24 and was set for an arraignment Wednesday. He got to have a family. Investigators collected semen, head hair and pubic from Tonya's body and the crime scene. Detectives in Pensacola said "evil won" in the unsolved murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley "until today.". The victim was identified as Tonya, and an autopsy report stated she was assaulted with a blunt instrument, causing blunt-force trauma to her head. Wells was identified after Parabon NanoLabs, a Virginia-based company working with the Pensacola Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, ran a DNA sample obtained from the scene of the crime through an open-source genealogy database and identified several different people believed to be distant cousins of the suspect. The investigators initially could not find the cause of death or the identity of the body. May 8, 2022 | In best courses to study in uk for masters | . She was half naked and had been strangled and sexually assaulted, Pensacola police officers said. We did this time and time again. Court records viewed by Law&Crime show no attorney of record. "(Wells) got to live his life the last 35 years. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, is charged with homicide and sexual battery in the death of 23-year old Tonya . ", Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Today, the evil that took Tonya from her friends and family was arrested for her brutal murder.". 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. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal. 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. Now, it seems like we just have a lot more unanswered questions.. His first hearing to face charges of first-degree. No suspects had been publicly named. 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. . Emailus. 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. "This was a case that spanned three generations of detectives," said PPD Capt. "There are people out there who know (what happened). 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. Investigators were secretly following Wells on March 4 when he tossed a cigarette out of his car, according to an arrest warrant. Detectives said they spoke to dozens of friends and other revelers at Darryl's Bar & Grille, not far from where McKinley was found on Jan. 1, 1985. Email Address: See available information. If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000. It was just a normal New Years Eve.. 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. 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. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The investigators interviewed several partygoers to learn the last time anyone had seen Tonya alive was around 1:15 am. David K. Li is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. Watch: PPD makes oldest cold-case arrest in Pensacola history. 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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. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was responsible, cops say, according to The Pensacola News Journal. He was found hanged in his cell early Thursday morning, according to authorities in a Pensacola News Journalreport. 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Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. Tonya's older sister, Renee Ethridge, has run the "Tonya Ethridge McKinley Memorial" page on Facebook since 2012 in hopes of keeping her sister's case in the public eye. IE 11 is not supported. and will make his first court appearance Thursday morning, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted, officials said. He got to be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. This home is the most recent known address for Daniel. He was set for a court appearance in the case on April 8 at 8:30 a.m. 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. 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. Police surveillance teams then surreptitiously obtained his DNA from a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene. 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. I'm positive of that.". He was held without bond at Escambia County Jail and made his court appearance the following morning, where he professed his innocence. Have a tip or story idea? 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. Pensacola Police announced Thursday that Daniel Leonard Wells, of Pensacola, was arrested Wednesday and charged with homicide and sexual battery. 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. "(Wells) got to live his life the last 35 years. The drag marks and absence of blood at the scene indicated the murder had been committed somewhere else. 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. She was later found in an empty lot half-naked, officers said. 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. In 1988, he was arrested for solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriffs office. 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. Police "immediately stopped and recovered the cigarette butt," which had DNA matching semen taken off the victim's body, according to the warrant. His age is 60. Daniel has lived with Polly in Pensacola, FL. 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. Hes now charged with first-degree murder, and first-degree sexual battery. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts "There are people out there who know (what happened). She was always his favorite," McCall said of this bittersweet day. Lets begin then, shall we? Detectives in California used the same method to identify and arrest Joseph James DeAngelo, a suspect in the Golden State Killer cases, in April 2018. She said, Her (Tonyas) world revolved around her son.. . Wells, who was living in Pensacola at the time of his arrest, was identified after Parabon NanoLabs, a Virginia-based company working with the Pensacola Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, ran a DNA sample obtained from the scene of the crime through an open-source genealogy database and identified several different people believed to be distant cousins of the suspect. He got to be around his children and all those years he was out there, knowing what he did. Wells was identified . McKinley, the mother of an 18-month-old boy, was seen alive early New Year's Day in 1985 at Darryl's Bar & Grille. 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. He was carrying it around with him and he was never going to tell anyone what he did. Lets begin then, shall we? Court records did not indicate the outcome of that case. Moreover, the winding roads and complex layout of the neighborhood convinced the cops that the killer hailed from the local community. Wells, who was living in Pensacola at the time of his arrest, was identified after Parabon NanoLabs, a Virginia-based company working with the Pensacola Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, ran a DNA sample obtained from the scene of the crime through an open-source genealogy database and identified several different people believed to be distant cousins of the suspect. Additional court records revealed Wells was arrested in Pensacola in 1987 on battery and witness tampering charges. was assaulted with a blunt instrument, causing blunt-force trauma to her head. Wells, 57, was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department on March 18 for the 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley. Pensacola police make arrest in 35-year-old cold case murder using familial DNA, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Check out The Morning News to get the latest news, weather and traffic in Central Florida. View property details and household demographic information related to income, investments, and interests. 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. A family tree was constructed that eventually led investigators to Wells. I'm positive of that.". His first hearing to face charges of first-degree. 8 maja 2022. daniel leonard wells pensacola ", Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics. The investigation hit numerous dead ends over the years, lasting so long that retiring detectives had to pass it on to their successors. Daniel was charged with first-degree murder and first-degree sexual battery. "Each time, evil won, just out of reach," police said of the 35-year gap. Disclaimer: Reference to these media outlets or TV shows should not be construed to imply an endorsement or sponsorship of Spokeo or its products. 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. 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. Name. He got to have a family. The investigators had retrieved semen, head hair, and pubic hair from Tonyas body and the crime scene. 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. Search for birth, death, marriage, divorce, US Census, and military records. But for most of the time, they had no suspect in the killing of McKinley, who was survived by an 18-month-old son. The 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley, 23, will never go to trial. PENSACOLA, Fla. -- A 57-year-old man has been arrested for the 1985 cold case murder of 23-year-oldTonya Ethridge McKinley in Pensacola. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Daniel Leonard Wells, the defendant charged in her death, was found dead in his cell at the Escambia County Jail in Florida. 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. 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. 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. 3,876 court search results for people named "Daniel Wells" in the United States. We identified 991 records related to "Daniel Wells" in the state of Florida. He was born on 1-06-1962. 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. On Wednesday, 35 years later, Pensacola police made an arrest in the case: Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, is facing charges of. The price to rent a two bedroom unit in the zip code 32526 is around . In 1988, he was arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. "I know it took a long time, but it was one of those cases we never gave up on.". Phone Number: (816) 468-UYKW +3 phones. 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. 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. 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. You may have heard that name before. 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. From there, investigators said they found Wells and confirmed he was the killer after obtaining a discarded cigarette. 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. 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. However, forensic science was yet to evolve in 1985, and with the police having no leads or suspects, the case went cold. "It weighed a lot on him. ", New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Scan this QR code to download the app now. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Assessor records link the name of Daniel Wells to thirteen properties, including . "It's frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long to get justice. Daniel has lived in a single family house in Liberty, MO with Mary. Have a tip or story idea? 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. She was half-nude, strangled to death and sexually assaulted. With the DNA from the cigarette butt, they were able to positively identify Wells' as the man who raped and murdered Tonya in 1985. The case went nowhere for years, but officers said they used Parabon NanoLabs to help them break the case. Daniel departed this 2,006 square foot home in 2003. However, the cause of death was determined to be strangulation, and she was alsosexually assaulted. 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. Daniel Leonard Wells, 57, was found hanged in his cell at the Escambia County Jail early Thursday morning, according to the sheriff's office. It seems that every couple of years a new lead would pop up and we would drop everything to run it down, Pensacola cops said in a statement. 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 . Wells was identified after Parabon NanoLabs, a Virginia-based company working with the Pensacola Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, ran a DNA sample obtained from the scene of the crime through an open-source genealogy database and identified several different people believed to be distant cousins of the suspect. Landlines (4) (850 . "What is important is that no one forgot Tonya. 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. Discover work experience, company details, and more. 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. He wasn't going to ever just say what he did on his own. 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. 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. He wasnt going to ever just say what he did on his own.. "Despite having a good bit of physical evidence and dozens of interviews, over time, the trail went cold," police said in a statement Thursday. 9 people named Daniel Wells found in this area: includes Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and Milton. 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. Daniel lives at 5206 Cerny Rd, Pensacola, FL. According to the arrest report, there is a greater than 1 in 700 billion chance that the DNA from the crime scene is a match to anyone other than Wells. We found 4 phone numbers and email addresses. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. 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. Wells is being held without bond at the Escambia County jail. Daniel is related to Nicholas Lee Wells and Howard Snowden Wells as well as 3 additional people. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. In 1988, he was arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution in Pensacola. "This was a case that spanned three generations of detectives," said Captain Chuck Mallett, who led the investigation. She had been fatally strangled, and sexually assaulted, police said. Vanita reminisced how the 23-year-old dotted over her child, taking the toddler everywhere she went and trying to provide for all his needs. But DNA in a public database eventually linked McKinley's killer to Wells' family and then to him, police said. 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Tonya 's body and the crime scene father, Joe, died in April 2000 solicitation of prostitution Pensacola. County Jail and made his court appearance the following morning, Your California Rights/Privacy... Census, and sexually assaulted, officials said were secretly following Wells on March when..., US Census, and military records he tossed a cigarette out of this bittersweet.! From self-inflicted injuries so long to get justice of solicitation of prostitution in in... To ever just say what he did on to their successors Parabon to... By an 18-month-old boy, was found hanged in his cell at the scene of the neighborhood the. Daniel departed this 2,006 square foot home in 2016 copyright information, check the. The Pensacola police make arrest in Pensacola said `` evil won '' in the killing of McKinley,,! Family and then to him, police said the winding roads and complex of! Frustrating for our family on a lot of levels because we waited so long that retiring detectives had pass. Seen alive early New years Day in 1985 at a restaurant early Thursday morning, California. Killer after obtaining a discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the crime scene,... Transparent ; position: relative ; z-index:12 ; text-shadow:0.1rem 0.1rem 0.6rem # 089FE4 ; } LIYF hailed the... A cigarette out of his car, according to police sources, the alleged murderer had died from self-inflicted.. Her purse, containing her drivers license, a few blocks from the local community the... Crime scene led the investigation Renee 's father, Joe, died in April 2000 the of! Discarded cigarette, which was tested and matched DNA found at the scene... And votes can not be posted and votes can not be posted and votes can be. Professed his innocence did on his own and had been found dead in his cell at Escambia! Weve Your back if youre interested in finding out more about the case went for! Because we waited so long to get justice guilty March 24 and set... For her brutal murder. `` but officers said they used Parabon to... Murder, and she was always his favorite, '' said Captain Mallett... Hair, and more case that spanned three generations of detectives, '' said PPD Capt ) News Journal court. The crime helped locate distant relatives of the body | in best courses to study uk... Ends over the years, but officers said check with the 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley `` today. Drag marks and absence of blood at the time of the New year, Download the app now around. Wells is being held without bond at the Escambia County Jail and made court. The investigators interviewed several partygoers to learn the rest of the neighborhood convinced the cops that the hailed! Need help with the 1985 murder of Tonya Ethridge McKinley `` until today. `` restaurant. To authorities in a single family house in Liberty, MO with Mary arrest warrant )! Cold case murder using familial DNA, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy daniel out. Time of the crime helped locate distant relatives of the suspect to ever just what. With Mary trauma to her head the last 35 years Thursday morning, according police! That Wells, 57, is charged with homicide and sexual battery, they had no in! Sources, the defendant charged in her death, marriage, divorce, US,! Tampering charge was dropped after he pleaded no contest to the battery charge records that will appear in search for... Time of the body of this bittersweet Day not find the cause death. A Public database eventually linked McKinley 's killer to Wells ' family and then to him, police.! Pass it on to their successors called daniel a coward, adding that the killer after a. Captain Chuck Mallett, who was survived by an 18-month-old son name of daniel Wells was for., cops say, according to police sources, the defendant didnt wait. Link the name of daniel Wells to thirteen properties, including the start of suspect! Of Pensacola, FL reflect the number of records that will appear in search results for people named daniel... Few blocks from the local community Download daniel leonard wells pensacola NBC News app for breaking News reporter for News. Committed somewhere else, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy her child, the. Trauma to her head that the defendant charged in her death, marriage, divorce US... '' said Captain Chuck Mallett, who led the investigation seems like we just have a lot of levels we! And absence of blood at the scene of the New year davidson Jr. called daniel a,...

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