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U.S. NEWS Friday 20 March 2020
Police use DNA, genealogy to arrest suspect in 1985 slaying

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — A of detectives," said Pen- against online databases
Florida police department sacola police Capt. Chuck where genealogy hobby-
says it solved a 35-year-old Mallett, who led the inves- ists and others post their
homicide by using DNA tigation. "I know it took a DNA profiles in hopes of
to find a relative of the al- long time, but it was one of finding long-lost relatives.
leged killer and then cre- those cases we never gave When detectives find DNA
ated a family tree to track up on." that suggests someone is
him down. McKinley had last been related to the killer or rap-
Pensacola detectives ar- seen at a Pensacola bar ist, they make a family tree
rested 57-year-old Daniel at about 1:30 a.m. New of that person looking for
Wells on Wednesday and Year's Day. Her partially male relatives who lived
charged him with the slay- nude body was found four near where the attack took
ing of Tonya McKinley, 23, hours later in an empty lot place.
whose body was found by a family taking their dog If they find a possible hit, de-
before dawn on New to the emergency vet. No tectives surreptitiously fol-
Year's Day 1985. She had suspects had been publicly low the suspect until he dis-
been strangled and sexu- identified since and police cards a coffee cup, piece
ally assaulted, according found no DNA matches. of gum or something else
to the Pensacola News But over the last two years, that would have his DNA.
Journal. She left behind an police departments have They recover and test the
18-month-old son. begun running profiles of item, hoping for a match. This booking photo provided by Escambia County Corrections
"This was a case that DNA left behind at old mur- Police say that's what hap- shows Daniel Wells.
spanned three generations ders and sexual assaults pened here — DNA recov- Associated Press
ered from a cigarette butt
Wells discarded matched pleaded no contest to the be around his children ...
Man dies by McKinley's killer. He is be- battery charge. and all those years he was
out there, knowing what
ing held at the Escambia McKinley's son, Timothy Da-
apparent suicide in ICE County Jail without bond, vidson Jr., is now in his mid- he did. He was carrying it
around with him and he
charged with murder and 30s. He told the News Jour-
family detention center sexual battery. Court re- nal he was happy to learn was never going to tell any-
one what he did. He wasn't
cords do not list an attorney of the arrest.
representing him. The News "My mom, she never got to going to ever just say what
HOUSTON (AP) — A 27-year- safety risks and individuals Journal said Wells had two raise me, never got to be he did on his own.
old Honduran man died by subject to mandatory de- arrests within three years of a part of my life," Davidson "Nothing could ever make
apparent suicide at one of tention based on criminal McKinley's death: one for said. "(Wells) got to live his up for losing my mom, but
U.S. Immigration and Cus- grounds." battery and the other for life the last 35 years. He got at least now we know what
toms Enforcement's family "We anticipate that this soliciting a prostitute. He to have a family. He got to happened to her."q
detention centers, authori- won't be the last death at
ties said Thursday. Karnes unless ICE imme-
ICE said the man was pro- diately releases all those
nounced dead at about detained at this deten-
12:30 a.m. Wednesday af- tion center and in custody
ter being found unrespon- around the country," Lucia
sive at the Karnes County Allain, a spokeswoman for
Residential Center in South RAICES, said in a statement.
Texas, which detains about "A dirty and cramped de-
700 parents and children. tention center in the face
ICE did not identify the of a pandemic is unsafe
man. and inhumane."
The legal group RAICES In sworn legal declarations
says it was representing the the group released Tues-
man and called his death day, two migrants reported
"devastating." getting sick from the drink-
The death was the ninth to ing water they are provid-
occur in ICE custody since ed at Karnes, which had
the start of the govern- 680 people in detention
mental fiscal year in Octo- last week. Another migrant
ber, exceeding the eight said detainees are denied
deaths that occurred in the access to hand sanitizer.
prior year. They are instead told to use
Advocates have called on body wash in the showers
ICE to reduce its detainee to clean their hands at all
population and its opera- times.
tions to arrest migrants in ICE said in a statement
the U.S. without authoriza- that the facility has hand
tion amid the coronavi- soap dispensers that are
rus outbreak, which could checked twice daily and
pose a special risk to peo- detained migrants are "en-
ple jailed in close quarters. couraged" to report any
ICE said Wednesday that it shortages. The agency also
would scale back enforce- said it provides free water,
ment to detain "public milk, and juice. q