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Hey, good. How are you doing? I'm officer Hart with the Pensacola Police Department. Do you have your license on you by any chance? >> Police have just pulled over 57year-old Daniel Wells. He doesn't know it yet, but the entire department has been tracking his every move for days. Ever since he became the prime suspect in a decades old brutal murder case. >> You've they've this day for 35 years. You have two options. You've got a spade to stay coming for 35 years. You're wondering when you're going to get that knock at your door. >> What the officers don't realize is that Daniel has no prior record. He's never even been charged with a crime. And if investigators can't uncover undeniable proof the real killer could walk free. And the murder of a young mother who never made it home may remain unsolved forever. >> I have irrefutable evidence that you're there. I am not doing all this on a guest. >> I'm not doing all this on a hutch. >> Yeah. >> On New Year's Day 1985, 23-year-old Tanya McKinley rang in the new year at Daryl's, a popular Pensacola bar. It was a rare night out for the young mother, a brief escape from the responsibilities of caring for her 18-month-old son, Timothy. She laughed, drank, and mingled with friends and strangers alike. unaware that the night would end in horror. Sometime after 1:30 a.m., Tanya was last seen leaving the bar. Hours later, at 5:16 a.m., the celebration turned to tragedy. Passers by stumbled upon a grim scene. Tanya's body lay discarded on the side of the road, 7 mi from Daryl's. She had suffered blunt force trauma to the head, and the bruising around her neck told a chilling story. She had been strangled. Her purse, shoes, and a bloody towel lay scattered across the road. When forensics conducted a closer examination of the body, the primal levels of depravity they uncovered would send chills through all who were present. Semen samples extracted from her corpse would provide the DNA of a primary suspect. Initial investigations led the police to Tim Davidson, McKinley's possessive and violent partner. As the father to Tanya's son, Tim was one of the few people with a potential motive. When investigators looked into his background, they were able to gather some key details. Tanya's sister, Renee McCall, described him as abusive, claiming that he threw Tanya out of the house while she was pregnant. She also told officers that he once attempted to run Tanya over during an incident. To cement him as a suspect, police uploaded Davidson's information into the Cotus familial database. Despite their strong suspicions, his DNA was not a match for the crime scene, ruling him out. Police also spoke to several witnesses at the bar that night, but nothing concrete came up. Slowly, the trail began running cold. With their key suspect ruled out, the events of that night became something of a cautionary tale for locals. Eventually, law enforcement was left with nothing but rumors and tips. Meanwhile, public interest remained thanks to periodic media coverage on platforms like WV3, where they highlighted the anniversary of McKinley's death. Months turned into years, years turned into a decade, and a decade became 30 years. The investigation had all but lost its steam, and its most promising leads dried up. Finally, in 2020, developments in advanced genetic genealogy reignited the case. This emerging technology allowed investigators to build a family tree using the crime scene DNA. In Tanya's case, police were able to identify one suspect that could be a potential match with the DNA acquired back in 1985, but there was nothing concrete yet. To nail this, they had to be 100% certain. It's the early hours of March 18th, 2020 in Pensacola, Florida. 57year-old Daniel Wells is on a commute home from work, unaware of the twist that was about to change everything. >> Hey, how you doing? >> Good. How are you doing? I'm officer Hart with the Pensacola Police Department. Do you have your license on you by any chance? >> Thank you. >> Registration, >> that's okay right now. um because of the virus and everything. Do you mind talking to me outside? >> Okay, we'll just step right back here to my car. That way, you know, the contagion and all that kind of stuff. How >> you doing, Mr. How you doing, >> MS? You're going to have to come with us. We're going to be bringing you down to the police station, have a conversation. These two officers will be taking you down. >> Sir, we'll discuss it when we get down there, but you're going have to get in the car with them. >> Let me get your keys for you. Officers apprehend Wells as the prime suspect in Tanya McKinley's murder investigation. They take him into custody without incident. Now, it may have seemed sudden, even unexpected, but investigators were working with solid evidence, the kind that would soon speak for itself. But the moments that follow his arrest will prove to be the most delicate. The detectives need to find Daniel's motives for a strong case against him. And with nearly four decades since the incident, they must avoid hazy recollections and gather hard facts. How they choose to collect this information unveils a side of the interrogation playbook that you rarely get to see. in the mid 80s. Do you know a girl named Tanya McKinley? >> Tanya High School. I knew Tanya Tanya. >> No. >> No. >> You remember her? If you knew her. I mean, like if it was somebody you dated in high school. >> Yeah. >> You'd remember that, right? Tanya was Tanya Lynn. I went to school or she probably would have been like a year editing school. >> I don't know. The name doesn't ring a bell. >> I mean, that's kind of who we are talking about. It's going be kind of strange if you don't know her at all. >> No, I don't. I don't know her at all. Will >> it surprise you if In 1985, were you in Collier County and got arrested for driving a suspended driver's license down there by Naples? >> I was working. >> You're working down there >> and made Yeah. Yeah, I remember that. That's the only time I That's the only time I got a ticket or anything. >> The only time I got in trouble. >> The detectives attempt to confirm Daniel's address history, questioning him on whether or not he lived on Elmrest Drive in Pensacola. The significance of 4237 Elmrest Drive lay in the fact that it was Daniel Wells's last known address at the time of Tanya's death. It also drew the attention of investigators due to its proximity to Peacock Drive, the location where her body was eventually discovered. >> So on New Year's Eve, going from 1984 to 1985, remember what you're doing that night? >> What would you normally have done on the New Year's Eve during that time frame? Um maybe go out to Kevin's little fire or something like that on the beach or >> like to go out to the beach >> to go. >> So where do you normally hang out at? What bars? I mean you work for Chance, >> right? >> But you you did culinary. Would you ever go to the bars? Not very >> recy on Davis. >> Not downtown. >> If you went out, you would go to >> the beach. That's where it be. >> There was the was there was the hotel and Daryl's. >> There's one, >> but they were all kind of on the back side of university back then. There's three there. >> You remember a third one back there? You remember Daryl's and Shans? >> I don't remember Daryl's. >> Remember Daryl? In the very background. >> Remember Benigan? >> Benigans is the other place that's back there. >> This struck as something odd to the detectives. Three bars were mentioned in the area. Yet Daniel makes it a point to indicate that he doesn't remember Daryl specifically, the one bar that he and Tanya McKinley were last seen at prior to her death. By the way, if you're finding this video interesting so far, please do us a favor. Make sure to hit like and also hit subscribe and help us get to 1 million subscribers. Now, let's dive back in. >> What would you picture yourself back then doing as a thing? >> Hanging out with friends, going to somebody's house, going out >> group of people. Yeah. I was never alive. >> Mhm. >> Yeah. >> So, is anyone talking about, you know, old times and stuff? Did that jo your memory about Elmrest? A house on Elen Crest? >> No. Once I rented a place with I'm just trying to think. I don't know. >> I don't know where Elm Press is. >> When you would go out >> New Year's Eve, you're a young guy. Would you be out like looking for for anybody like company or woman or anything like that? >> No. Use with a group of friends >> or whatever. >> Ever get lucky? >> Yeah, I get lucky. Oh, man. Yeah. Back in those days. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. But I was usually out like ch, you know. Well, >> were you versed to like one night stands >> occasionally? Yeah. >> Normally you meet somebody and you get >> most guys are not said if you know you're at a bar and and you have a conversation with a girl and she's willing, you're not going to turn it down. >> Yeah, >> girls might but guys usually don't. And so >> yeah, I had a few one nice fans Halloween. I can remember that was out at that was out at Kevin. We used to you could rent hotel rooms for winter rates or whatever. I was working I was working at Woodcraft there too. >> All right. So you closer to that >> you know with a couple friends we've got a place or whatever. >> Still don't remember Elmrest. >> I don't remember the address doesn't sound familiar. I mean the name I uh she gone out. >> Yeah. I don't know her. >> Don't know her at all. >> No contact. >> Never any idea what we're talking about yet? No, I don't I don't know what would I don't have any idea what show. >> All right, let's cut the chase. >> So that young lady I showed you a picture of. >> Right. >> New Year's Eve 1984 going 1985 January 1st early morning 1985. >> Okay. Was found dead on the side of a road and I have the evidence that you're the one that's there. Oh. I have irrefutable evidence that you're there. >> I'm not I am not doing all this on a guess. >> I don't know. >> On a hutch. >> Damn. >> Yeah. >> Tell you there. >> I wasn't there. At this point, it seems like Daniel's confidence. After all, if they had anything worth getting him with, it would have been used a long time ago. But could Wells lie his way out of a 1 in700 billion match? >> I kind of crime shows or just new stories about crime or stuff like that, cool case files, anything like that. >> DNA. >> Yeah, >> DNA is actually just as positive, but more not more positive fingerprints. Right. So I can prove to literally one in 700 billion chances you were there. That's where we're at. I'm not asking you. >> Right. >> Okay. We're not asking you if you're there. Honestly, >> I don't I mean I It doesn't >> 35 years. Yeah. It's been 35 years. This is the first time you've probably talked to the police about this. I'm sure of that. >> Yeah. >> Right. Have you noticed anything unusual for the last couple weeks? >> No. >> Nobody around you looked unusual. Seen a bunch of police cars for no reason? Nothing that >> felt like somebody was following you? >> No. >> Only happened. >> The thing is is that your DNA is at this site right on this person. is it is nobody else's except yours. There there's there's no other explanation, right? It can't be a possibility somebody else's DNA. Your DNA is at this scene, Dan. I get this is this is your life. This is probably freaking you out a little bit. I just Right. But but listen to me. There's there's a story here, right? And either you can choose to give that story about what happened, the chain of events that led to what ultimately happened as to why we're here and you have a part to play in that. If you don't, it starts to look pretty bad as to why you're not explaining it. >> I don't understand. I mean, I would never I have never hurt anybody in my life. That's what's I mean it I I've had one night stands and stuff before, but it's it's like >> Have you had a one night stand with her before? >> No, I don't know her. I'm telling you. I do. I cannot recognize her. I don't know the name. >> It's like you went back to to school days. >> The only reason you're not telling us that you know who she is is because you're afraid that somehow we'll find out that you're responsible for her death. We already know that you are. Just listen. Right. This has been 35 years ago, right? This has been 35 years that you haven't had to face this, right? And and all of a sudden, one day you're at work. You run your workday. Everything's fine. You're on your way home. All of a sudden, you get pulled over an hour later in this room and we're telling you this. That's a shock. and totally normal human behavior to be defensive about. Nobody wants to admit much like you sat there for a while and didn't want to admit that you had exposed yourself and masturbated women. We had to go through this whole process where you're like, "Nope, no. Oh, well, yeah. Well, I did a little bit while I was peeing and she said something, then I said something. That was it. Oh, wait. No, there was another time." We went through that whole process with you. Right. >> Right. We're starting it over again, but we're going to end up in the same place because we're not here by accident. I I'm I'm being honest with you. I don't really like playing games. >> The detectives aren't lying here. The process of finding Daniel as the main suspect was unmistakable. The officers trailed him to preserve the element of surprise, preventing him from tampering with any new evidence. Given the fact that investigators had waited for 35 years since the murder, they couldn't risk anything that would destroy their ironclad case. It wouldn't take until March 2nd of 2020 when a surveillance team would follow Wells to see if he was a match for the DNA. They got their sample in the form of a cigarette that he tossed out at 9:40 a.m. on March 4th. Tests were carried out and the cigarette DNA proved an exact match for the 1985 crime scene. Wells was then arrested and brought in for questioning two weeks later on March 18th, resulting in the present interrogation. >> This was not gentle. This was not an accident. And and if you're going to let the evidence tell a story, it paints a very ugly picture. Your opportunity is to soften that because we understand there are other dynamics that go on. We're open to the fact because we've heard it time and time again. We don't go into anything with a closed mind because there's been too many times we go in thinking one thing and we walk out thinking something totally different because then we hear the other side of the story. That's how we operate from experience. But I'm going be honest with you, right? That's all I can do with you. We're following you because we need DNA, right? So, we have DNA from the scene. Week and a half, two weeks ago now on your way into work, you threw a cigarette butt out the window. There's a way actually you're on your way up to a shop I believe on Halifox and you're driving from the shop up pace and there may have been a police car behind you and then all a sudden that police car stops and blocks all traffic right behind you. Remember seeing that? >> Mhm. >> You know what you did just before that? You threw your cigarette butt out the window and I was in that police car. >> There was two FBI agents right behind you. >> We picked up that cigarette butt. We submitted and came back as a match. So, we know that you were at the scene. That's That's not a debatable fact. >> I'm just >> Yeah, you're blown away. >> Well, it's just I don't I know someone I had sex with or or what, but I just I I don't I never hurt anybody is is what I'm saying. This is just blowing me away. >> There's there's a couple different ways to look at it. And and the thing is is this is why >> Daniel continues to deny ever being with Tanya that night, but the officers hammer in on their undeniable evidence against him. >> I mean, >> this was a pretty big deal back then. >> It's on the news. >> I don't remember it. So, how >> I mean I just I'm I'm just >> How can your DNA end up with her >> unless we had sex? That's the only reason that's I don't know. >> I'm not asking unless I'm not asking you to theorize. I'm asking you to tell me because you were there. How did your DNA and >> it was her? I was with her. I guess >> I was with her. >> I guess. And I don't I'm not trying to >> I don't remember her. I don't remember the name. The face means I don't remember her. Yeah, >> if you're in and out partying or something like that, I mean it happened pretty regularly. >> So would you think like we talked about earlier >> that there's after 35 years there's lots of things that are kind of vague in memories except for the specific life events like in 1986, >> right? 1985, excuse me, when the space shuttle blew up. I know exactly where I was standing when I heard because that's a significant event of my life, right? So, you got significant events in your life that you remember exactly where you were, >> right? >> What you were doing when they happened. >> Don't you think that if you had sex with a girl, you were out partying New Year's Eve, you met a girl, you picked her up, you're in the car, right? You had sex with her, and then the next morning on the news, you find out she's dead. You remember that? >> I would. Yeah. Yeah, I would remember it. >> So, that's the most >> I mean, I don't know. It's like I don't know. That's the most innocent scenario I can give you. >> No. >> I don't. >> Do you think there was a time that you were I mean >> back then were you drinking so much that you had >> I remember I don't forget. I mean I had a good memory. >> Right. So you remember if you had sex with a girl the next day she was on newspaper day. Even if you didn't know who she was, >> you'd remember the next day when they put her picture in the paper two days later. Oh my god, I was just I was touch with her two nights ago in New Jersey. >> I guess I would remember if I'd seen >> I'm just I'm just trying to throw some logical stuff there, D. I'm trying to help you out here because I'm telling you, the picture that this evidence paints is not one that you want to go out there without an explanation. There's room there to mitigate some of that evidence, right? >> When confrontation doesn't work, detectives change tactics, appealing to Daniel's emotions by bringing up his relationship with his son. Stay in contact with him all the time. >> Very cool. That's hard to do sometimes. I got a son that's in the Air Force. Spent two years in Japan. Now he's in Beluxy, which is just two and a half hours down the road. We have a good relationship, but we might not talk for two months, right? There's times he doesn't we're like, "Hey, are you you're just a couple hours down the road? Are you are you going to come by visit sometime?" Because it's easy to lose that when there's a distance, but you and Morgan still have a good relationship. >> Yes, a great relationship. >> Did you ever come here and visit? >> When was the last time you came here and visited? >> About a year ago. >> Did you ever go out there? >> Been there since he's been there. moved there from Kansas City. And >> does his mom live out there? >> She moved out there. Yeah. >> Okay. >> She >> So, we're not really talking so much. You haven't had a great relationship with your sisters for the last several years. >> Your mom and dad have passed. >> You got an ex-wife. >> Do you have a relationship with her or is it just like >> she calls? >> So, she call you. Is it about Morgan or is it just >> Well, I talked to We have got a great relationship with his with his mother, my second wife. She would call >> That's good though. >> See how I'm doing. >> That's That's good. That's healthy. That's probably helped keep you level the last several years, right? That that you and her can have relationship so Morgan can grow up and not feel some of the same things that you kind of mentioned about your parents. always had a good relationship with with my ex-wife with his mother >> and even my my second wife, >> you know. >> So what I don't think and I don't my only knowing you is the last hour or so that we have spent here, right? Um I haven't known you before this but you don't seem like a coldarted person. >> I'm not. I mean, I'm I don't >> Well, so I would think that it it appears to me that you care what people think about you. Yeah. >> That's why you're embarrassed about me. >> Not really. >> I mean, to to a certain extent. I mean, I think we're all like, I'm not going to change who I am to satisfy people. >> But your image to Morgan, especially, what you do, how you look to Morgan is important because you're a good father, >> right? and you want to be a good father to him so that he grows up and is a better person than you are. I think that's all our goals as parents. My kids, I want them to grow up be a better person than I am. And I'm sure that's what you want. I feel like you're the type of person that want that from you. >> I'm sure telling you very near future, right? When the story comes out and the details of this come out, if it goes out without explanation of what happened, right? Your story of what happened, it is going to be clear to Morgan that you're responsible. And without an explanation on how it got to that point, he is going to be left to fill in those blanks just like we are. Something happened. The tactic finally seems to work as Daniel's wall of denial begins to crack. >> I was with her and stuff, but I didn't give her a ride home and there was a group of us. Oh god, because I guess she lived over in San County or something. But um Bobby Hicks and uh a guy named Ralph James, they were with me. There was a group of people that I went to school with that were that were there and u we did have sex in the parking lot other than that. Well, no, actually the house I guess too. That's where that's where um John enter the house, >> I guess. I don't recall, but I would stay with him every now and then. >> Was he out with you that night? She looked at the guy they were and came by the house and >> they left with her. >> At this moment, Daniel tries to point fingers, but the evidence pointed right back at him. >> And she wanted a ride home. And we went by my went by my house and we had a few drinks and stuff and it just it just escalated from from from that she and it knocked her out and it was traumatic. Well, I killed her. >> What happened that made it get out of control? >> I think we just got kind of an argument or something. What it was? >> Was it about having sex? >> No, she was Ralph and those guys, they stopped by provolved and they they left and >> Were you having sex with her before? Yeah. >> And she tried to withdraw it and that's what led to it. Did >> So like in the middle of it, did she want to stop? >> We had we had consensual sex and stuff and I just >> What happened that make things >> I just wasn't She said, >> "I don't know." >> I mean, can we be real here? Did she like comment on your sexual performance or something? >> No, it was it was just it was Yeah, it was but it >> did you want to leave and you didn't want to leave yet? >> Something like that. I don't I don't remember. >> Here we go again. We're trying to We're trying to keep I can't remember. I just noticed. >> But you're the one that was there, >> right? >> So, something simple. You said you hit her on the head. >> What' you hit her in the head with >> it was a cutting board. >> Cutting board. >> Yeah. >> Wooden lock cutting board >> at your house on El. >> So you were just staying up there with pentagrams. So that's where this happened at. Was anyone else there? They I mean earlier there were some guys there but then >> it was later on in the evenings and stuff like that. >> So Bobby and Ralph came over there while you were there with her. >> Had you already had sex with her then? >> Once. >> Once. >> And then >> so then they came over. They hung out for a little bit with him. Have some drinks >> and then they left. >> Right. And then >> so we got kind of into a little bit of an argument or whatever and from drinking and stuff. It just kind of got out of hand. >> So I'm thinking cutting board. You're in the kitchen arguing. >> I was standing in the kitchen. >> Oh yeah. >> And you said once. So there was a second time. Was it after you hit her? Uh, yes it was. >> So you hit her. You said it was a fatal blow. She was unconscious at least. >> So then you had sex with her a second time also. >> Well, not really sex, but I didn't. We had sex. Then it was like I was couldn't believe what had happened and I couldn't get her to respond. >> So you stop. So you >> I think >> I took it down the road. >> What? >> My vehicle. >> Which vehicle? >> I don't know what I was driving. I think it was my fort. I think it was my truck. the same one that you got the ticket in South Florida. >> So, you think you had a pickup truck? >> Where'd you put it? >> Uh, just on the side of the road. >> I mean, in the truck bed. >> Did you wake up though? when I checked her bolts and all that stuff. I was just freaked out. >> Before after you left your money >> before, >> how did you eventually kill her? >> I think just strangulation. I don't know. We just getting into big fight. >> Where did you where was she at when you strangled her? Was it on the place where you brought her to or was it the house? >> Now, you said that you had sex with her a second time after she was hurt. >> I didn't I'm just trying to piece together the reason, >> right? We were going We were going to have sex again and we just we didn't. We kind of got into it a little bit. >> So, it was over one flat man. I just so I'm just I don't know just pissed I hit her with it. >> There's indications that that the sex would happen after she's unconscious too. So did you have sex with her after you hit her? >> You said yes. >> Yeah. Right. >> I guess. Yeah. >> So she wasn't a willing participant in that. But that's what the argument was about that led to that second time. >> But then you realized she really wasn't conscious. And it's like >> so you kind of lost interest at that point >> which was kind of annoying. >> So I mean it kind of make me think that maybe the argument was that you wanted sex again. She didn't want to. >> That led to the argument that led to her slapping you. That led to you hitting her head and then you had sex with her again. Did strangulation occur after that sex or before? >> Before. >> Yeah. So, hit her in the head, she goes out, >> you strangle her, >> right? >> And then you have sex with her again. At least partially. >> You try. >> You're trying to have sex again. You realize, "Oh [ __ ] she's really hurt." >> Yeah. >> Take her out. You put her in a truck. You drive around >> and push her out on the side of the road. >> Nothing. Like a bag of trash. With no more stories to weave and a stack of evidence glaring at him, Daniel finally begins to reveal the truth. After their first intimate encounter, when Tanya rejected his advances, Daniel couldn't take no for an answer. In a fit of rage, after physically assaulting and violating her, Daniel threw her lifeless body onto Peacock Drive, where she'd later be found. Thankfully, the DNA evidence from the seaman and towel that he threw out would lead to his arrest. Tim. >> Yeah. >> Hey, this is Captain Mallet. I'm with the Pensacola Police Department. >> Hey, boss. How you doing? >> I'm great. So, you don't know me. We've never met. Um, >> but I want to let you know that I just made an arrest um on your mother's murder. >> I'm sorry. >> Are you serious right now? >> Yes, sir. Serious. Oh my god. >> I know it's been a long time, >> but yeah, man. I'm sorry, dude. I'm sorry. I'm freaking I'm freaking out right now. >> Thank you so much. >> Yes, sir. >> Unfortunately for Tanya McKinley's now fully grown son, Timothy. This justice was bittersweet as Daniel would eventually end his own life in his prison cell just a few weeks later. Prior to this, Daniel had been charged with first-degree murder and sexual battery. Since the crime occurred in 1985, Florida's sentencing laws at that time would have been applicable. Now, if you think this case was horrific, you need to check out my video on the evil wife who almost got away with murder.
Danger Zone
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