Operation Murder | Full Episode

48 Hours

presents this is offic the Houston

Police Department major offenders

division career criminal

[Music]

Squad hey my name is Valerie

McDaniel I've always tried to be an

honest kind

person I've try to live the best life I

can

Valerie wound up being the top of the

class the valedictorian the

valedictorian in our 1987 High School

graduating class she sure did my name is

Megan she's my second

cousin she's generous and creative smart

nice and

sweet she would always like take care of

my dog

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I wasn't sure if I should be a vet

anymore and Valerie brought that passion

back I know that Valerie made an audio

recording of all of her memorable

moments in life I met through friends a

man named MC

MCD and thought he was the cutest thing

tall and skinny with his boots

Valerie and Mac lived a lavish lifestyle

a high-end life you know a life of

luxury life of beauty Great Cars Valley

had a Mercedes daughter went to a great

school they worked a lot that was a big

thing they both be working and but did

they seem happy together yeah yeah it

seemed

[Music]

great one morning at

work

there was a a note on my desk that

said Dr McDaniel call Miss

Brown she said I've been your husband's

lover it tore up divorce is never an

easy

thing she met Leon a medical doctor he

actually went to the same school I did a

little bit of ER but then also like like

cardio and

transplant

I looked at him and smiled and he smiled

back and just a beautiful

person her face her smile she had this

outwardly exuberance of energy that I

really can't describe she fell for Leon

she was madly in love with him we were

um planning on getting

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married Mac always wanted more more more

at the detriment of their

daughter my name is MZ Ai and Leon Jacob

tried to hire me as a

Hitman in the car did he give you

$2,500 he paid the $2,000 in cash yes in

cash right and what did you see on his

face

excitement he was enjoying it like he

actually was excited about the whole

thing I could never hurt the man that my

daughter loves so much the male subject

he's

gone he's done all

right this has been a long drawn out

story that's led to an unbelievable

conclusion when he came into my office

he shut the door he said I'm Dr Leon

Jacob I felt like I was talking to Satan

himself

[Music]

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48 hours operation murder reported by

Peter Van Sant continues in 90

seconds

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2453

2453 yes ma'am it's going to be a major

offenders

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investigation it's 3:00 a.m. on Friday

March 10th

2017 h Houston police are making their

way to the seventh floor condo of

beloved veterinarian Valerie

McDaniel AF we have some bad news bad

doesn't begin to describe what's about

to be

revealed found it looks like

it turns out to be a

fatality Valerie's ex-husband Mack

police tell her was dead just 6 months

after after their divorce had become

final do you have anybody you can call

to to help you to stay to stay with you

but how could Valerie's life have

arrived at this Dreadful

[Music]

moment Valerie earned her degree in

veterinary medicine at Texas A&M it was

during that time she met Mac McDaniel

Valerie's friend Greg Holloway my

impression of Mac is that he was a a

good man he was a standup guy Mack

proposed and Valerie had the man of her

dreams as she describes in that

recording of her memories we did get

married we had a beautiful fairy tale

wedding moved into a house that my

parents had bought me to live in not

long after that Valerie decided to open

her own

Clinic Valerie's cousin Cody Bernard I

admired her it sunk something inside of

me I wanted to I want to do that one day

something big you

know Mack was her office manager but

even as the vet clinic thrived the two

longed for something more he said she

couldn't have any children so the only

option was to

adopt in 2008 the couple adopted a

daughter when she was just 2 days old

but as their new family came together

their marriage began to fall apart it

started Valerie says with a phone call

from a stranger the woman who claimed to

have been Max's lover but Valerie says

that wasn't all she gave me L of women

that he had slept

with Valerie says she confronted Mac and

forgave him but claims it wasn't long

before Mac cheated

again and that was the first time I ever

said the word divorce and I yeled at him

outside and I yelled it and I yelled

it Valerie says she forgave Mac yet

again but then a chance encounter would

change the course of her life Leon Jacob

the son of Valerie's neighbor Golda

Jacob stopped by he ran up to me and um

stuck his hand out and introduced

himself the cockiest mother ever met in

my life Valerie was in her mid-40s but

she was stunning um both inside and out

the attraction was Mutual you could tell

he

knew how beautiful

and I was

lonely Leon Jacob was 8 years younger

than Valerie and a doctor what type of

surgeries have you done all kinds of

surgeries I've assisted in heart kidney

pancreas

transplants with a strained home life

and an attractive new friend what

happened next may have been inevitable

and he sat across from me and we had

some wine and I had my out on the chair

next to him just out of the blue he

reached out and

just ran his finger up

my left foot and that was it it was like

a movie

moment it's quite an interlude according

to what she described yeah compliments

uh all around I guess in December 2014

Valerie filed for divorce claiming Mac

committed adultery Mac's attorneys told

us Mac had no comment about the divorce

petition and the claims Valerie made in

her audio

diary between Max alleged cheating and

Valerie's new love interest both wanted

out of the marriage the divorce was

finalized in August

2016 Valerie and her daughter then moved

into this building in the upscale River

Oak section of

Houston not long after Leon joined them

here the relationship really Blossom

quickly because we had been very close

friends for so long Dr Britney King

worked alongside Valerie at the vet

clinic I seem very much in love um

holding hands and and loving towards

each other but there was one old problem

in Valerie and lon's new relationship

and his name was

Mac there were multiple times in the

clinic where she would just be in tears

um say everything okay and it was

something surrounding um her ex-husband

Mac had found out that Leon was staying

with me that be arguments or uh stuff

with the the child of visitation but

Leon had his own issues with past loves

one involving extreme mental cruelty and

another assault and stalking charges

Leon Jacob is a predator he's scary

Samantha connect is a Harris County

assistant District attorney he wants

what he wants and he'll stop at nothing

to get it could there be more to

Valerie's new love than she can

imagine he has no problem using women um

in fact I I think he enjoys

it

Valerie McDaniel's new live-in boyfriend

grew up in a Texas sized world of beauty

opulence and opportunity I always wanted

to be a doctor my whole life ever since

I was about three or

four as he pursued his degrees Leon met

and married his college sweetheart they

had two boys we had a happy loving

family I two great kids two

boys they're the most important things

to me in my

life a good family and now with an MD

after his name Leon was well on his

way but Leon's picture perfect life

disguised a troubled

relationship after 12 years of marriage

his wife filed for divorce citing

extreme mental cruelty and one year

later Leon was arrested for stalking his

now ex Leon has to be in control when

his ex-wife went to in their

relationship he wasn't going to have it

um and he wasn't going to go down

without a fight Leon isn't it true that

you've had brushes with the law

involving stalking cyber stalking

intimidation uh physical harassment

assault aren't all those true I pled

guilty to

a attempted cyber harassment charge that

was stemming from an acrimonious divorce

that I went through with my previous

wife Leon admits that he called often

but he claims it was simply to speak

with his Boys I Tried desperately to

contact my kids over and over and over

again and I'm not going to apologize for

that Leon finally moved on to a new

residency and was living in Pittsburgh

where he met this woman 33-year-old

Megan veras I met Megan in a hotel in

Pittsburgh she was the assistant general

manager

there the new couple moved to

Houston there were lavish

vacations family get togethers and yet

another residency Leon's 7eventh he's a

failed doctor he's been kicked out of

every Residency program he's ever been a

part of and what's the problem what was

the basis of these dismissals do you

know the belief that he was the smartest

guy in the room inability to get along

with people um inability to get along

with patients and in fact one of the

records that we found said that they

believe that he was a danger to patients

and that he would be a liability for

them to keep

around 3 years into their relationship

Megan vericast thought leyon was a

threat to her too Megan kicked leyon out

of their apartment later accusing him of

assaulting

her she wanted me to move all my stuff

out she came there and was very hostile

the police uh were called there was no

violence of any kind and a day later she

claimed that I had hit her and that

you'd put your hand over her mouth yeah

which is not true Leon is about Leon

smile D smile it frustrated him to no

end that Megan varos would not forgive

him and the fact that he couldn't get

Megan back frustrated him and angered

him Leon was arrested in February

2017 for assault and star

you can charge anybody with anything it

doesn't mean that you're guilty of that

the DA's office has been on this case

since its Inception we help prosecutors

are convinced that Leon knew his future

as a doctor would be destroyed if Megan

testified against him so they believe he

planned a little operation to make his

pain go away he feels like if Megan

disappears if she goes away that his

criminal case will go away and he can

res resume his career as this beloved

surgeon that he thinks that he is

prosecutors claim Leon decided what he

needed was a hitman and he thought he'd

found one Taz are you a Hitman no were

you ever willing to murder anyone for

money no no no no I would never do

something like that Taz aay was

introduced to leyon by a mutual

acquaintance did Leon ever tell you how

he wanted his ex-girlfriend to be killed

yes he he actually offered suggestions

one of them was a syringe to the heart

with potassium would give her a heart

attack and that would actually kill her

Taz is a decorated former US Army

soldier who saw Lyon's deadly demand as

an opportunity to Save a Life I saw

somebody in danger and I knew that I can

do something about it and I did

something about it Leon knew Taz by the

code name Zach he says Leon wanted him

to kidnap Megan first to talk her into

taking him back and if that didn't work

leaving town but that wasn't all if she

doesn't leave what are you going to do

and he was like I want you to kill her

I'm not going to comment on any of this

it's just

ridiculous Taz says Leon paid him

$9,000 which he happily spent to be

honest I don't feel bad that I spent

Jacob's money matter of fact I feel

really good I spent his

money then the man Leon knew as Zach

vanished Leon Jacob was one of the most

Unique Individuals I'd ever met Bale

bondman Michael kubos this guy was

focused was very intimidating didn't

shake my hand just wanted to know one

thing I want Zach's number he said I've

paid Zach a lot of money need to take

care of

this I felt like I was talking to the

Devil

Himself here more from the soldier who

played a Hitman to Save a Life on

Facebook at 48

Hours tonight's 48 hours will

continue this is not a minor point

this is really a who done it this is a

heavy gun this is

real this is crazy this is the Moment of

Truth this is exactly what I tried to

[Music]

stop tucked away on a side street in

Houston is perh perhaps the most

colorful bail bondsman in all of Texas

having hung out a bit with you you are

the Elvis of bale bondsman you have his

name is Michael kubos these are people

that we're looking for fugitives and he

understands the Criminal Mind I deal

with the nicest the kindest and the

meanest people on the face of the Earth

I've bonded out judges prostitutes

preachers

missionaries

he's also a larger than life member of

the Houston city council who helps saved

lives during Hurricane Harvey I can see

You' been really working hard I know all

the major law enforcement people in in

the whole

County Leon had stormed into kubos his

office he said I've paid Zach a lot of

money to take care of this said take

care of what he said I want her out of

the picture

and and and I she can't be testifying

against me out of the picture out of the

picture I believe that he meant ill

toward this woman and that's why I call

the chief the chief of the chief of

police in Houston

Texas a search for the mysterious Zach

was triggered and investigators quickly

learned his real name Taz a a name that

kubash did recognize as a former

military man who is facing a misdemeanor

theft charge for stealing from his

roommate he was on bond with me he was

still

free it took Houston police about a week

to find Taz and that's when things got

really

interesting to me Taz seemed genuinely

concerned for Megan this man is an

undercover officer with the Houston

Police Department who goes by the name

detective Javier he didn't want to see

her hurt so Taz agreed to participate in

a sting operation to help catch Leon

Jacob in the act of soliciting a

murder hello hey what's up man how you

doing B Taz told Leon that he felt he

had grown too close to him and Valerie

and thought it best to hire another

Hitman and he knew just the right guy

can you meet me tomorrow yeah I I'll

clear my SK no

problem the next day Taz would introduce

Leon to his new Hitman undercover

detective Javier but before Taz could

hang up Leon Dropped a Bomb we're taking

care of both problems what both problems

both of the individuals that we're

talking

about uh

okay Valerie McDaniel Leon's new

girlfriend the mild-mannered

veterinarian who friends had described

as an angel wanted her ex-husband

murdered Valerie wants to talk to you

about what he want she wants to do with

her ex-husband okay that's good all

right just bring her with you tomorrow

the next day Leon and Valerie met with

Taz and detective Javier at this Olive

Garden to discuss the fate of both their

exes over lunch the entire operation was

recorded the meeting lasted nearly 2

hours and began with Leon's Target Megan

I don't want you to hurt her but I want

her to

go he told me that he wanted me to run

her off the road and threaten her but

then he would say to me if she does not

understand that then you do what you

have to do those options don't

work I don't give

a we got

got there was no doubt in my mind that

Leon wanted Megan killed the subject

then turned to Valerie's Target her ex

husband Mac say if something would

happen to

him or could be a car it could be a

robbery going she was under the belief

that I was going to carjack him and I

was going to put a bullet in his head

which is exactly what I told her I was

going to do but you need to to go

ahead want to do

that take

my the next day March 9th 2017 detective

Javier called Leon to say he had good

news that he insisted on delivering in

person are you

AF he went to their home where he

informed them Mac was dead neither

wanted to see this

photo which seemed to show Mac with a

gunshot to the head when Valerie got the

news that her husband was dead was she

emotional about it did she say oh my God

I never wanted to go this far she did

not show that what they didn't know is

that Mac was alive and well he' posed

for those photos as part of this

elaborate sting

operation believing was dead Leon set

his sights on Megan so you're going to

snatch her and you're going to bring her

some and talk to her that's the

plan I need to show up you call me later

that

night these staged photographs of Megan

were texted to Leon and he was told she

was so out of control she had to be

killed she's dead she's gone

I don't want to know

anything on that scale of good to evil

in your mind what is Leon

Jacob Leon is a very evil person he was

willing to do whatever he needed to do

to

[Music]

survive tonight's 48 hours will

continue weekday good morning to you and

welcome to CBS This Morning join Tony

dcoa Anthony Mason and kale King I'm

very glad it's us today the new CBS This

Morning

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[Music]

weekday

it was probably around 2: or 3: in the

morning on March 10th 2017 Valerie

McDaniel and her Livin boyfriend Leon

Jacob get a wakeup call from Sergeant

Frank Quinn that will soon lead to an

Oscar winning performance what's going

on she lets them inside but she Fain

surprise she can't understand why

they're there remember just hours before

detective Javier posing as a Hitman had

told her that Mack was dead but now

Valerie has to convince police she is

hearing it for the first time sorry I

have to tell you have you heard from him

recently she pretends to be upset she

puts her head in her hands uh she sits

down and she acts like she's completely

shocked and surprised that her

ex-husband is dead is your boyfriend

here with you

you think he could kind of be a little

help to

[Music]

tonight this surreal scene caught by the

body cameras of Houston Police is about

to reach its

climax we were hoping you could help us

we had to deliver some bad news

to ex-husband been found toight oh my

God Wass

[Music]

like might have been a robbery WR trying

if anybody knows anything or no we to

help us are you okay

baby we've been here all

night we were here all day with and

their daughter and we watching

movies we haven't been out of the house

all day except then the cops decide to

call cut on all this bad acting right

now we're going to read you your rights

cuz both of you are being arrested for

solicitation

it is only then that the couple learns

that both their intended targets are

alive and well I don't know why I'm

being arrested Leon is Led

Out can I get a sweatshirt I'm already

cold and Valerie has a much bigger

concern her daughter who's been asleep

in the apartment this whole time

although not caught on camera Mac

arrives to pick up their 8-year-old and

what did Valerie say to her you know

something along the lines of just you

know taking you to your dad he's outside

and he's going to take you and it was

very benign and you know just normal as

could be and so all of a sudden on the

news media came the arrest of two

doctors a Houston woman and her

boyfriend were charged with trying to

have their exes killed and I'm laying

there thinking well that's not the

Valerie I know and they show the film of

her going up for her arraignment you

about fall out of your chair that almost

rolled out of the bed because Leon has

those other pending charges related to

Megan he doesn't make bail but Valerie

does Valerie was rushed out the jail

alongside family after and goes home to

wait for the legal process to play out I

remember texting her throughout the week

and calling her and constantly sending

her I love you you know you can get

through this so happy you're out

Valerie's Veterinary license got

suspended because of the charges Britney

says Valerie was weighed down by her

arrest and the prospect she wouldn't be

seeing her daughter for a long long

time she visited Valerie at her

high-rise condo but I remember giving

her a hug goodbye and I just felt the

life in the eyes was not

there it's weird things it wasn't like

Bam Bam Bam ression things just

gradually happened 2 weeks after the

shock and shame of being charged with

solicitation of capital murder Valerie

McDaniel used her iPad March 25th it's

been a few days to record her side of

the story I didn't wake up one day and

just say hey I want to kill my

ex-husband for Valerie everything she

loved was slipping away

I want to talk to my daughter I want to

talk to

[Music]

Leon this I'm just not

SP I wish I were I just can't do it just

can't do

it 2 days after her final

recording on March 27th

2017 Valerie who once seemed Unstoppable

did

the

unthinkable she climbed over this very

railing and jumped seven stories to her

death she wanted me to be home with her

and we were going to get through this

and it was devastating and

[Music]

shocking I think that she was in a very

vulnerable position when she met Leon

Jacob but I think he influenced her and

brainwashed her

I'm innocent and um as a human being and

as a

physici that thought of killing somebody

else is just goes against everything in

my my nature it really depends on what

they find Leon has hired one of the top

defense attorneys in Texas George

parnham who says Valerie McDaniel was

the one calling all the shots I'm sorry

for her demise but I believe that

Valerie

uh is and was responsible for this

entire scenario that she was the driver

she was the financier of all of this

that that just my

understanding the question now what will

a jury

think on March 20th 2018 a week before