Sources: Montrose veterinarian accused in murder-for-hire plot dies by suicide
By Brian Rogers and Andrew Kragie
Updated 5:47 pm, Monday, March 27, 2017
Photo: Godofredo A. Vasquez
Houston Police investigate the scene where a woman facing murder charges jumped to her death at 2200 Willowick Road Monday, March 27, 2017 in Houston. ( Godofredo A. Vasquez / Houston Chronicle )
Houston Police investigate the scene where a woman facing murder charges jumped to her death at 2200 Willowick Road Monday, March 27, 2017 in Houston. ( Godofredo A. Vasquez / Houston Chronicle )
Houston Police investigate the scene where a woman facing murder charges jumped to her death at 2200 Willowick Road Monday, March 27, 2017 in Houston. ( Godofredo A. Vasquez / Houston Chronicle )
Houston Police investigate the scene where a woman facing murder charges jumped to her death at 2200 Willowick Road Monday, March 27, 2017 in Houston. ( Godofredo A. Vasquez / Houston Chronicle )
Houston Police investigate the scene where a woman facing murder charges jumped to her death at 2200 Willowick Road Monday, March 27, 2017 in Houston. ( Godofredo A. Vasquez / Houston Chronicle )
Houston Police investigate the scene where a woman facing murder charges jumped to her death at 2200 Willowick Road Monday, March 27, 2017 in Houston. ( Godofredo A. Vasquez / Houston Chronicle )
Forensic investigators load the body of Valerie Busick McDaniel, who jumped from the seventh floor of the condominium complex at 2200 Willowick Road, into a van Monday, March 27, 2017, in Houston.
Forensic investigators load the body of Valerie Busick McDaniel, who jumped from the seventh floor of the condominium complex at 2200 Willowick Road, into a van Monday, March 27, 2017, in Houston.
Photo: Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle
Authorities investigate the scene where Valerie Busick McDaniel died after jumping from the seventh floor of the 15-story condominium complex at 2200 Willowick Road Monday, March 27, 2017, in Houston.
Authorities investigate the scene where Valerie Busick McDaniel died after jumping from the seventh floor of the 15-story condominium complex at 2200 Willowick Road Monday, March 27, 2017, in Houston.
Photo: Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle
Carole Busick, left, talks to authorities after they retrieved the her daughter's, Valerie Busick McDaniel, body who jumped from the seventh floor of the 15-story condominium complex at 2200 Willowick Road Monday, March 27, 2017, in Houston.
lessCarole Busick, left, talks to authorities after they retrieved the her daughter's, Valerie Busick McDaniel, body who jumped from the seventh floor of the 15-story condominium complex at 2200 Willowick Road
... more
Veterinarian Valerie Busick McDaniel and Leon Phillip Jacob are charged with solicitation of murder.
Veterinarian Valerie Busick McDaniel and Leon Phillip Jacob are charged with solicitation of murder.
The Montrose Veterinary Clinic is run by Valerie Busick McDaniel, who is charged with solicitation of capital murder. McDaniel purchased the business in 2000.
The Montrose Veterinary Clinic is run by Valerie Busick McDaniel, who is charged with solicitation of capital murder. McDaniel purchased the business in 2000.
Photo: J. Patric Schneider, Freelance
Photo: Tetra Images/Getty Images/Tetra Images RF
The most shocking crimes in the Houston area in the last year
Click through the slideshow to learn more about the stabbing death of 11-year-old Josue Flores, above, and other memorable crimes.
The most shocking crimes in the Houston area in the last year
Click through the slideshow to learn more about the stabbing death of 11-year-old Josue Flores, above, and other memorable crimes.
11-year-old Josue Flores is stabbed to death
The boy was walking home from school in late May when he was
stabbed to death on a sidewalk in north Houston.
The child's death spurred a manhunt for his killer as his community mourned his death.
Andre Timothy Jackson was charged in Josue's murder. Jackson was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who was living in a transitional housing center. Police said it appeared Josue and Jackson did not know each other.
less11-year-old Josue Flores is stabbed to death
The boy was walking home from school in late May when he was
stabbed to death on a sidewalk in north Houston.
The child's death spurred a manhunt for his killer as
... more
Teen is sexually assaulted and killed
A 15-year-old girl was killed in South Houston in late May. Karen Perez's teenage boyfriend admitted to killing her when confronted with audio recorded shortly
before her death. In the recording, Perez can be heard saying, "I don't want to, I told you I don't want to!" as she is being chocked.
The girl was killed at an
abandoned apartment complex. Her family attempted to sue the owners of the building, where some people believed students "drink alcohol, use drugs and have sex," according to the lawsuit.
Teen is sexually assaulted and killed
A 15-year-old girl was killed in South Houston in late May. Karen Perez's teenage boyfriend admitted to killing her when confronted with audio recorded shortly
before her
Photo: Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle
4 year old is killed in October robbery
Ava Castillo, 4, was
killed during a robbery at her family's apartment complex on Nov. 14. By early December, three teenagers were charged in her death: Philip Battles, 18; Marco Alton Miller, 17; and Ferrell Dardar, 17.
The three teens are linked to a number of other crimes and two of them were out on bond at the time of Ava's death.
less4 year old is killed in October robbery
Ava Castillo, 4, was
killed during a robbery at her family's apartment complex on Nov. 14. By early December, three teenagers were charged in her death: Philip Battles,
Baytown murder suspect accused of stabbing teen girlfriend more than 50 times
Police
found Kirsten Fritch, 16, in a field 200 yards away from a bar in Texas City.
Her boyfriend, 21-year-old Jesse Dobbs, is facing a murder charge. He was also linked to the slayings of the girl's mother and sister, Cynthia Morris, 37, and Breanna Pavilicek, 13. Police did not release a motive for the killings.
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Baytown murder suspect accused of stabbing teen girlfriend more than 50 times
Police
found Kirsten Fritch, 16, in a field 200 yards away from a bar in Texas City.
Her boyfriend, 21-year-old Jesse Dobbs, is
Photo: Baytown Police Department
Teacher was allegedly impregnated by a 13-year-old student
Former Aldine ISD middle school
teacher Alexandria Vera pleaded guilty to having a long-term sexual relationship with a 13-year-old boy. Court records showed Vera, 24, had an abortion. The teenager's parents allegedly knew about the relationship and supported it.
Teacher was allegedly impregnated by a 13-year-old student
Former Aldine ISD middle school
teacher Alexandria Vera pleaded guilty to having a long-term sexual relationship with a 13-year-old boy. Court records
Photo: Facebook
Prostitution sting leads to 121 men charged in Houston; Broncos player was cut from Super Bowl
A three-week sting held during the NFL playoffs led to the arrest of 121 alleged "johns" and 19 alleged prostitutes in Houston and Harris County.
The nationwide sting, which lasted from Jan. 17 to Feb. 7, resulted in the questioning of Denver Broncos player Ryan Murphy in San Jose, California. Murphy and his brother were linked to a sting in San Jose. While his brother was arrested, Murphy wasn't. However, he wasn't allowed to play in the Super Bowl.
lessProstitution sting leads to 121 men charged in Houston; Broncos player was cut from Super Bowl
A three-week sting held during the NFL playoffs led to the arrest of 121 alleged "johns" and 19 alleged
... more
Backpage.com CEO faces pimping charges
Carl Ferrer was accused of using his website Backpage.com to host sex trade advertisements.
He was arrested in early October when his flight from Amsterdam landed at Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton
described Backpage.com as the largest advertiser of adult escort services in the United States.
Out west, where Ferrer also faced prostitution-related charges, California Attorney General Kamala Harris described the site as "an online brothel" that generated "millions of dollars off the illegal sex trade."
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Backpage.com CEO faces pimping charges
Carl Ferrer was accused of using his website Backpage.com to host sex trade advertisements.
He was arrested in early October when his flight from Amsterdam landed at Bush
Photo: Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle
Harris County Attorney's Office sues V Live Club
The V Live Club has been a hotspot this year for alleged illicit activity. Moses Malone Jr. alleged
he was attacked outside of the nightclub in June.
Things went downhill fast from there. Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan filed a lawsuit against owner Damon Cobbs and landlord David Greenberg, alleging the club was a place for "
habitual criminal activities" that included drugs, prostitution and gambling.
Harris County Attorney's Office sues V Live Club
The V Live Club has been a hotspot this year for alleged illicit activity. Moses Malone Jr. alleged
he was attacked outside of the nightclub in June.
Things
... more
Man goes on shooting rampage in west Houston
Dionisio Garza III, from San Bernardino County, California, wounded three men, two deputies and a woman when he went on a shooting spree in late May. Part of a Conoco gas station
burst into flames, likely the result of a stray bullet hitting a gas pump. Garza was eventually taken down by a SWAT sniper, ending his rampage near Memorial Drive.
Man goes on shooting rampage in west Houston
Dionisio Garza III, from San Bernardino County, California, wounded three men, two deputies and a woman when he went on a shooting spree in late May. Part of a Conoco
... more
HPD officer accused of drinking and driving kills man in crash
An off-duty Houston police officer allegedly killed another driver around 6:30 a.m. Aug. 12 on Beechnut, near Westmoor, after leaving the Show Palace strip club. James Combs, 33, was accused of being intoxicated when he collided with a Chevrolet Corvette driven by Brian Manring, 36.
The Fort Bend Sheriff's Office said Combs had a blood-alcohol level of 0.17 percent, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08. Combs is being
sued by the family of Manring for wrongful death.
HPD officer accused of drinking and driving kills man in crash
An off-duty Houston police officer allegedly killed another driver around 6:30 a.m. Aug. 12 on Beechnut, near Westmoor, after leaving the Show
... more
Houston man gets 25 years in prom death case
Though Jacqueline Gomez, 17, died in May 2014, it wasn't until May 2016 that punishment was handed down for her death.
Eddie Herrera, 20, was sentenced to
25 years in prison after he was convicted of assault for choking Gomez during sex in a hotel room after prom on May 16, 2014. Herrera told police that he and his mother worked together to rent the hotel room, get two bottles of whiskey and at least 20 pills of hydrocodone, a prescription painkiller.
lessHouston man gets 25 years in prom death case
Though Jacqueline Gomez, 17, died in May 2014, it wasn't until May 2016 that punishment was handed down for her death.
Eddie Herrera, 20, was sentenced to
25 years
Fort Bend mother shoots, kills daughters
A family argument escalated when Christy Sheats, 42,
shot and killed her two daughters in Katy in late June. Sheats was fatally shot by a police officer after she shot Taylor Sheats, 22, and Madison Sheats, 17. Madison died on scene while Taylor was transported to the Texas Medical Center after her mother chased her into the street and shot her.
The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office responded to three
attempted suicide calls at the house in the past four years but didn't know if the mental health calls came from the mother.
Authorities said the shooting started at a family meeting in the home, where Sheats began shooting at her daughters and husband. The girls' father, Jason Sheats, is the only family member of the household to survive the shooting.
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Fort Bend mother shoots, kills daughters
A family argument escalated when Christy Sheats, 42,
shot and killed her two daughters in Katy in late June. Sheats was fatally shot by a police officer after she shot
Photo: Facebook
Mass shooting in SW Houston
Lawyer Nathan DeSai, 46,
open fire on commuters in September.
DeSai, wearing a vintage military uniform and had Nazi emblems on him, was eventually shot and killed.
Six of the wounded were transported to area hospitals. The other three were treated at the scene.
lessMass shooting in SW Houston
Lawyer Nathan DeSai, 46,
open fire on commuters in September.
DeSai, wearing a vintage military uniform and had Nazi emblems on him, was eventually shot and killed.
Six of the
... more
Sources: Montrose veterinarian accused in murder-for-hire plot dies by suicide
A prominent Montrose veterinarian accused of making an intricate murder-for-hire plot to kill her ex-husband killed herself Monday morning by jumping from her seventh-floor condo in west Houston, authorities said.
Veterinarian Valerie Busick McDaniel and her boyfriend, Leon Phillip Jacob, were arrested earlier this month after doling out $20,000 in cash and two pricey Cartier watches to an officer posing as a hitman, prosecutors alleged in court.
Days later, the 48-year-old Montrose veterinarian was released on $50,000 bail.
TARGETED: Lawyer says husband was intended victim in murder plot
Afterward, McDaniel's ex-husband - the target of the scheme - said he feared for his safety.
McDaniel and her husband, who divorced last year, have an 8-year-old daughter together.
A Houston homicide detective at McDaniel's condo on Friday said the woman who apparently had jumped to her death was a resident whose parents also live there.
Sources confirmed to the Houston Chronicle that the victim was McDaniel.
Later in the day, a supervisor at the Harris County medical examiner's office confirmed that the office has McDaniel's body, and the district attorney's office confirmed that McDaniel had jumped to her death.
Detective J.P. Villareal said police found the body in the courtyard area between the building and its pool after a building employee called 911 shortly before 11 a.m. Monday.
There were no witnesses, Villareal said, and no one else was home at the time. Police do not suspect foul play.
McDaniel was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday before state District Judge Jim Wallace for a status update on her criminal case. She also was on the docket this week in family court because her ex-husband filed a temporary restraining order against her after the allegations surfaced.
More about McDaniel: Murder-for-hire suspect likened to 'angel on Earth'
Paramedics from the Houston Fire Department and Houston Police Department officers responded to the scene at 10:45 a.m., according to an HPD spokesman.
At 1:15 p.m. investigators from the medical examiner's office and HPD ducked under the crime-scene tape to inspect the scene near the building's pool. Forensic investigators stretched boots over their shoes before entering the bloody area.
Investigators retrieved her body about 2:30 p.m. from the garden area between the swimming pool and the building, an upscale 15-story condominium complex in River Oaks where McDaniel lived with her parents on the seventh floor.
Family members including McDaniel's mother appeared in front of the building as visitors arrived, embracing one another.
>>>Scroll through the above gallery to see Houston's most shocking crimes
