they weren't coming after me there weren't giving me th opportunities. i found theater. and theater give me th opportunities. off of broadway. that's where i started and i found my voice, i foun my fans, and i found my base >> i gotta say - >> that's not for everybody. >> i'm very thankful you fin your voice and founder - or a better country for it and as this series shows, yo know, it's very important time in our country, we're all very thankful that the series got made to tell the story, an continued success to you and everything you do, john. thanks so much >> thank you thank you very much. big hub, bro >> thanks for making time fo us be sure to catch him in -- saturdays at a, sundays at nine falls on tiktok, instagram, an twitter. >> hello i'm craig melvin and this is dateline >> i just felt confused. just in disbelief.

kind of out of body, almost. how could you do something lik that why? he talked about how scared h was that something could happe to him he was afraid for his life >> dedmon tell no tales, but this one left a trail of clues >> i've never seen my dad that way before he has never shown me fear o anything >> patriotic, he was head of the family company the business was real estate and someone was about to make killing. >> i never dreamt anything lik that would happen. >> murdered in the house he wa selling. was this a deal gone bad >> we just had some bizarr things happening in the office >> or maybe, bad blood >> my son texted me that he wa scared and wanted me to come pick him up. >> danger was out there. soon - >> you're under arrest

>> you're under arrest >> under arrest. >> arrest after arrest twist after twist. >> it makes your blood boil. >> it's beyond m comprehension. >> she was the fame. she was the ignition it was a perfect storm >> welcome to dateline -- he ran a thriving real estat company. he was the rock of his tight-knit family. so when he failed to show up a -- she was concerned. where was vergne was he delayed at work or was it something far worse? -- secrets at the sunshine motel. >> it's the pulse-pounding start to a heart-wrenching tale >> police! >> a police officer, wearing a body camera, running to face

who knows what. a man down. room awash in blood. >> who found him here? i did >> that will be the first of many questions in the starting line of a race for survival. >> severe assault, massive hea trauma >> this was a mystery that mor than once would appear to be solved here in this sleepy town. in the end, there were more twists than in the rive that runs through it. th ripples and eddies also hold disturbing secrets about family, about friends, about who wil betray you and who won't >> just a little more than two hours from soggy seattle sit yakima, in a valley wher orchards and vineyards flouris in the abundant sunshine o south central washington. an it was just outside yakima, in

may 2013, that tara rockfiel was meeting her father-in-law. >> i had sent him some message early in the morning, asking i i could borrow his truck because i wanted to go to nursery, and he said, i'm gonn be out there anyway showing house, so i can meet you there >> tara's father-in-law, ver holbrook, was one of the bes known and best selling realtor in this part of washington state. the meet time with nursery was set. 11:15 am. >> i sent him a message when i got there. he said client' running late, just got here, see you in a bit. 30 minutes later i sent him a message and said that i was done, and didn't hear anything >> how much time goes by >> two hours >> did you think of going to look for him >> yes, i did. i thought, well no, i don't want to interrup him if he's with a client. do regret that? every second. yeah,

i do >> so tara turned toward hom and her husband and her stepson, andrew >> when she got home she said, you know, it's really weird, your dad never showed up. just told her he probably just got tied up in a deal. >> in fact, vern's kids were used to this behavior. >> he worked more than 60 hour a week, every week, because he enjoyed it. he wanted to hel people find a home >> vern was not only the founder and owner of the famil business, aspen real estate, h was also the patriarch of large blended family tha included step son, andrew, his wife, tara, and their children >> he was the leader of th family. everyone looked up t him. >> along with stepson chad >> i think he worked as long a he did because he enjoyed it and he was a real social guy >> chad and his wife jill gave vern three grandchildren >> surprise. >> he was a wonderful dad, a wonderful grandpa. i could g

on and on about vern >> jill celebrating at vern' 75th birthday party remember him as a constant presence, th anchor, ever-present for his grandkids and even great grandkids. on christmas morning, or their birthdays >> he's always been th stability of the family. >> in fact, when jill' marriage to chad ended after nine years, vern was still there for them. vern helped ou with essentials for the kids help jill out with a job, an more. that's the kind of man h was. >> he helps anybody out. i doesn't matter who they are. >> big heart >> yes. huge heart >> and using that huge heart t help family members or clients was what seemed to keep vern holbrooke a young. after

andrew's mom died in 2007, ver eventually remarried and kep moving. whether he was catchin fish or closing deals. >> he was a machine. >> vern had tried to slow down even selling his company i 2008 two unambitious young agent who had trained and take under his wing. daniel blizzard, who was buying the company along with his two brothers. >> the appeal of daniel and hi brother's was that it woul still be a family and a loca business, as opposed t becoming a chain >> but vern couldn't sto selling. >> he kept wanting to retire and it would get pushed back >> this wasn't because he wa living head to mouth, he had nobody. this was because h loved it >> he loved it. he liked being the best at it >> so on that saturday in may, when vern missed his meeting with tara, she and andre simply dismissed it as ver being vern, until tara got a phone call that night from chad >> he's like, have you heard from vern? something is wrong. he's in the hospital o something. you have to go. check on him

instantly i am worried >> tara is a physician's assistant and new memorial hospital well. she was pointed to the er, where a nurse delivered the devastating news >> she proceeded to tell m that he had been beaten an that his throat was slashed an that they were getting ready t airlift him to harbor view i seattle. >> and it happened, she soon learned, at that house vern ha been showing to clients. that' why vern hadn't shown up t meet her that morning. >> i walked up to the head o the bed and i just, he was s swollen and disfigured and i went down to the foot of the bed and his feet were sticking out. that's what looked like him. the rest of him was not the vern that i know

>> what do you did you think had happened >> i wasn't sure at that point >> the phone rings. she wa hysterically crying. she tol me that my dad had bee attacked, and i was in disbelief, too. i didn't think it was real, at first. >> but it was. vern holbrooke' life was dangling by a thread. he turned out to be the proo that you could be both beloved and still have mortal enemies. >> enemies who would want to harm him enter a mystery woman with a secret >> coming up - this is a first for me >> when dateline continues astepro starts working in 30 minutes. so you can [ spray, spray ] astepro and go. trelegy for copd.

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vern holbrook's family and a all night visit joel at this traumas until in seattle the gathered quickly a vergne's bedside, hearing he'd been badly beaten, his throa slashed. apparently, at a house he wa showing to real estate clients >> what were you told about hi condition and his prognosis? >> they were worried about how much air he was getting to his brain. >> the vern that we all love

died that day. >> vern's former daughter-in-law, jill, remembers hearing about th attack and how it frightened the entire family. >> my son texted me that grandpa was attacked, and he was scared, and he wanted me t come pick him up >> and the task of quieting th families fears and finding out who had attacked's - vern was now in the hands of this man yakima county sheriff' detective, to detective parole >> did you know vern >> i knew of him he was just known to be one of the big movers and shakers i the yakima valley. >> the detective had bee called to the house where -- he heard from the responding officers, who wore this body camera, and captured the scene when he arrived, just before h began. a colleague went looking for vern, and vern's wife became worried he didn't return fro the strong

kelly found him lying here, in a pool of blood in his rural home in the small town of -- >> the last people talked to vern, around 11:15 we could surmise that he had likely been attacked sometim around noon. >> so he'd been lying there fo maybe seven or eight hours >> yes >> not a whole lot of evidence to go on at the beginning. >> no. >> vern's truck, still parke outside, offered little. >> is what was in there, wit his i.d. and his credit cards. >> so presumably, not robbery. >> right >> in fact, as polic inventoried the scene, only on thing seemed to be missing >> the only thing that took wa his telephone? >> that's what it looks like yes. >> but vern's missing cell phone didn't hinder th investigation. within hours, the detective ha vern's phone records and hand. >> and you go to the las person to call him >> i was able to see the las

number that connected, yes >> you call that number? >> yes and i left a message, just asking for a return call >> who did that phone number come back to >> - >> adriana mendez was 23-year-old mother of thre with a minor criminal record for misdemeanor assault. living with her kids, in yakima, at the sunshine motel. the next day, adriana mendez called back. >> we appreciate you comin down here today. >> she agreed to meet with detectives >> i didn't take so long >> what kind of vibe to get of her? >> she seemed excited an nervous. talking fast >> adriana admitted calling fo an twice the day of the attack she said she wanted to talk to him about selling a mobile home but he couldn't see her. >> he told me that he was busy he was showing a house, to cal

him back >> cell records confirme adriano's calls to vern. but there is something els that convinced the detective that adriano wasn't telling th truth. she insisted she had never lef yakima that day. >> i don't know what to tell you. i did not go out there >> but phone records don't lie people who forget about them do. and the detective had maps showing adriana had made the last call to yakima -- vern from the same rural are where the attack took place. >> she was close to him when the call was made. >> yes >> you need to tell me the truth. >> over the next several hours adriana's story changed agai and again. until she gave it up she admitted meeting with vern said it was the idea of he boyfriend, luis.

he told the story of lui picking up adriana and her three small children tha morning at 10:45 she told detectives they drove to the house in -- met with vern, and while the kids waited in the car, she an luis went inside with vern t view the house and, in the back bedroom - >> what did luis you do to vern >> hit him >> okay. and you saw him hit vern >> why was walking through the corner of my eye and then that's the last i saw him. and all i heard was the thump. >> he didn't walk back in ther to see what was going on >> no. i should have. >> adriana said luis came ou moments later. they tossed vern's cell phon out the car window on the wa home

before luis delivered adrian and her three kids back to the sunshine motel again, confirmed on video. 12:31 pm to the detective, it was obvious. this had been a plot to set up a meeting with vern with the sole purpose of killing him. >> ever see anybody bring thei kids to a murder >> no. this is a first for me >> this probable cause to thin that you are an accomplice and that's why you're unde arrest >> within hours, detectives ha a.g. on his boyfriend in custody as well. through an - interpreter, luis initiall told a story about adriana contacting vern to sell mobile home. >> that's [bleep]. you're telling me lies adriana started off telling me the same lies. she said that you hit the gu from behind when he wasn't eve looking. >> no. >> i don't think that your

story is gonna hold up you are under arrest for the attempted murder of vern holbrook >> detectives were convinced that they have the two peopl who had attacked vern that saturday in may. but they also knew, or thought they knew, there was a lot mor to the story these suspects certainly weren't trained hire assassins. there was so clumsy that eve use their own phone. but where with this lead why would two people who had never met vernon holbrook want to kill him? >> coming up - >> the bells and whistle definitely start going off >> a sudden trail of clues security video, text messages, a secret code -- was vern worth more dead tha alive? >> all of a sudden, i saw that he was fearful of his life >> when dateline continues (seth) and i got to choose the phone i wanted. for free. (cecily) not that you're bragging. (vo) switch and choose the phone you want,

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vernon holbrook harvard in tha gray area between life and death. in the week after he was savagely beaten, his throa slit, during a routine rea estate showing in may of 2013. detectives had quickly made tw arrests. charged with attempted murder, 38-year-old luis gomez, wh denied any part of the attack, and his 23 year old girlfriend

adriana mendez, who admitted luring vern to the meeting a luis's request, and then witnessing luis assault vern >> she said she had no idea wh luis would do that >> you believe that? >> no. >> and why did perrault no believe adriana? because in that same interview she had also unwittingly dropped a bombshell. when asked how, out of all the dozens of realtors in yakima she just happened to cal vern's company, aspen real estate >> i know a couple people wh work there >> who's that? >> daniel. >> because the your mind whe she says that? >> the bells and whistle definitely start going off >> bells and whistles, because after vern had been assaulted, his family had flooded detectives with calls. >> you sit down, you start thinking yourselves, who would want to hurt him >> one person. his name is daniel blizzard.

>> daniel blizzard that ambitious agent to whom vern was gonna solve the company. someone vern had once trusted. >> you think daniel ha something to do with it? >> yeah. i was pretty sure. >> but, with zero proof, would so many believe blizzard was behind the attack? detective perrault soon heard story that one like this in the fall of 2008, ver called employees lik bookkeeper judy craven to meeting. he was selling the company >> i think he wanted to spen more time with his family an just focus on the selling part not deal with the day-to-day managing >> no longer room, said this email to announce the sale vern was selling aspen t daniel blizzard and his tw brothers vern would stay on as th dedicated broker for one dea -- yet. but the deal went sout quickly. >> they made the first three payments, and then they just stopped. >> it was the height of th great recession. real estate was tanking.

vern with understanding. but then, the blizzard approached vern with a request >> - the man in the organization. >> because aspen real estate really was just her dad. >> it absolutely was just my dad. >> and made good financial sense at the time. vern's death would cripple the company, so they would pay a - million dollars upon his death >> vern knew they were takin at that policy on him. he was comfortable with that >> i wouldn't say he was comfortable with it. >> the blizzards never missed payment on the life insurance. but they never made anothe payment on the business. so, in january 2010, just 16 months after some the company, vern sent out another email to staff. this time, to say, daniel is n longer with aspen real estate. vern was taking back the

company he had built he's like, if you can't keep your payments, can't keep it so you had to. >> there were complaints filed with the real estate board lawsuits, countersuits, and al the while, that life insurance policy seemed to weigh o vern's mind. >> he went to the life insurance company and ask them to remove it no one the company would remov the policy >> because someone was payin the premiums >> that's correct. of a sudden, i saw that he was fearful of his life. >> to detective perrault, this all ended up to motive 1.5 8 million reasons. but daniel blizzard might want vernon holbrook that but was the length between daniel and adriana and luis? >> this is the holy grail of this point in th investigation. we find some approvable contac between daniel blizzard an adriana mendez >> right >> it turns out, the holy grai was only a few blocks away

at the sunshine motel. >> and went up to the motel, and they told me that a bi white guy would come i occasionally and pay adrian' friend for her >> so you get the security video. >> right >> and who is? >> it's daniel blizzard. >> then he was a week before the attack paying a giannis built the suntan hotel and perrault soon found more text messages between adrian and daniel from the day vern was attacked 9:24 am, dental texts indiana, don't wait for shopping. >> what are they talking about >> it's good to me -- appointment with vern. >> that's right around when th attack happened. adriana text daniel, we ar going shopping >> i believe that's her way of telling daniel that the job is done >> that same afternoon, wh pulls up at the sunshine motel

to pick up adriana you've got daniel blizzard. >> possible they were just talking about shopping >> anything is possible, but it's not very likely >> finally, in 2013, nearl three months after the attack, the detective went to pick u daniel >> he didn't seem surprised to see. >> he did say, gee, detective, what could this possibly b about? >> now he didn't ask. >> and the detective who's investigating the attack o vernon holbrook. >> i heard about that. >> it didn't take long for her daniel blizzard to tel investigators how he reall felt about vern. and the business deal that i gone bad >> he did very elaborate - well, good job on screwing u over, so >> okay. >> how did the square you over >> just lies deceit i have nothing bad against ver at all i mean, i use these kinds of words, it's not like i hav some kind of grudge or anythin like that. >> and why was daniel paying a tree on his rant and taking he shopping >> were you involved in

sexual relationship with adriana? >> no. >> now >> now >> not at all? we were just high -- helping her out of the kindnes of her halt? >> just a good guy >> detective perrault wa having none. >> you're obviously sticking t story, but i do not believe. so at this time, i'm going t tell you that you are unde arrest for the attempted first degree murder of verno holbrook >> and for the first time -- >> stand up. put your hands behind your back >> daniel blizzard's demeano changed. >> he was definitely surprised looked like he might be ill. >> one went through your min when police told you that they had arrested daniel blizzard >> thank god finally. >> relief. >> yeah. >> it sounded like a cas neatly tied up two attackers linked to a ma with motive and millions t gain but that wasn't the whol story. there was someone else involved, the detective believed someone who had betrayed vern' trust.

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what of the delaware sprin court ordered the delay sunday night. following deadly shootings a -- kentucky park in a birthda party in alabama this weekend, president biden has renewed hi called for new gun safety laws including urging khan grass to ban assault weapons. now, back to dateline.

>> welcome back to dateline. as vernon holbrook clung t life in a hospital bed detectives pushed hard to solv this sordid case they already arrested thre people, and the next suspect would provoke outrage. here again is josh mankiewic with secrets of the sunshine motel. >> by the fall of 2013, thre months after the attack, verno holbrook was in a coma but somehow, still alive >> did either of you hold ou any hope for a recovery? >> i think you always want t believe and have hope that someone is going to get better >> i joked with hospital staff all the time, this guy i ornery if anyone can come out of this it's gonna be him. >> as the autumn winds rolle into the yakima valley detective sam perrault had already made three arrests but there was one more to come and to say it was a shocke would be an understatement

there was one more name th detective had been healing fro friends family >> a lot of people say a lot o different things it >> turns out the plot alleged mastermind, daniel blizzard, had for several year dated and helped support financially a woman who ha once been as close to vernon holbrook as a child. this woman remember her >> he helps anybody out. >> mother to three of vern's grandchildren. his former daughter-in-law jill taylor. >> what would her motivation b for taking part in the plot? >> i suppose the onl connection would be he relationship with daniel >> and what's good for danie is good for jail >> i think so. >> and the detective found tha gilles taylor was also the common link between daniel blizzard and another of th alleged participants in th

plot, adriana mendes >> what did adriana mendez and jill taylor have in common >> methamphetamine they met through a commo friend at a party, using drugs >> detectives say that friendship forged in mat became so close that jil invited adriana and her thre kids to move in with her and it was at joe's apartmen where daniel met adriana and luis >> adriano wouldn't know danie without jail >> correct >> the detective was startin to get a clearer picture of ho the alleged coconspirators cam together and he soon found another of jill's friends who filled in some more blanks for him >> meanwhile we're reall tight. >> nikki vargas came forward t say it was no secret what jale daniel wanted done >> like, the day i met thi [bleep], he was telling me how she was trying to kill some guy,

right? her in her boyfriend >> she's a how >> she said she tried to poiso him a couple times >> when that didn't work - >> daniel was trying to pa joel $10,000 to kill this guy. >> she believe her >> it was believable they were going around asking people - $10,000. >> the proof that guilt took part in the plot came from her own lips if you believe the forme family members who pointed fingers at her -- chad, gilles ex-husband. he said that six weeks befor the attack, jill said somethin strange. when discussing supervised visits with her three children >> she told me that vern may not be around much longer to b supervising this and i said, why would you thin that she only then that, well, it makes a lot of enemies, an he's been making the wrong kin of enemies >> all of this eventuall landed jill and the sheriff' office herself >> is it okay if we talk about this

>> well, i would rather have a lawyer >> okay, that's -- >> just because it's such delicate situation, and i need a professional >> i understand, and i - >> i'm not trying to not cooperate. >> i don't take that personally understand that. i do need to let you know that you are under arrest for attempted murder >> relief? satisfaction >> satisfaction. >> huge satisfaction >> you saw jill as being sor of,, what upon of daniels? >> i think they used eac other. >> no question she was involved >> not in our minds. >> four people one now charged with the attempted murder of vernon holbrook. and then, the case changed again. in january of 2014, eigh months after he was attacked vernon holbrook died from hi injuries >> it was a sense of relief fo him that he didn't have to suffer anymore but it was really hard, really hard for the entire family t

see him not with us anymore. >> it turned the attempted murder into a first degree murder premeditated murder. >> and it's sort of raise th stakes all around. >> right >> but once again, what seemed to be and what would b wouldn't quite lineup. there was one more twist and that long river of lies. >> coming up, jill taylor, the accused, becomes jill taylor star witness when dateline continues. breathe better in as little as 2 weeks. dupixent is an add-on treatment for specific types of moderate-to-severe asthma that's not for sudden breathing problems. dupixent can cause allergic reactions that can be severe. get help right away if you have rash, chest pain, worsening shortness of breath, tingling or numbness in your limbs. tell your doctor about new or worsening joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines,

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charged with the murder of vernon holbrook awaited tria in the yakima county jail, vern's family and former colleagues felt a special sort of animosity for one of them jill taylor. jill had been vern's daughter-in-law. how could she be part of the plot to kill him >> how could you do this t someone who cared for you? and took care of you, and help your kids? and you are a part of this family how could you do something lik that >> hard to believe tha somebody who had been side o the beneficiary of vern' generosity would be involved i any way in a plot like that. >> i don't know what was going

on in jill's world that she felt she needed to do that >> gels arrest was particularl disturbing for her ex husband. chad says he tried to vern - tell vern that gels behavior could be volatile and violent. >> i tried to tell him a few times after i split up that sh is dangerous, and that h should be careful. and he just kind of went, her? whatever >> he didn't mind. >> he didn't think much of it. >> then, as the trials of th four suspects wound their wa toward the courthouse, vern' family was plain cited yet again. prosecutors called to say they were offering deals to two o the suspects to make sure thei cases were rock-solid agains accused shot caller daniel blizzard and the alleged attacker, luis gomez the state would allow luis's girlfriend, adriano mendez, an killed taylor, to walk out o

jail if the two women woul agree to testify against the two men. >> did they ask your permissio for this or where they're essentially saying, this is the way th cookie crumbles? >> we didn't have a choice but we were made aware tha this was what they wer thinking of doing. >> why were those deal necessary? deputy prosecutor alvin -- >> trying to pick the lesser o two evils on that. >> meaning, you get th mastermind, and you get the gu whose hand was actually on the knife? and maybe the little fish swim away >> that's essentially what happened in the situation. >> do you think you had strong case against jill taylor? >> she was probably the weakes case we would've had compare to all four people that we believe were involved. >> and so, and august 2014, th murder trial of daniel blizzar began, and the parade of lawyers, life insuranc salesman, and law enforcemen

took the stand before the star witnesses bega to appear. >> jill taylor claimed tha daniel wanted vern that so you can collect the life insurance policy and, what adriana mendez tol her -- that she and luis we're gonn go through with the attack >> she said, we're gonna d that - we're going to kill vern for daniel >> if you're on amanda's say daniel showed her a lot of cas to entice her. >> he told me, look, this is the money that i'm willing t pay somebody, $10, 000, to complete this job. >> in fact, after the attack was over, adrian acclaimed daniel gave her the $10,00 plus a 2000 dollar bonus that money was never recovered >> this is outrageous. >> blizzards defense attorney,

peter, argued that adriana and jill would've said anything on the stand. because of those get out o free - get out of jail free deals offered by prosecutors [inaudible >> the defense argued jurors had to acquit blizzard because of a lack of it vince. >> you will not hear a singl shred of evidence -- anybody else for that matter >> after three weeks, the jury had the case but it took less than a full day of deliberation to deliver a verdict. >> we, the jury, find th defendant, daniel blizzard guilty of the crime of first degree murder. >> yes you know what we wanted, and what was

right happened >> it was a huge, huge relief. that the jury found the truth. >> the judge sentenced danie blizzard to more than 34 years in prison. a month later, the trial o luis gomez he testified that it was not he, but adriana mendez who had slashed vernon holbrook's neck and struck him >> guilty of the crime of firs degree murder. >> the jury didn't buy it. the judge sentenced luis t more than 26 years behind bars the two men were going t prison what would happen to those two women who cut deals to help pu them there and, would gilles taylor hav to say about it all? >> coming up >> just set me up fo everything >> daniel set you up >> yes he set me up >> deeply involved, or wrongly accused? we're about to hear from jil

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(vo) verizon i think i'm ready for this. heck ya! with e*trade you're ready for anything. marriage. kids. college. kids moving back in after college. ♪ finally we can eat. ♪ you know you make me wanna...♪ and then we looked around and said, wait a minute, this isn't even our stroller! (laughing) you live with your parents, but you own a house in the metaverse? mhm. cool...i don't get it. here's to getting financially ready for anything! and here's to being single and ready to mingle. who's ready to cha-cha?! ♪ yeah, yeah ♪ >> after daniel blizzard and

luis gomez were sentenced fo the murder of realtor vernon holbrook, it was time for th two women charged in the cas to face the judge. in exchange for her cooperation, adriana mendes, the woman wh

brought her three smal children to a murder scene, wa allowed to plead guilty to charges of assault and crimina rendering. she was sentenced to tim served about 15 months, and released. and jill taylor? vernon holbrook's former daughter-in-law was sent fre after spending about a year in the county jail. charges of first degree murder would dismissed withou prejudice, meaning prosecutors do have the option of re-filin at some point in the future. but at this point, jill ha never been convicted of an crime in connection with vern' death. >> if it wasn't for jill putting it all together, i think helping daniel put the pieces together, this would no have happened. >> i think that's criminal it shouldn't have happened you know, she, in my opinion definitely got away with murder >> and when you walk out o this interview, she might be

standing on the street >> >> yeah you never know and crosses my mind. >> we wanted to talk to bill taylor and it turned out, she wante to talk with us. to tell a story of betrayal. but in her telling, she's th one who was betrayed when we sat down with joe, she'd been out of jail for about three months, claiming she was caught in a web of daniel blizzard's creation >> when you heard that vern ha been attacked and left for dead, how did you feel maybe you could've headed that of somehow >> no. i wouldn't have had a do anyhow because daniel was determine to do what he wanted to do i really cared about daniel. and i was just really hoping that he would pull his head ou of his rear. maybe i have issues with letting people use me. he just sent me up for everything >> daniel set you up >> yes he set me up it was a win-win for him

>> but remember. it was only through jail tha daniel blizzard met adriana an luis joel admits that's true. admits she knew blizzard and paid them. admits she never told police but she told us something sh never sat on the stand that adriana convinced her the attack would never happen. >> i went to her hotel it was about april i told her that i don't care how much money he's alread lent you or whatever, you're not obligated to do anything and she says, no, we're no gonna do that. you know >> adriana specifically told you she was not gonna go through with it. >> yes >> we must of been surprised when it turned out - >> yeah, i was surprised caught me off guard. >> we asked phil about the death of a man who had bee good to her and her kids her answer was that th financial help vern provided for her and her family has bee overstated >> i make 36,000 a year.

i had a good job i paid my own bills. he only help me when i first put up with my ex-husband, and i paid him back every time tha he had help me with. >> jill blames vern's family for making her look bad. particularly, her ex, chad >> your ex-husband is the only person - pretty much everybody else i vern's family mentioned you an daniel blizzard right away >> i don't understand why they think i would do anything to him like that. i mean, but what i beginning from it? >> what would you gain >> yeah? >> if vern dies, danie blizzard, your boyfriend, gets $10 million? >> good for him. that doesn't mean anything t me >> presumably you might shar in that. >> don't you think if i wa gonna attack somebody, i would attack somebody worth it >> well, 1 million and a hal dollars is a lot of motive >> i don't care about money. i don't get it, why people are so shallow when it comes t money. >> jill's story? she didn't want the money. her boyfriend lied to her.

the couple that lured vern s the home lied to her but, those claims that danie blizzard had asked jail to poison fern? well, those, according to jail are true >> daniel give you poison. >> yes i think so i just opted out >> you don't know what kind of poison it was. >> no. >> and he said, what, put it i his drink? and you said, what, i'm no gonna commit murder? >> no. i just figured, whatever, yo know i'm not gonna do that. you're stupid. >> when you call the police. >> no. >> you didn't call the police? >> now, by what i? >> well, someone just ask yo to commit murder >> it could've been sugar wate for i know i come from a world that you don't go to the police because someone sneezed wrong, you know? >> why did daniel think that you would be willing to poison him? >> i don't know. i did love him, and, yeah would've done a lot of thing for him. >> so you're kind of the victi here, ha >> i don't like to call myself a victim

i mean, by your definition yeah >> of course, this one perso who's pretty clearly a victim. vernon holbrook, who built a successful business, and loved his role at the center of happy family did he trust too much? should he have known what migh be coming? maybe. those are tough questions to answer because the truth is, no one wants to believe your business partner will betray you. after all, the idea is tha they're just like family >> but all for this edition of dateline i'm craig melvin thank you. >> a beautiful young mom abducted from her beach fron home her husband horrified. >> my wife made a phone call t