Transcripts For WRC Dateline NBC 20150330

He worked more than 60 hours a week every week because he enjoyed it. He wanted to help people find a home. Reporter vern was not only the founder and owner of the Family Business Aspen Real Estate. He was also the patriarch of a large blended family that included stepson andrew, his wife terra, and their children. He was the leader of the family and everyone looked up to him. Reporter along with stepson chad. I think he worked as long as he did cause he enjoyed it he was a real social guy. Reporter chad and his wife jill gave vern 3 grandchildren. Surprise he was a wonderful dad, wonderful grandpa. I could go on and on about vern. Reporter jill, celebrating at verns 75th birthday party, remembers him as a constant presence. The anchor ever present for his grandkids and even greatgrandkids. On Christmas Morning or their birthdays. Hes always been the stability of the family. Reporter in fact when jills marriage to chad ended after nine years, vern was still there for them. Vern helped out with essentials for the kids. Helped jill out with a job, and more. Thats the kind of man he was. He helps anybody out, it doesnt matter who they are. Big heart . Uhhuh, huge heart reporter and using that huge heart, to help family members or clients, was what seemed to keep Vern Holbrook young. After andrews mom died in 2007, vern eventually remarried and kept moving. Whether he was catching fish or closing deals. He was a machine. Reporter vern had tried to slow down. Even selling his company in 2008 to an ambitious young aspen agent whom vern had trained and taken under his wing, daniel blizzard, who was buying the business with his two brothers. I think that appeal of daniel and his brothers was that it would still be a family and a local business as opposed to becoming a chain. Reporter but vern couldnt stop selling. He kept wanting to retire and it would get pushed back. And this wasnt because he was living hand to mouth, he had no money. It was because he loved it. He loved it. He liked being the best at it. Reporter so on that saturday in may, when vern missed his meeting with terra, she and andrew simply dismissed it as vern being vern. Until terra got a phone call that night from chad. Hes like, have you heard from vern, somethings wrong. Hes in the hospital or something you gotta go check. Then i like, instantly, im worried. Reporter terra is a physicians assistant and knew Memorial Hospital well. She was pointed to the er, where a nurse delivered the devastating news. She proceeded to tell me that he had been beaten and that his throat was slashed and that they were getting ready to airlift him to harborview in seattle. Reporter and it happened, she soon learned, at that house vern had been showing to clients. Thats why vern hadnt shown up to meet her that morning. I walked up to the head of the bed and i just he was so swollen and disfigured. And i went down to the foot of the bed and his feet were sticking out. Thats what looked like him. The rest of him was not was not the vern that i know. What did you think had happened . I wasnt sure at that point. The phone rings . She was hysterically crying and she told me that my dad had been attacked, and i was in disbelief too. I didnt think that it was real at first. Reporter but it was. Vern holbrooks life was dangling by a thread. He turned out to be the proof that you can be both beloved and still have mortal enemies. Enemies who might they be . When we come back. My son texted me that he was scared. An entire family frightened. Enter a mystery woman with a secret. And it was a doozy. You ever seen anyone bring their kids to a murder . no, that was a first for me. Im going my way. I leave a story untold. He just keeps sending more pictures. If youre a freerange chicken you roam free. Its what you do. If you want to save fifteen percent or more on Car Insurance you switch to geico. Its what you do. Two wheels a turnin. 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They were worried about how much air he was getting to his brain. The vern that we all loved died that day. Reporter verns formerdaughterinlaw, jill, remembers hearing of the attack and how it frightened the entire family. My son texted me that grandpa was attacked and that he was scared and he wanted me to come pick him up. Reporter and the task of quieting the familys fears, and finding out who had attacked vern, was now in the hands of this man. Yakima county sheriffs detective sam perrault. Did you know Vern Holbrook . I knew of him. He was just known to be one of the big movers and shakers in the Real Estate Industry in the yakima valley. Reporter the detective had been called to the house where vern was found that saturday night. Hed heard from the responding officer, the one who wore this body camera and captured these scenes, from the moment he arrived just before 8 p. M. A colleague had gone looking for vern when verns wife had become worried that he didnt return from the showing. The colleague had found him here lying in a pool of blood at this rural home near the small town of cowichie. The last people talked to vern around 11 15 and we could surmise that he had likely been attacked sometime around noon. So hed been lying there, for what . Maybe seven or eight hours . Yes. Not a whole lot of evidence to go on at the beginning . No. Reporter verns truck, still parked outside, offered little. His wallet was in there with his id and his credit cards. So presumably not robbery . Right. Reporter in fact, as police inventoried the scene, only one thing seemed to be missing. The only thing they took was his telephone . Thats what it looks like, yes. Reporter but verns missing cell phone didnt hinder the investigation. Within hours, the detective had verns phone records in hand. Reporter and you go to what . The last person to call him . I was able to see the last number that connected, yes. Reporter did you call that number . I did and i left a message just asking for a return call. Reporter who had that phone number come back to . Adriana mendez was the name attached to the account. Reporter the detective soon learned that Adriana Mendez was a 23yearold mother of three 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 coming down here today. Reporter and agreed to meet with detectives. I didnt mean to take so long in trying to give you a call. What kind of vibe you getting off her . She seemed excited and nervous. Talking fast. Reporter adriana admitted to calling vern twice the day of the attack. She said she wanted to talk to him about selling a mobile home. But he couldnt see her. He told me that he was busy, that he was showing a house and to call him back. Reporter cell records confirmed adrianas calls to vern. But it was Something Else that convinced the detective that adriana wasnt telling the truth. She insisted shed never left yakima that day. I dont know what to tell you, i did not go out there. Reporter but phone records dont lie. People who forget about them, do. And the detective had maps showing adriana had made the last call to vern from the same rural area where the attack took place. So she was pretty close to him when that call was made . Yes. You need to tell me the truth. Reporter over the next several hours, adrianas story changed again and again until she gave it up. She admitted meeting with vern and said it was the idea of her boyfriend, luis. She told a story backed up by surveillance tape from the Sunshine Motel of luis, picking up adriana and her three small children that morning at 10 45. Reporter she told detectives they drove to the house in cowichie. Met with vern. And while the kids waited in the car, she and luis went inside with vern to view the house and in the back bedroom . What did luis do to vern . Hit him. Okay, and you saw him hit vern . While i was walking out, through this eye. Out of the corner of my eye. And then thats the last i saw him. All i heard was the thump. You didnt walk back in there to see what was going on . No, i should have. Reporter adriana said luis came out moments later. They tossed verns cell phone out the car window on the way home before luis delivered adriana and her three kids back to the Sunshine Motel, again confirmed on video by 12 31 p. M. 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. You ever seen anybody bring their kids to a murder . No, this is a first for me. Theres probable cause to think that you are an accomplice and thats why youre under arrest. Reporter within hours, detectives had adrianas boyfriend in custody as well. Through an interpreter, Luis Gomez Monges too initially told a story about adriana contacting vern to sell a mobile home. Thats bulls and adriana started off telling me the same lies she said that you hit the guy from behind when he wasnt even looking no. I dont think that your story is gonna hold up. You are under arrest for the attempted murder of vernon holbrook. Reporter detectives were convinced they had the two people whod attacked vern that saturday in may. But they also knew, or thought they knew, there was a lot more to the story. These suspects certainly werent trained hired assassins. They were so clumsy theyd even used their own phone but where would this lead . Why would two people whod never met Vern Holbrook want to kill him . Coming up. The bells and whistles definitely start going off a sudden trail of clues security video, text messages. Secret code. Was vern worth more dead than alive . All of a sudden, i saw he was fearful of his life. Reporter when dateline continues. Reporter in a seattle hospital, Vern Holbrook hovered in that gray area between life and death, in the week after he was savagely beaten, his throat slit, during a routine real estate showing in may of 2013. Detectives had quickly made two arrests. Charged with attempted murder, 38year old luis gomezmonges, who denied any part in the attack. And his 23yearold girlfriend Adriana Mendez, who admitted luring vern to the meeting at luiss request, and then witnessing luis assault vern. She said she had no idea why luis would do that. Reporter you believe that . No. Reporter and why did perrault not believe adriana . Because in that same interview, she had also unwittingly dropped a bombshell when asked how, of all the dozens of realtors in yakima, she just happened to call verns company, Aspen Real Estate. I know a couple people that used to work there. Whos that . Um, daniel . Reporter what goes through your mind when she says that . Well, the bells and whistles definitely start going off. Reporter bells and whistles because, after vern had been assaulted, his family had flooded detectives with calls. So you sit down and you start thinking to yourselves, whod want to hurt him . One person. His name is daniel blizzard. Reporter daniel blizzard. That ambitious agent vern to whom vern was going to sell the company, someone vern had once trusted. Did you think daniel had something to do with it . Well, yeah, i was pretty sure. Reporter why, with zero proof, would so many believe blizzard was behind the attack . Detective perrault soon heard a story that went like this. In the fall of 2008, vern called employees like bookkeeper judy craven to a meeting. He was selling the company. I think he wanted to spend more time with his family and just focus on the selling part, not deal with that daytoday managing. Reporter no longer a rumor, said this email to announce the sale. Vern was selling aspen to daniel blizzard and his two brothers. Vern would stay on as the designated broker for one year. Vern held a barbecue and took this photo with the blizzard family to cement the new relationship. But the deal went south quickly. They made the first three payments, and then they just stopped. Reporter it was the height of the great recession. Real estate was tanking. Vern was understanding. But then, the blizzards approached vern with a request. They asked my dad to take out whats called a key man Life Insurance policy, him being the key person or the key man, in the organization. Reporter because Aspen Real Estate really was just your dad. It absolutely was my dad reporter it made good Financial Sense at the time. Verns death would cripple the company. So the Life Insurance policy would pay 1. 58 million upon verns death. Vern knew they were taking that policy out on him . He did. Reporter and he was comfortable with it . I wouldnt say he was comfortable with it. Reporter the blizzards never missed a payment on the Life Insurance. But they never made another payment on the business. So in january 2010, just 16 months after selling the company, vern sent out another email to staff, this time to say daniel is no longer with Aspen Real Estate. Vern was taking back the company hed built. Its like, if you cant make your payments, you cant keep it. And so i think, you know, he had to. Reporter there were complaints filed with the real estate board. Lawsuits, countersuits. And all the while, that Life Insurance policy seemed to weigh on verns mind. He went to the Life Insurance company and he asked them to remove it. No one in that company would remove the policy. Reporter because somebody was paying the premiums . Thats correct. All of a sudden i saw that he was fearful of his life. Reporter to detective perrault, this all added up to motive. 1. 58 million reasons that daniel blizzard might want Vern Holbrook dead. But what was the link between daniel, and adriana and luis . Im guessing the holy grail at this point in the investigation would be to find some like provable contact between daniel blizzard and Adriana Mendez . Right reporter it turned out the holy grail was only a few blocks away at the Sunshine Motel. I went to the motel, and they told me that a big white guy would come in occasionally and pay adrianas rent for her. Reporter so you get the security video. Right. Reporter and who is it . Its daniel blizzard. Reporter there he was. A week before the attack, blizzard, paying adrianas bill at the Sunshine Motel. And perrault soon found more. Text messages between adriana and daniel from the day vern was attacked. 9 24 a. M. , daniel texts adriana, dont be late for shopping. Whats going on there . It appears to be code to me. What theyre talking about is the real estate appointment with vern. Reporter at 12 04 p. M. , presumably was right around when the attack happened, adriana texts daniel, we are going shopping. I believe that that is her way of telling daniel that the job is done. Reporter and that same afternoon, who pulls up at the Sunshine Motel to pick up adriana . You guessed it. Daniel blizzard. Possible that they were just talking about shopping . Anything is possible, but its not very likely. Reporter finally, in september 2013, nearly three months after the attack, the detective went to pick up daniel. He didnt seem surprised to see me. Reporter and he didnt say, gee, detective, what could this possibly be about . No, he didnt ask. Im the detective whos investigating the attack on Vern Holbrook. Mmhmm, i heard about that. Reporter and it didnt take long for daniel blizzard to tell investigators how he really felt about vern and the business deal that had gone bad. He did a very elaborate, well, good job on screwing us over, so okay, how did he screw you over . Just lies. Deceit. I have nothing bad against vern at all. I mean, when i use these kind of words, its not like i have some kind of grudge or anything like that. Reporter and why was daniel paying adrianas rent and taking her shopping . Were you involved in a sexual relationship with adriana . No. No . No. Not at all . No. You were just helping her out of the kindness in your heart . Yeah. Im a good guy. Reporter detective perrault was having none of it. Youre obviously sticking to your story, but i do not believe it. So at this time im going to tell you that you are under arrest for the attempted first degree murder of vernon holbrook. Reporter and for the first time and stand up. Put your hands behind your back. Reporter daniel blizzards demeanor changed. He was definitely surprised and he looked like he might be ill. Reporter what went through your mind when police told you that they had arrested daniel blizzard . Thank god finally. Relief. Yeah. Reporter it sounded like a case neatly tied up. Two attackers linked to a man with motive and millions to gain. But that wasnt the whole story. There was someone else involved, the detective believed, someone else who had betrayed verns trust. And to say it was someone close to vern would be an understatement. In fact, its someone youve already met. Coming up arrest number four. Satisfaction . Huge satisfaction. Reporter is about to split the family in two. I started playing rugby when i was about 12. And pretty much havent stopped since. I dont really think about my hair too much. But, i started going gray kind of early. And its just not me. Only just for men easily targets gray with a combin applicator. So you get a natural grayfree look. Guaranteed. Just you and the look you want. Just for men. 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And to say it was a shocker, would be an understatement. There was one more name the detective had been hearing from verns family. A lot of people have been saying a lot of different things. Reporter because it turned out that the plots alleged mastermind, daniel blizzard, had, for several years, dated and helped support financially a woman whod once been as close to Vern Holbrook as a child. This woman. Remember her . He helps anybody out. Reporter mother to three of verns grandchildren, his former daughterin law, jill taylor. What would her motivation be for, sort of, taking part in that plot . I suppose the only connection would be her relationship with daniel. Reporter and whats good for daniel is good for jill . I would think so. Reporter and, the detective found, that jill taylor was also the common link between daniel blizzard and another of the alleged participants in the plot, Adriana Mendez. What did Adriana Mendez and jill taylor have in common . Methamphetamine. They met through a common friend at a party using drugs. Reporter detectives say that friendship forged in meth became so close that jill invited adriana and her three kids to move in with her. And it was at jills apartment where daniel met adriana and luis. Adriana wouldnt know daniel without jill. Correct. Reporter the detective was starting to get a clearer picture of how the alleged coconspirators came together. And he soon found another of jills friends, who filled in some more blanks for him. Me and jill were really tight. Reporter nikki vargas came forward to say it was no secret what jill and daniel wanted done. Like the day i met this she was telling me about how she was trying to kill some guy, right . Her and her boyfriend. Reporter did she say how . She had tried to poison him a couple times. Reporter and when that didnt work . Daniel was trying to pay jill 10,000 to kill this fool. Reporter did you believe her . It was believable that they were going around asking people about a hit man for 10,000. Reporter and the proof that jill took part in the plot came from her own lips, if you believe the former family members who pointed fingers at her. Enter, once again, chad, jills exhusband. He said that six weeks before the attack, jill said something strange when discussing supervised visits with their three children. She told me that vern may not be around that much longer to be supervising visits. And i said, well, why would you think that . And she told me then that, well, you know, he makes a lot of enemies. And hes going to end up making the wrong kind of enemies. Reporter all of this eventually landed jill in the Sheriffs Office herself. Is it okay if we talk about this . Well, i would rather have a lawyer. I understand. Just because its such a delicate situation. I need a professional. I understand. Im not trying to not, you know, cooperate. I dont take that personally. I do understand that, but i do need you to know you are under arrest for attempted murder. Reporter relief . Satisfaction . Satisfaction. Huge satisfaction. Reporter you saw jill as being sort of what, a pawn of daniels . I think they used each other. Reporter no question she was involved . Not in our minds. Reporter four people were now charged with the attempted murder of Vern Holbrook. And then the case changed again. In january of 2014, eight months after he was attacked, Vern Holbrook died from his injuries. It was a sense of relief for him that he didnt have to suffer anymore. But it was really hard, really hard for the entire family to see him not with us anymore. It turned the attempted murder into a first degree murder. A premeditated murder. Reporter and it sort of raised the stakes all around . Right. Reporter but once again, what seemed to be, and what would be, wouldnt quite line up. There was one more twist in that long river of lies. Coming up the case heads into court. With a surprise on the stand. She said, well, were going to kill vern for daniel. Reporter jill taylor, the accused, becomes jill taylor, star witness. When dateline continues. Your kids move, stretch, and play hard. So remember its the simple things in life that help them get back in the game. I am stuck on bandaid® brand cause bandaid® stretches with me stretchable, comfortable fabric that moves with you. Ah, push it. Push it. P. Push it real good ow oooh baby baby. Baby baby. If youre saltnpepa, you tell people to push it. Push it real good. Its what you do. Ah. Push it. If you want to save fifteen percent or more on Car Insurance you switch to geico. Its what you do. Ah. Push it. Im pushing. Im pushing it real good why do i take metamucil everyday . Because it helps me skip the bad stuff. Im good. Thats what i like to call, the meta effect. 4in1 multihealth metamucil is clinically proven to help you feel less hungry between meals. 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You are loved in so many different ways thats why youre wrapped in the comfort of pampers swaddlers with blanketlike softness and up to 12 hours of protection so all you feel is love. Wishing you love sleep and play. Pampers reporter as the four people now charged with the murder of Vern Holbrook awaited trial in the yakima county jail, verns family and former colleagues felt a special sort of animosity for one of them jill taylor. Jill had been verns daughterinlaw. How could she be part of the plot to kill him . How could you do this to someone who cared for you and took care of you and helped your kids . You were a part of this family. How could you do Something Like that . Hard to believe that someone who had been sort of the beneficiary of verns generosity would be involved in any way in a plot like that. I dont know what was going on in jills world that she felt she needed to do that. Reporter jills arrest was especially troubling for her exhusband. Because chad says he tried to tell vern that jills behavior could be volatile and violent. I had tried to warn him a couple of times after our split up you know, that shes dangerous and he should be careful. And he just kind of oh what, her, whatever. Ya know . He wasnt buying it. No he didnt think much of it. Reporter and then as the trials of the four suspects wound their way toward the courthouse, verns family was blindsided yet again. Prosecutors called to say they were offering deals to two of the suspects. To make sure their cases were rock solid against accused shot caller daniel blizzard, and the alleged attacker Luis Gomez Monges. The state would allow luiss girlfriend Adriana Mendez, and jill taylor, to walk out of jail. If the two women would agree to testify against the two men. Did they ask your permission for this, or were they essentially saying this is the way the cookie crumbles . We didnt have a choice, but we were made aware that this is what they were thinking of doing. Reporter why were those deals necessary . Deputy prosecutor alvin guzman. Its kind of trying to pick the lesser of two evils on that. Meaning, you get the mastermind and you get the guy whose hand was actually on the knife, and maybe the little fish swim away . Thats essentially what happened in this situation. Do you think you had a strong case against jill taylor . She was probably the weakest case we would have had compared to all four people that we believed we were involved. Superior court is back in session. Reporter and so in august 2014, the murder trial of daniel blizzard began with a parade of lawyers, Life Insurance salesmen, and Law Enforcement taking the stand before the star witnesses began to appear. He would say, i cant wait until the old mans gone. Reporter jill taylor claimed that daniel wanted vern dead, so he could collect the 1. 58 Million Dollar Life Insurance policy and that Adriana Mendez told her that she and luis were going to go through with the attack. She said, were gonna do that for for daniel. Reporter when it was her turn, Adriana Mendez said daniel showed her a wad of cash to entice her. He told me, hes like, this is the money that im willing to pay somebody, 10,000 to complete this job. Reporter in fact, after the attack was over, adriana claimed daniel gave her the 10,000, plus a 2,000 bonus. That money was never recovered. This is outrageous. Reporter blizzards defense attorney, peter mazzone, argued that adriana and jill would have said anything on the stand, because of those get out of jail free deals offered by prosecutors. So long as you testify you will be let out. Yes. And you will be able to reunite with your kids. Yes. Reporter the defense argued jurors had to acquit daniel blizzard because of a lack of evidence. You will not hear of a single shred of forensic evidence of any kind linking this man or anybody else to that murder. Reporter 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 the defendant, daniel blizzard, guilty of the crime of first degree murder. Yes ya know, what we wanted and what was right happened. It was a huge, huge relief that the jury found the truth. I think his color changed but he did a pretty good job of maintaining his poker face. This was a guy who thought he was gonna get away with it . I think so. Reporter the judge sentenced daniel blizzard to more than 34 years in prison. A month later, the trial of luis gomez mongez. He testified that it was not he but Adriana Mendez who had slashed Vern Holbrooks neck and struck him. Guilty of the crime of first degree murder. Reporter the jury didnt buy it. The judge sentenced luis to more than 26 years behind bars. The two men were going to prison but what would happen to those two women who cut deals to help put them there . And what would jill taylor have to say about it all . Coming up. He set me up for everything. Daniel set you up . Yes, he set me up. Deeply involved or wrongly accused. Were about to hear in jill taylor herself. You are the victim here. Reporter after daniel blizzard and luis gomezmonges were sentenced for the murder of realtor vernon holbrook, it was time for the two women charged in the case to face the judge. In exchange for her cooperation, Adriana Mendez, the woman who brought her three small children to a murder scene, was allowed to plead guilty to charges of assault and criminal rendering. She was sentenced to time served, about 15months, and released. And jill taylor . Vern holbrooks former daughterinlaw was set free, after spending about a year in the county jail. Charges of first degree murder were dismissed without prejudice, meaning prosecutors do have the option of refiling at some in the future. But at this point, jill has never been convicted of any crime in connection to verns death. Verns family is still bitter about that deal. If it wasnt for jill putting it all together, helping daniel put the pieces together, this may not have happened. I think thats criminal. Its you know shouldnt have happened. She, in my opinion, definitely got away with murder. Reporter and when you walk out of this interview, she might be standing on the street. Yeah, you never know. It crosses my mind. Reporter we wanted to talk to jill taylor. And it turned out, she wanted to talk with us, to tell us a story of betrayal. But in her telling, shes the one who was betrayed. When we sat down with jill, shed been out of jail for about three months, claiming she was caught in a web of daniel blizzards creation. When you heard that vern had been attacked and left for dead, howd you feel . That maybe you could have headed that off, somehow . No, i wouldnt have headed it off anyhow, because daniel was determined to do what he wanted to do. I really cared about daniel and i was just really hoping he was going to pull his head out of his rear. Maybe i have issues with letting people use me. He just set me up for everything. Reporter daniel set you up . Yes, he set me up. It was a winwin for him. Reporter but remember, it was only through jill that daniel blizzard met adriana and luis. Jill admits thats true, admits she knew blizzard had paid them, admits she never told police. But told us something she never said on the stand, that adriana convinced her the attack would never happen. I went to her hotel. It was about in april. I just told her that i dont care how much money hes already lent you or whatever, youre not obligated to do anything. And she says, no, were not going to, you know, im not going to do that, you know . Reporter adriana specifically told you she was not going to go through with the attack on vern . Right, right. Yes. Reporter you must have been surprised when it turned out they went ahead and did it after all. Yeah, i was really surprised. It caught me off guard. Reporter we asked jill about the death of a man whod been good to her and her kids. Her answer was that the financial help vern provided for her and her family has been overstated. I made 36,000 year, okay . I had a good job. I paid my own bills. He only helped me when i first split up with my exhusband, and ive paid him back every dime that he had helped me with. Reporter jill blames verns family for making her look bad, particularly her ex, chad. Your exhusband wasnt the only person who thought you were a suspect. Pretty much everybody else in verns family mentioned you and daniel blizzard right away to police. I dont understand why they think that i would do anything to him like that. I mean, what would i be gaining from it . Reporter what would you gain . Yeah reporter if vern dies, daniel blizzard as your boyfriend, gets more than a Million Dollars well, good for him that has nothing to do with me. Reporter well, presumably you might share in that, was the thinking. Dont you think if i was going to attack somebody that i would go attack somebody worth it . Reporter well, a million and a half dollars is a lot of motive. I dont care about money. I dont get it, why people who are so shallow when it comes to money. Reporter jills story . She didnt want the money. Her boyfriend lied to her. The couple that lured vern to the home lied to her. But those claims that daniel blizzard had asked jill to poison vern . Well, those, according to jill, are true. Daniel gave you poison . Uhhuh, i think so. I just dumped it out so reporter do you know what kind of poison it was . Mmhmm. Reporter and he said, what . Put this in verns drink or uhhuh. Reporter and you said, what . Im not going to commit murder . No, i figured, just, whatever. Im not going to do that. Youre stupid. Reporter and you called the police . No. Reporter you didnt call the police . No, why would i . Reporter well, someone had just asked you to commit murder. It couldve been sugar water for all i know. I come from a world that you dont go to police because someone sneezed wrong, you know . Reporter why did daniel think that you would be willing to poison vern . I dont know. You know, i did love him and, yeah, i would have done a lot of things for him. Reporter so youre kind of a victim here too . I dont like to call myself a victim. I mean, by your definition, yeah. Reporter of course, theres one person here whos pretty clearly a victim. Vern holbrook built a successful business and loved his role at the center of a happy family. Did he trust too much . Should he have known what might 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 that theyre just like family. Thats all for now. Im lester thanks for joining us. This sunday, mass murder in the air. The latest on the germanwings pilot. What medical condition was he hiding and are changes needed in the way we screen commercial Airline Pilots . Plus, as talks on a nuclear deal with iran reach their final hours for first time u. S. Officials are talking about what will happen if all of this fails. How the u. S. Is becoming caught up on both sides of a proxy war between iran and saudi arabia that could rip apart the middle east even more if thats possible. And i believe in you. I believe in the power of millions of courageous conservatives. Ted cruz becomes the first to jump into the 2016 race, hoping he can ride an evangelical wave to the white house. Why evangelicals may be more important than ever in choosing the next republican nominee. And speaking of republican president ial candidates, why is one courting the