Unseen - The Rise & Fall of a Texas Alpha | The Case of Meghan Verikas | UNSEEN

Episode Date: February 3, 2025

“I don’t want to tell her daddy’s gone” In the early hours of March 10th, 2017, police officers enter the home of Valerie McDaniel and Leon Jacob with seemingly unexpected news – cops tell the new couple that Valerie’s ex-husband has just been killed in a robbery gone wrong, but there’s something else they’re hiding. What Leon and Valerie don’t know is that they’ve walked right into a trap—one designed to catch them in their own deadly scheme. Behind it all was the last person they expected: Leon’s ex, Meghan Verikas. Directed, written and edited by Matthew Rice Researched by Bianca Yzabelle Tan Produced by Alexandra Salois & Salim Sader Voiceover by William Akana Sources KPRC ABC 13 Houston ABC, 20/20 Law&Crime Dateline NBC, Twisted in Texas Oxygen, Murder for Hire, Doctor’s Orders A&E, American Justice, “The Bad Doctor” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I don't want to tell you got him to his phone. This is Valerie McDaniel. Police just entered her apartment in the middle of the night as her young daughter sleeps peacefully in her bedroom. Police tell Valerie and her new boyfriend Leon that Valerie's ex-husband was found murdered in his car with a shotgun wound to his head. Holy shit, baby.

At first glance, Leon appears supportive of his new girlfriend, comforting her as she hears about the tragic news. Holy fuck you're right, sweet. I lost my father while I was young. This thing I had on her now. But what Valerie doesn't know is her boyfriend hides a disturbing secret. Just two hours earlier, Leon received horrifying pictures of his ex-girlfriend on his phone. Pictures of his ex-girlfriend, tied to a chair, crying.

Leon thinks the police don't know anything, but the truth is, the cops are one step ahead of him and have been plotting the perfect trap. Tiffany don't know anything on the deal of her. No, we've been here on the beach. Right now we're going to reach you your rights. Me? You know, you're like to make it so. It's early 2017.

Valerie McDaniel lives in a two-bedroom condo in River Oaks, an exclusive neighborhood often called the Beverly Hills of Houston, Texas. From her balcony, she enjoys sweeping views of the city, a luxury afforded to her by her successful veterinary practice. She just poured her heart and soul into veterinary medicine. Just a really giving, caring individual. I looked up to her as a mentor and a, you know, know, and inspiration.

I would hope to be like her someday. Although Valerie has a thriving career, her love life tells a different story. She recently went through a divorce after discovering her ex-husband was having an affair. Valerie now shares custody of their six-year-old daughter.

She was just unhappy. There was a void that wasn't being filled. As a single mom, she'd spent years focused on her daughter, her career, and simply keeping everything together. Then, she meets someone, Dr. Leon Jacob.

Leon came from a world of privilege. His childhood was one of luxury, elite private schools, ski trips in the winter, and summers by the water in Maine. After college, Leon pursued medicine, attending medical school in the Caribbean. I'm a very driven type of alpha personality male, but I have a heart of gold. She was very much in love with him. She said it multiple times. I'm completely in love with him.

For Valerie, this relationship feels like a second chance at love. A fresh start. The pair seem perfect for each other, having both recently ended relationships. Valerie with her ex-husband, Mac, and Leon with his ex-girlfriend, Megan. Leon showers his new partner with love and attention, and Valerie soon falls for him. The couple waste no time moving in together. Everything seems to be going well until... On March 10, 2017, at 2.47 a.m., things take a dramatic turn. Police arrive at their apartment, and their seemingly perfect world begins unraveling.

What's going to do? What's going on? Police deliver devastating news. Valerie's ex-husband has been found dead. I'll let me in the boat. Okay, baby? We've been here all night. One questioned, Leon claims to know nothing about the situation.

He appears shocked and saddened by the news. But, his reaction is entirely fake. Leon isn't telling the truth. He knows something the cops don't. In this moment, Leon is actually fixation. is actually fixated on someone he can't let go of, someone he wants out of the picture, someone who he believes will soon be declared missing by her friends and family,

his ex-girlfriend, Megan Veracus. Before Valerie ever met Leon, 1,000 miles away in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Megan Veracus was living a normal life and had no idea she would soon cross paths with Leon, turning her whole world upside down. Before Leon walks into her life, Megan thrives in her role as the assistant general manager

of a bustling hotel in downtown, Pittsburgh. She's intelligent, hardworking, and grounded, a woman building a solid career with passion while maintaining strong ties to her community. She's a very likable person. She's someone that you'd want to be friends with. Megan effortlessly draws people in. Her close-knit family, who lives nearby in Pittsburgh, is a central part of her life. They share an unbreakable bond built on love, trust, and unwavering support. However, one day, a new guest makes an appearance and introduces himself as Leon Jacob. Leon is a transplant surgeon at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and is a long-term guest at the hotel where Megan works.

He has an air of confidence about him, charming, direct, and self-assured. When he approaches Megan, his smile is disarming, and the conversation is magnetic. Megan can't help but feel drawn to him. After a few minutes of talking, Leon asks her out. On their first date, Leon is unlike anyone she's ever met. He gives her his full attention, showering her with compliments, and treating her with care and kindness. and kindness. To Megan, it feels like she's met someone truly extraordinary. He was so focused on me anytime we went out. He definitely went out of his way to do things

that were extravagant. A lot of times men don't put that much detail into things and he he didn't. After spending months getting to know each other, Megan and Leon's connection grows stronger. Their relationship blossoms into something Megan has never experienced before, comfortable, exciting, and full of promise. Together, they enjoy their lives in Pittsburgh, excited about what the future might bring. But then, one day, Leon shares some unexpected news. He's been offered an incredible opportunity in his home state of Texas. Leon said that he almost had a guaranteed job in Houston at Methodist Hospital, and he really wanted me to go to Houston with him. It was exciting. Megan has everything in Pittsburgh, a career,

she's worked hard to build, her family, her friends, and the deep roots she's planted over the years. But, with Leon offered an unmissable opportunity to complete his medical residency in Houston, everything changes. Leaving behind her entire life, she packs up and moves to Texas for him. It's not an easy decision, but Megan doesn't want to give up their potential future together or risk that Leon gives up on his dream of becoming a doctor. For Megan, it's a leap of faith, a choice to follow her heart, even if it means walking away from everything she's ever known. I loved being with Leon. We had a nice life here. I got a job about 10 days after moving here. I'm starting to make new friends here. His mother had this pool, and on the weekends we spent time there,

and his brother came over, and even though I left my family in Pittsburgh, I had this new family. At first, everything is perfect. They easily settle into their new life. Megan adjusts well to Houston and her growing family after having an adopted puppy together. But soon after they settle in, things begin to change. Leon had claimed to have a secure job lined up, residency at a local hospital. However, as months go by, Megan notices that she's the only one working to pay the bills, while Leon spends most of his days at home, drinking, and unemployed. Day after day, Megan goes to work, carrying the financial burden of their shared household,

while Leon explains to her that he's still looking for a job. Leon wasn't doing the job that he said he was here to do and that he trained for years to do. Despite his repeated claims that he is actively pursuing a role at the hospital, nothing changes. Over time, it becomes clear that Leon's promises are not matching his actions. It's now January 12, 2017. Around 6 p.m., Megan has just gotten off work after a grueling 10-hour shift. Tired, she arrives at the apartment she shares with Leon, but to her surprise, the place is a mess. Clothes and dishes scattered everywhere, nothing in order.

He said, well, you were here all day, and this just doesn't seem very fair to me. That's when everything changes. The man she thought she knew, the one who had once been so charming, vanishes in an instant. Leon's expression hardens, and he begins yelling, calling her names she never expected to hear from him. Megan barely has time to react before he storms into the bedroom, pulling her clothes from the closet. He drags her belongings to the balcony and throws them outside. She stands frozen, trying to process what is happening as his rage continues to escalate. He then grabs a cup of tobacco spit and hurls it across the room at her,

the content splattering everywhere as he continues his tirade, berating her relentlessly. It's like he is someone else entirely, a side of him she has never seen before. It was not who I thought he was. Megan is beyond shocked. It's like staring at a stranger. In that moment, it becomes clear that she needs to leave him. She grabs her own bag and begins packing what's left. She has no plan, no destination, but she just knows she can't stay.

Megan moves toward the door holding her bag and their dog, but Leon refuses to let her go, blocking her path. His hands come down on her, trying to prevent her from leaving. She struggles and screams, doing anything she can to be heard. I was trying to scream and trying to make as much noise as possible so that the people downstairs would call the police. Then he strikes her across the face. Megan is stunned. This is survival, and she needs to escape. With everything she has, Megan fights back.

She lands an elbow in Leon's side, forcing enough space to break free. Out the door, down the hall, she bolts to the car, clutching their dog in her arms. But Leon isn't far behind. He chases her down the driveway, shouting threats. Leon manages to grab the dog, I'm going to punch him. Leon manages to grab the dog, wrenching it from her arms. Megan tries desperately to grab the dog back, but it's too late. She needs to think fast before it escalates further.

All she can do is escape. She speeds away, finally free, or so she thinks. Unsure where to go, Megan drives to a coworker who is also a new friend and arrives at her door in a panic. Her face was blotchy, marks and things like that around. She started crying. I closed the door, you know, broke out tissues. She looked afraid and in disbelief that something like this happened. to her. As they talk, Megan's phone buzzes with a never-ending stream of messages, all from Leon.

His obsessive need to reach her is unrelenting. It was just non-stop emails, phone calls. In the days that follow, Megan tries her best to steer clear of Leon, but his overwhelming calls and texts don't stop. Soon, emails start flooding in from an account ominously named Leon loves Megan. The escalation quickly results in him stalking her. As he starts showing up at her workplace, even spotting him following her, around town. Even more distressingly, Megan discovers that Leon has drained most of the money from their shared bank account. And, when she returns to the apartment to collect her belongings,

every piece of furniture, every trace of her life there, is completely gone. Desperate and shaken, Megan turns to the police. She files for an emergency protective order and for assault charges, hoping this will protect her against Leon's growing obsession. I did file criminal charges for assault on a family member. I did provide the police with photos I'd taken. I thought I saved myself from the situation by contacting the police, but it didn't stop him. I think the longer that things went on, the more frantic and the scarier he got. Megan had every right to be scared for her life.

I felt like I couldn't get away from Leon and stop wasn't something that he could comprehend. Leon's stalking becomes so intense that Megan's work even takes action. The hotel officially bans Leon from the property, but this doesn't stop him, as he even attempts to hide in the bushes outside her office. We walk outside and see him standing there behind a bush like you're invisible. I just remember the first words coming out of my mouth where do you know we can see you? Megan's co-worker even calls the police to try and get him arrested. The person is stalking my boss. So when we came out of work this now, he prized the dust down and then got me.

his car inside the loop. In mid-February 2017, Leon is arrested and officially charged with stalking, a felony offense. I kind of had a sense of relief for the first time that I could just live normally, at least for a day or so. But this victory will be unexpectedly short-lived. Unfortunately, Leon won't stay in prison for long awaiting trial, walking free on a $75,000 bond. But what Megan doesn't know is that Leon didn't pay his own bond.

Someone named Valerie McDaniel did. It turns out that the whole time Leon has been harassing his ex-Meghan, he has, at the same time, started dating Valerie McDaniel. When he had met Valerie, the truth was that Leon's life had been unraveling. He was unemployed and reeling from his recent breakup with Megan. His family wouldn't support him, and without a job or steady income, he couldn't afford rent on his own. Valerie, recently divorced and in a nasty custody battle with her ex-husband, understood Leon's vendetta against his ex-ex and covered her new boyfriend's hefty bond to get out of jail. But, despite his wife, Despite his newfound connection with Valerie and his arrest, Leon remains fixated on Megan.

Leon has built his identity around being an ambitious, charming, and kind-hearted doctor, but the truth is far less glamorous. Though he pretends otherwise to Valerie, Megan, and everyone else, Leon has many skeletons in his closet. He has carefully hid his long history of domestic abuse, stalking, and violent charges against past partners, as well as other criminal offenses, all of which he wiesled out of using expensive lawyers and technicalities, he wasn't even a real surgeon. He had been kicked out of multiple residency programs for unprofessional, incompetent, and disrespectful conduct. And, after a failed lawsuit,

was never officially licensed. A guilty verdict in Megan's case would guarantee he'd never work as a doctor in Texas or anywhere else. Leon's dream of practicing medicine is slipping through his fingers, and he will do anything to escape justice yet again. For Leon, Megan isn't just an ex-girlfriend or the one who got away, she is the one person standing between him and the life he thinks he deserves. In Leon's mind, if Megan were gone, the stalking and assault charges against him, the only thing stopping him from becoming a doctor would disappear with her. The longer these charges lingered, the more concerned that Leon was about his reputation. It's now February 23rd, 2017, Leon's harassing texts and emails to Megan haven't stopped.

Worse, she knows he's out on bail, but she doesn't know what he's capable of, or what he's planning in secret. Leon decides to take Megan out, once and for all. He gathers nearly everything he has, $5,000 in cash, two Rolex watches, and his laptop, and contacts a man who calls himself Sack, a former U.S. soldier turned hitman. The two arranged to meet and discuss the plan. The location, Leon suggests a local Olive Garden in Houston, Texas. It's now March 7, 2017.

Leon arrives at the Olive Garden, but surprisingly, he's not alone. He's brought his new girlfriend, Valerie, who has her own request for Zach. Valerie's ex-husband shares custody of their daughter and had an affair during their marriage. Valerie claims he's been causing problems and asks Zach to handle him permanently. The hitman agrees, but there's a price, $10,000. He suggests staging her ex-husband's death as a robbery gone wrong. Valerie writes Mac's name and address on a napkin, hands it to Zach's. back and offers her wedding ring as a down payment. Leon then proposes a chilling method for

killing Megan, first, a kidnapping, followed by a fatal dose of potassium chloride via injection. It's clean, it's quiet, and in Leon's mind, it's full proof. The deal is sealed, a double homicide murder for hire. The payment is made. Now, the clock is ticking. The hitman begins watching Megan's every move, waiting for the right moment to execute Leon's twisted plan. Though Megan knows Leon is a threat, she has no idea just how far he's willing to go, or how close the danger truly is. Liam Jacob seemed like a very driven person about this. And when a person's very driven and they've got a goal in mind and they won't stop until they reach it,

it makes them extremely dangerous. March 9, 2017, 7.42 p.m. Two days after the Olive Garden meetup, the hitman arrives at Leon and Valerie's apartment. He steps inside, his face expressionless, as he delivers the news. It's done. Valerie's ex-husband is dead. As proof, the hitman provides photographs of the scene, grainy, yet clear enough to confirm the grim reality. The scene is staged to look like a robbery gone wrong. No loose ends, no suspicion will blow back on the couple, but the murder-for-hire scheme isn't done yet, and the plan to take out the next target is

already in motion. Less than three hours later, at 10.30 p.m., in an abandoned warehouse outside of Houston, Megan sits on a chair with duct tape wrapped tightly around her mouth and feet. Leon's phone buzzes with photos of Megan in her current state. I said you something, did you receive? Where right now, you know, we got her, she's gagged and tied up and everything, but no, she's not cooperating. My God, it doesn't matter. Just after midnight, the job is done. Or so Leon thinks.

In fact, the truth is not what it's. seems. While Leon thinks he's pulled off the perfect crime against his ex, Megan and the police have actually been one step ahead of him all this time, and constructed an elaborate plan to take him down. The man Leon hired to kidnap Megan, who he believed to be a professional killer, wasn't who he claimed to be. Two weeks earlier, Leon thought he was hiring a hitman, Zach Azza, but in reality, Zach was quick to betray Leon and do the right thing by running to the police after learning how serious the murder plot really was. However, in order to prosecute Leon on Zach's claims, investigators have to hand prosecutors

tangible evidence of Leon soliciting and following through with having Megan murdered and build an airtight case against him. Prosecutors would face an uphill battle. Unlike direct acts of violence, murder for higher plots are notoriously difficult to prove, as often there is no physical evidence, no fingerprints, no DNA, no murder weapon. However, a full conviction of solicitation of capital murder in Texas is a first-degree felon. with the possibility of life imprisonment. Investigators need to show very clearly not only that Leon truly wants Megan dead,

but that he actively took steps, including payment, to make it happen, that for all intents and purposes, this was a successful murder for hire. Every detail matters. However, time is also of the essence, given that Leon has made his murderous intentions clear. Megan's life is in very real danger as long as he walks free. To gather what they need, police work with the informant and fake hitman, Zach. who is willing to do whatever it takes to help police catch Leon and protect Megan's life. To lay their trap, police first have Zach call Leon multiple times to confirm details about the murder plot, recording every word. However, the recorded calls are just the beginning.

Zach's cooperation allows police to gather critical evidence, but it will take meticulous planning and strategy to ensure Leon will be convicted. Hello? Hey, what's up, man? How you deal, Blake? Hey, good. Hey, listen, I'm going to set up a meeting with you tomorrow so we can't. Okay.

Okay. March 7, 2017, police and Megan orchestrate the media between Zach and Leon at the Olive Garden. Leon has no idea absolutely everything about his secret meeting is being recorded through hidden cameras and microphones. Police are even stationed in disguise as civilians in case anything turns violent. As soon as we pull in, I see Leon smoking a cigarette towards the entrance of the Olive Garden.

He's dressed like somebody who just got off of work. He's wearing a button-up shirt. he did not seem like a typical criminal. As the conversation continues, Leon details exactly what he wants to happen to Megan. His words, captured on audio, leave no ambiguity. Leon proposes a potassium chloride injection, describing it as an untraceable and easy method to kill someone. This chilling revelation demonstrates his intent, his willingness, and a clear plan for murder.

To make matters worse for himself, he even seals the deal with a $5,000 cash payment. But the plot thickens, Valerie McDaniel, Leon's accomplice, has her own deadly request. She wants her ex-husband dead. Are you asking me how about what you doing? Take his wallet, take his phone. You don't think he was a robber. No, the address is a woman. Valerie then writes down her ex-husband's full name and address, handing over her wedding ring as an initial payment for the hit.

At this point, police have enough evidence to prove intent from both Leon and Valerie, but they know it's not necessarily enough to endorse. ensure a conviction, what if a jury finds it insufficient? That's when the investigators devise a secondary plan to build an even more airtight case. They will stage the murders too. Megan and the team decide to create fake crime scene photos, essentially allowing Leon and Valerie to think the murders they ordered really happened. They will then present this proof to Leon and Valerie in order to secure payment for the supposed murders and to get the pair's live reaction, solidifying their plot for murder in the eyes of a jury. The second phase of the operation,

begins with Valerie's ex-husband, Mack, meeting the Houston police in an abandoned parking lot near an old warehouse to stage his own murder. She would be willing to do whatever we needed to stage his death. Leon knew what dead bodies looked like because he had medical training. We had to make it look real. For Mack's photos, investigators create a fake carjacking and have him pose fallen over his steering wheel. They do everything they can to make it look convincing, mimicking a gunshot wound.

to the head. Those stakes were high because if Leon caught on that those photos were not real, our whole investigation was down the drain. A few hours later, it's Megan's turn. The plan for her was to stage a kidnapping and then murder. In the abandoned warehouse, just outside Houston, Megan waits for the plan to be set in motion. As the fake hitman speaks to Leon on the phone, the police prepare for the most crucial part. The kidnapping photos.

They have to look disturbingly real. If Leon suspects for even a second that the scene is staged, the entire operation, and the case they have worked tirelessly to build, will crumble. Some people wanted to just duct tape her lips, and I said, no, we're going to do this like we're real killers. This needs to look real, and used to look legit. They zip-tied my arms and my legs. They wrapped my head up and duct tape. And at that point, I was just, it was awful. I really thought, like, what if this really happened?

What if I was really in this warehouse like this? Tears were flowing, and she just broke down. You could see the emotional toll that it was taking. The undercover officer, posing as the hitman, sends the photos to Leon. The images are designed to prove that Megan has been abducted, leaving Leon with one final opportunity to call off the hit and spare her life. But instead, Leon doubles down, giving the order to kill his evidence. ex-girlfriend. With Leon's intent confirmed, investigators move to the next phase. They need to

deliver the news of Megan's death and collect the payment in person. This step is critical, not only to secure additional evidence through audio and video recordings, but also to build a case that leaves no room for doubt. Their goal is to ensure Leon will face the maximum sentence and that Megan will never have to look over her shoulder ever again. Hello? Leon, we need to meet a person. Not on the phone. Yeah. Okay, well, you need to understand. From my side, I'm worrying about being through the phone. That's how people get caught on the phone. The undercover agent and Leon agreed to meet at Valerie and Leon's condo.

However, the condo poses significant risks. If I needed to be rescued or if something went wrong, it would take some time for my extraction team to reach me. But I wasn't going to stop this investigation just because he refused to meet me somewhere in public. Hello? I'm here. Okay. From there, we go up to seven floors and we get to the condo. Lori, sweetie.

Valerie emerges from the back bedroom and she greets me. Good to see you. We'll just put the cell phones down and talk outside. The undercover officer, Leon and Valerie moved to the balcony. The three stand facing each other as the officer pulls out the photographs. Carefully, Leon examines the staged photos. his expression unreadable. And he studies it for a second or two.

And then all of a sudden, he gets spooked. He immediately grabs my chest. You are always thought. It took me by surprise that I felt my safety was on the line. The danger was very real. If Leon figured out that I was a police officer, he could have attempted to push me off the balcony. You mind throwing me?

No, no problem. So I turned it around on him and I say, are you wearing a wire? And he stands up, lifts up his shirt to show me he's not wearing a wire. So at this point during the meeting, I'm kind of running on adrenaline, and then he proceeds to give me $1,800 in cash.

This is okay if I counten. This is the final piece of the puzzle. It showed he committed the old word act of paying me to commit a murder. Six. At this stage of the investigation, the police believe they have almost everything they need to prosecute Valerie and Leon. Still, there is one final step to ensure their case is airtight. Officers plan to visit Valerie and Leon's apartment and deliver a death notification.

The entire interaction will be recorded on body cam footage, capturing their reactions. These raw, unguarded moments will serve as crucial evidence for the jury to charge Valerie and Leon with solicitation of capital murder. He wants to talk to him. He has to talk to him. He said to your ex-husband. Right now, we're going to lead to your rights. It's both in your interest. The solicitation kept from what?

Why? This person, mother. You know, outside. What's in the same thing? When officers arrive at Valerie's apartment, her ex-husband is also there, waiting outside. He has come to take custody of their young daughter. As Valerie stands in handcuffs,

her ex carries their still sleeping daughter out of the apartment. out of the apartment, right past her mother, who was now being escorted to jail. Valerie looked broken at that exact moment. She hired a hitman to kill her ex-husband because she wanted full custody of her daughter, and at the end, her ex-husband got their daughter anyway. Both Leon and Valerie are arrested.

Leon, with his history of stocking charges, is held without bail from the moment of his arrest until his trial. For the officers, the prosecutors, and Megan, This is a huge relief. His first arrest and subsequent release on bond could have been deadly. Letting him post-bond again isn't an option anyone is willing to risk. In Harris County Court, veterinarian Dr. Valerie McDaniel stood before the judge to answer the charge of soliciting capital murder.

Valerie, however, has no criminal record and therefore is released on a $50,000 bond as she awaits trial. But, just a week after her arrest, she makes a tragic and irreversible decision. One week after her arrest, Valerie McDaniel jumps from the seventh floor of her apartment building, ending her life. Her death shocks everyone involved in the case, leaving behind unanswered questions, and a young daughter who will grow up without her mother. Leon Jacob faces trial for his actions, alone. After the charges are filed, there's still a lot more work to be done. The amount of research interviewing people, they went to great lengths to ensure that they had every detail. possible for him to go away.

The prosecution builds their case around one central piece of evidence, the undercover recordings. This case was going to rise and fall on the recordings because there's not very common that we come across somebody who is willing to pay somebody to kill somebody else. The trial begins on March 20th, 2018. The courtroom is packed and everyone's eyes are on Leon. As the trial goes on, there is one person's testimony that is integral to the case. Somebody was able to actually stand up to him and it was Megan. I wanted to do everything possible to make sure that he could never hurt anyone again.

And as hard as it was to get up and testify, I knew that I had to. I wanted to look at Leon. I wanted to make sure he knew that I was still here and I was still alive, and he couldn't prevent me from speaking. With closing arguments complete, the case goes to the jury. After weeks of trial, hearing Megan's personal testimony and reviewing all the evidence. In March 26, 2018, the jury returns a decision after only an hour and 15 minutes of deliberation. In the state of Texas, the jury also decides the defendant's punishment.

With the jury having found the defendant Leon Philip Jacob guilty of solicitation of capital murder, assess his punishment of confinement in the institutional division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for Lyke, assess a fine in the amount of $10,000. And Jacob will serve 30 years before he's eligible for parole. By then, he'll be over 70 years old. I would never want him to be able to do this to somebody else because if it wasn't me, it wasn't Valerie, it's going to be somebody else. And that needs to stop.

I wanted the final say, his last day in court to be me. While you sit in jail, I hope you think of me. The girl that you called porn uneducated, because it's because of me, you will be in prison for life. You destroy me financially and took away my sense of security, but you can do that no more. Enjoy life in prison. If one thing would have went wrong,

I wouldn't be here. I can't express how thankful I am. Megan bravely chose to stand up to Leon's abuse. She spoke out, worked with police, and cleverly outsmarted someone who thought he would never be stopped. Today, Megan continues to use her voice, Speaking about her experiences, now volunteering at organizations against domestic violence, Megan shows that healing is possible and that even after tragedy, there is a life worth living.

I draw strength from the fact that he sits in jail every day. I wasn't going to let him get away with this. The bad things that Leon did, people were going to find out about. He can't hurt anyone ever again. Even after everything, I'm glad I ended up here. I'm not afraid anymore.