Homeowner target of a murder plot by angry contractor

It sounds like a Contractor Dilemma Contest gone horribly wrong. At issue? A homeowner claims their contractor skipped out on their renovation after being paid $41,000. How should the contractor handle the angry client?

Murder is not the right answer. That’s what a Virginia contractor learned when he was sentenced to 10 years in prison for trying to hire a hit man to take out the client. In fact, Daniel Jamison was no scented rose. He had been convicted in the past for fraud. According to patch.com, Jamison had served two one-year jail terms after pleading guilty to construction fraud in 2006 and for working without a contractor’s license in 2011.

In this instance, he left a renovation project two thirds incomplete in 2016. After failing to get any refund from Jamison, the homeowner filed a felony obstruction fraud charge. Jamison responded by reaching out to a supposed hit man.  The hit man asked Jamison for $500 to purchase a murder weapon and another $10,000 for the murder itself. Problem was the hit man was an undercover detective.

An angry client? Hiring a hit man is the wrong answer to that dilemma!

The murder plot unravelled quickly
According to theblaze.com, “Jamison contacted a woman he knew previously from jail, and asked her if she knew anyone who could ‘take care of’ the homeowner. Unluckily for Jamison, the woman told an ex-girlfriend of the homeowner about the request, and the ex-girlfriend told the homeowner, who called the police.”

A dinner meeting was then arranged, at which time Jamison and the undercover officer discussed the logistics. According to the Washington Post , the hit man/detective was also told by Jamison that he could keep cash, jewelry and Rolex watches he claimed (incorrectly) were in the home. “Jamison falsely told the detective ‘there were two safes in the house and that he had installed them,’”, and further described the client’s car and general daily schedule. The report continues, saying Jamison “also talked about the general location of [the client’s] house and how easy it would be to get in the back door. Jamison and the detective agreed that Jamison would pay half the contract killing fee up front, that the ‘hit man’ could keep whatever he took from the house and Jamison would pay him the rest.” The meeting was audio recorded.

The Krispy Kreme connection
“Five days later, after an exchange of texts, Jamison and the detective met at the Krispy Kreme doughnut shop on Route 1 in the Alexandria area,” the media report continues. “This time, the two took a drive together, recorded on video. The video shows Jamison directing his ‘hit man’ to [the victim’s] house, and discussing possible escape routes the killer could take after the deed was done.”

Watch a video of recorded car conversation

Jamison later told the court that the whole thing was a joke; he had no intention of killing his former client and had never actually paid any money to anyone. “I realize that my actions were wrong. I am truly sorry for my actions,” he told the judge tearfully.

Lawyer claims the client made matters worse
Jamison’s lawyer claimed that injuries had prevented him from continuing with the renovation and that Jamison had never used the ‘M’-word’ during the recorded conversations. She also claimed that the whole matter had snowballed when the homeowner laid felony fraud charges against her client, turning a straight forward civil matter into a criminal case. She asked for Jamison’s release on the basis that 14 months had already been served since his arrest.

“I don’t believe a word of your story,” the judge said, as he sentenced Jamison to prison. He further ordered that, when released, Jamison must stay more than 1,000 feet away from the now-terrified homeowner.

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