My wife plotted to have me murdered, she hired a ‘hitman’ in a Walmart parking lot and paid him with jewelry I’d bought
SHE was the mother of his child, the woman of his dreams, and once the person he had chosen to spend the rest of his life with.
But Michael Davis's heart was shattered when a local sheriff told him his wife was plotting to kill him, by hiring a hitman.
On August 11, 2019, Jacksonville police were tipped off by a colleague of Leah Davis, 40.
They revealed the UPS worker planned to murder Michael, 52, from whom she was estranged, and looking to solicit a hitman.
Michael was alerted to her sickening plot on the morning of August 13, 2019, but urged to carry on as normal.
Police staged an undercover operation the same day using a fake hitman - filming Leah hiring his services.
She was caught talking with the undercover officer on two occasions, including in a Walmart parking lot North Florida.
At the time, the pair were divorcing and preparing for a custody battle.
"I was heartbroken that Leah and I were getting divorced, but her trying to kill me was another level," Michael exclusively told The U.S. Sun.
"In the end, I never spoke to Leah again."
As part of their investigations, cops told Leah that Michael had been murdered, in an interview at Jacksonville police station on August 20.
In footage obtained by The U.S. Sun, the mom of two can be seen sobbing, with her head in her arms.
All is then revealed as the undercover "hitman" enters the interview room, causing Leah to sob and say how much she loves her kids.
“The cops took a week before they called me again," Michael explained.
"On the second call, the detectives told me not to have any contact with Leah for 48 hours." It was then that they implemented the final leg of their plan.
Michael, a military veteran, lives quietly in Atlanta, Georgia with their son, 14, with whom Leah no longer has contact.
"It was hard to see all the footage of Leah," Michael said.
"I was not mad at her that she had planned to have me eradicated, but my heart broke upon her confession."
Detectives asked Leah if it was solely her idea to solicit to have her husband killed.
Fifty-three minutes into the interview, she confirmed that no one else was involved.
Leah was arrested and charged with the crime that day.
The former businessman added: "Leah spent just over a year in jail before the trial, but we had no contact.
"She tried to give a message when she was sentenced and the prosecutors wanted me to speak.
"Leah also expected me to unload at her court case.
"All I said that day was, I hope that she gets the help she deserves."
The 2020 trial, at the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court, saw Leah plead guilty to solicitation to commit a capital felony.
She is serving a 10-year prison sentence in Florida State Prison.
Michael admitted he had only started to come to terms with the ordeal.
“I certainly did not manufacture the situation and did not promote it," he said.
“I am not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but I certainly did not do anything to have somebody murder me.
"I was already upset when we were getting divorced.
“Leah trying to kill me, it breaks my heart.
"In 2022, I saw my mom die and went into a different mode.
"I had a mini-stroke and that is when I started processing all of this."
During the trial, Michael learned Leah had handed over sentimental jewelry to the fake hitman.
"These were used as a deposit to carry out the hit, " he said.
"I had bought the 18-karat white gold cultured pearls as a gift.
“Leah also gave the undercover hitman a pair of pearl stud earrings valued around $1,000, that I had gifted her at Christmas."
In other undercover recordings, Leah was heard discussing insurance with the fake hitman.
"Leah told the undercover hitman that once I had been killed she would sell my truck and give him more money," said Michael.
“I had several insurance vehicles for many years and had carried a $2 million policy on myself.
“Leah may have been confused or gaming the undercover officer.
"The big policy on me had not been in effect since 2014.”
Amazingly, Michael remembers being warned about his wife when they met in 2007.
Michael had recently moved to Florida when he spotted dancer Leah at a local bar in Jacksonville.
They dated for eight months and were married in September 2008.
"I knew it might get chaotic when I met Leah, but I did not care at all,” he said.
“My friend said, ‘Are you sure? Are you sure? She's crazy. She'll kill you.’
“But from the moment I saw Leah I was in love with her.
"There was a sheer recklessness and we both liked to live in the moment and have fun.
“I saw this girl who was not like the other dancers in the club.
“When I asked my friend who she was, she said, ‘Stay away from that one.’
“My friend said, ‘You go at your own peril.’
“I approached Leah that night and left with her. We stayed in a hotel.”
After they married, Leah and Michael started to enjoy their life together.
Michael took on the role of father to her son, 19, by a former husband.
They soon went on to have a child of their own.
“After we married, I was wildly successful and was operating eight businesses," he said.
“I sat on the board of a nonprofit for many years and we were doing very well.
“We were helping veterans first responders and high school students who wanted to go further in the military by doing scholarships.
“I had enough resources so the two boys had the happiest of childhoods.
“I felt strongly about making that happen and still do feel that.
"I was worth upwards of $40 million at that point and doing well.
"Leah and I were doing well in the community together."
Michael spoke candidly about various run-ins with the law.
He also revealed he struggled through bouts of drinking and alongside Leah.
"We were always drinking buddies at first," he said.
"When I drink, I like to have a good time.
"When Leah drank, it was as if she was running from something.
"I was also charged with 204 counts of RICO (Racketeering, Conspiracy, Public Corruption, Money Laundering, Manufacturing Illegal Lotteries, Keeping Gambling Houses) and a few others.
“But, I have never been convicted of any felony crime."
Through 2013 and 2014 Michael went to work at a hotel.
He said: “There was a period where we lost everything and I had to return to work.
"I started working at the Ritz Carlton in Amelia Island. This became the best job I have ever had in my entire life.
"Leah went back to school which was great because she got a degree.
“We both stopped drinking and went back to church.
"It was as if we became human beings again."
In 2017, Michael says the couple started to become distant.
Leah started working at UPS overnight to fund her school during the daytime.
Michael was also working long hours. Over time, this culminated in the simmering of a divorce.
Things came to head at their Thanksgiving dinner in 2018.
“Leah just left the boys and my parents sitting at the table,” he said.
“She then confessed to taking Adderall. I later found out there was also Meth, and I filed after that.”
Leah emptied most of the family home, while Michael went to stay at his family's property nearby.
"The sheriff's phone call and learning about the plot to kill me came as we were starting the divorce," he said
"I was naturally upset about it.
"Around the same time, I was supposed to have the last meeting with my attorney.
"That call came just before we officially moved forward."
Michael admitted he coped for a long time by locking away the grief.
“I process stress and fear-based emotion very differently than most,” he said.
“I compartmentalize the significant and I toss the insignificant in the rubbish bin.
“But those emotions that I have buried down deep inside have taken a toll on my health.
“I now suffer physically.
“So truthfully the only thing I feel still more is the physical pain that I endure daily."
Michael explained why he had kept a dignified silence until now.
"I wanted to diligently keep the story private due to the age of our son at the time, " he said.
"Otherwise, I tell my son that there are no guarantees.
"We are just going to figure out a way and we will get through this one.
"Then we will figure out another way.
"I have done my very best to supply the young son that Leah and I created, an opportunity to live the very best life.
"When she was convicted, the two wonderful boys I took care of were going to grow up without their mom for a very long time.
"All I said in court was that I hope that Leah gets the help she deserves.
"Leah was well aware of the things that she did to me.
“Hopefully she is getting mentoring and starting to feel empowered about who she individually is.
"I loved Leah, but Leah did not love me.
"Leah's criminal actions did though solve both the grueling divorce process and my custody worries.
“For me also, hopefully, I will meet someone lovely, but I am not going to rush it."
