Sheriff McDaniel of Jackson County

1980

Around 2 am on 15 Dec 1980, John P. (Pete) McDaniel was murdered at the Sheffield Oil Company gas station just south of the Alabama state line on Hwy 231 in Jackson Co., Fl.  He was beaten and shot in the head during a robbery. Three truck drivers pulled into the station and saw a man standing behind the cash register. By the time they entered the store the man was gone, but McDaniel was lying on the floor bleeding. His wallet was missing, but apparently the robber could not get the register open.

The first officer on the scene was McDaniel’s son, who was the Sheriff-elect of Jackson County, John McDaniel III. The senior McDaniel died a few hours later at the hospital in Dothan, Alabama.

            There were arrests made. A young man named Jesse L. Wilson, 21, and Madie Catherine Russ, 26 of Campbellton, but the murder charges were later dropped. They were prosecuted on other charges.

In 1989, apparently Henry Lee Lucas confessed, then recanted his involvement in the murder. He resisted his extradition to Florida, but him and his longtime partner Ottis Toole were returned for possible trial. Ottis Toole, (the confessed murderer of Adam Walsh), plea-bargained for this murder, and three other murders and received 4 life terms.  Henry Lee Lucas was returned to death row in Texas. Jackson county did not want to spend the money to try Lucas, and provide him with a court-appointed attorney. They said if he ever got out of prison in Texas, they would try him.

2007

On 30 January 2007, Mellie McDaniel, the wife of Sheriff John McDaniel was returning home from the grocery store. She was using one of those direct-connect cell phones to talk to her husband the Sheriff while she was on the way home. He was in Marianna. She was talking to him as she pulled into their driveway, and told him another car had pulled in behind her. The Sheriff told her they were probably salesmen and just to say she didn’t want anything. Then he heard her scream.

As he was speeding toward his home, he put out a radio call for assistance. Deputy Harold Altman, who was only 2 miles away arrived at the house within 2 minutes. The two men, later identified as Lionel Sands, 60, and Daniel Brown, 54, shot and killed both Mrs. McDaniel and Deputy Altman. The Sheriff and two other officers, Capt. Joey Rabon, and Cpl. Billy Dozier arrived. The Sheriff’s weapons were in a bag in the back seat of his Tahoe, and when he got out of his vehicle, unarmed, Sands shot at him with his .38 from about 10 feet away and missed. Rabon, with an AR-15, and Dozier with his .40 Caliber Glock engaged the two gunmen and put them down, both dying at the scene. The Sheriff found the bodies of his wife and Deputy Altman by the back door. The killers had dragged their bodies there after shooting them.

In the car the killers had arrived in were found Latex gloves, Rope, bleach, and vinegar. The motive for the attack was not clear, but speculation was kidnapping.

Sands Investigated for Wife’s Death

In June of 2001, Gail Joanne Sands was found dead in the backyard pool at the Sands residence. She was in about three feet of water with a ladder lying across her back. She was discovered by her husband Lionel, and his buddy Daniel Brown. They said they were cutting grass about a quarter mile away, and found her when they returned to the house.  An autopsy later found that she had suffered blunt force trauma to the head. Mrs. Brown had three life insurance policies totally $500,000. 

Lionel Sands was under suspicion, and being investigated for his wife’s killing. Brown gave him an alibi, and even though Sands was not arrested for murder, the insurance company would not pay the policies unless Sands could prove his innocence. Sands sued the insurance company, but lawyers convinced him to drop the suit because he could be opening himself up to a murder charge.  The day before the shootout, Sands learned he was going to be responsible for $32,000 of legal fees in his insurance case.  Sands felt that the investigation by the county into his wife's death had prevented him from collecting the insurance. He and Brown donned disguises. Sands wore camo, with a wig, and lots of make-up. Brown wore a ponytail and dressed in a suit and tie like one of the Blues Brothers. Brown was armed with a .22 caliber pistol, and Sands had two .38’s.