Naman Shrestha
In the episode titled ‘Beverly Hills 911′ of CBS’ ’48 Hours,’ the primary focus is on the tragic killing of a widowed mother and grandmother named Violet Yacobi in her Beverly Hills home in October 2017. When the detectives followed the trails and evidence, they were led to a shocking suspect — Daniel Yacobi, Violet’s son. As the perpetrator maintained his innocence, the authorities confronted him with the evidence against him and brought him to justice. The documentary features exclusive and insightful interviews with Violet’s loved ones and the officials involved in the investigation.
Financial Gain and Resentment Allegedly Motivated Daniel Yacobi to Kill His Mother
Born in the early 1980s to Solomon and Violet Yacobi, Daniel Simon Yacobi was raised alongside his elder sister, Dina Yacobi. After graduating from UC Santa Barbara with a Bachelor’s degree in 2003, he attended Boston University’s dental school. In 2007, he earned his dental degree and soon opened a dental practice in Simi Valley, California. In addition, he also worked in various offices in the Los Angeles area. He had allegedly told a few of his acquaintances and friends that he hated his parents because they pushed him into dentistry, something he didn’t want to pursue in the first place. In 2016, his father, Solomon, tragically passed away, after which grief took over the family.
Around September 2017, Daniel allegedly asked a family friend about inheritance tax, something the friend found strange. Seemingly motivated by greed and hatred, Daniel went to his mother’s home in Beverly Hills on the evening of October 9, 2017. After allegedly getting into a heated argument, he strangled Violet to death before fleeing the scene. The next day, alerted by her brother, Daniel and Dina came to check on their mother, who was lying dead near the foot of the grand staircase. To avoid suspicion, Daniel posted on Facebook on her 68th birthday, writing, “I know you and Dad are up there smiling down on us.”
However, when he made inconsistent statements to the detectives during the investigation, they became suspicious of him. They found out that he had been struggling financially to prevent his business from shutting down. Moreover, surveillance footage placed him and his white Jaguar in the alley behind Violet’s residence on the fateful evening. The investigators also dug deep into his internet searches around the time of the homicide. He had reportedly searched for “neck crack,” “does the choke hold create a bruise?,” “falling downstairs,” “choking-related deaths,” and “how to search Google in private.” Ultimately, on February 12, 2018, Daniel was arrested for killing his mother, and on February 14, he was charged with first-degree murder.
Daniel Yacobi is Currently Incarcerated at a California Facility
Daniel Yacobi’s homicide trial got delayed by several years and finally commenced on July 21, 2025. During the trial, the prosecution blamed the defendant, stating, “He choked the life out of her. (He) left her there in her home—the home he lived in as a young person going to high school and when he graduated from college.” They told the jury that he killed his mother to inherit half of her $12 million estate. Dean Summers, the brother of one of Daniel’s neighbors, took the stand and testified that the defendant had been deeply depressed. “He told me (his parents) pushed him into dentistry, and that he hated being in dentistry, and that his mother was very controlling. He said he hated his mother and he hated his father,” he stated.
On the other hand, the defense argued that there was a possibility that Violet died from blunt force trauma as she had injuries consistent with a fall from a second-story balcony, according to a forensic pathologist. They also claimed that Daniel had recently secured a $1 million loan for running his dental practice in Inglewood, California, contradicting the prosecution’s claims of him being in need of money. In the end, on August 22, 2025, the jury deliberated for one day and found him guilty of first-degree murder of his 67-year-old mother, Violet Yacobi, in 2017.
Over a month later, on October 3, 2025, Daniel’s sentencing hearing took place. He took the stand and maintained his innocence, claiming that he had been wrongfully convicted. He stated, “I would never harm a hair on her head because she was my mom.” Calling it an accident and not a homicide, he added, “I’m not a murderer. I’m not a criminal. I’m a law-abiding citizen.” Ultimately, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. As of today, the 44-year-old killer is serving his sentence at California State Prison, Los Angeles County in Lancaster, California.
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