Why did someone want Texas couple Ted and Corey Shaughnessy dead?

When rich Austin jewelers Corey and Ted Shaughnessy are attacked by intruders in their very own house, investigators initially questioned if it was a theft gone unsuitable. The reply was extra sinister than anybody may have anticipated.    

March 2, 2018: A shootout at the hours of darkness

In a sprawling suburban house in Austin, Texas, 55-year-old Ted Shaughnessy, and his spouse Corey had been asleep, when in the midst of the night time, they had been awoken by house invaders. When Ted went to take a look at the scene, he was confronted with a barrage of gunfire.

Corey Shaughnessy fights again 

As shooters continued to fireplace within the Shaughnessy house, Corey used her personal handgun to shoot again. When Corey ran out of ammunition, she hid in a closet and referred to as the police, frantically pleading for assist. Ted, her husband of 30 years, lay lifeless close to their kitchen desk.

Bart, one of many household’s beloved Rottweilers additionally shot lifeless

Investigators arrive on the scene

Paul Salo and James Moore of the Travis County Sheriff’s Workplace arrived to research the taking pictures. Moore described the crime scene as, “a hail of gunfire.”

The Shaughnessy house was in a state of chaos with damaged glass in all places and bullets lodged within the partitions. Investigators discovered various kinds of bullet casings on the ground. This led them to consider that there was a couple of shooter answerable for the assault.

An open window raises suspicion

Whereas inspecting the scene, investigators observed an open window on the facet of the home, and so they questioned if the intruders had used it to get into the Shaughnessy residence. The window led to an unoccupied bed room that had as soon as belonged to their son, Nick Shaughnessy. 

Inside a drawer in that room, police found an empty gun field and questioned if the lacking gun, a .40 caliber gun, may have been used within the taking pictures. 

Nick Shaughnessy and Jackie Edison arrive

Corey broke the information of her husband’s loss of life to Nick, then 19, who lived two hours away along with his girlfriend Jackie Edison in Faculty Station, Texas. They instantly drove to Austin. On the scene, Nick did one thing investigators thought was odd. The open facet window was not seen from the road. With out being informed it was open or that investigators thought it may need been the entry level, Nick walked proper over to it.  

Why was the couple focused? 

Ted and Corey Shaughnessy owned a jewellery retailer in Austin, Texas. Corey thought that being jewelers may need made them targets.  However Amy Meredith, the previous assistant district legal professional, famous that nothing from the house was stolen, and commenced to consider it was an inside job.     

Police query Nick Shaughnessy and Jackie Edison 

Nick and Edison had been taken to the station for questioning later that day. They informed detectives that they had been at their residence in Faculty Station on the time of the assault. Nick additionally informed detectives that he had not been in Austin for a month.

A search warrant reveals extra clues

A couple of days later, investigators executed a search warrant for Nick and Edison’s residence. Of their search, investigators discovered ammunition. Although widespread amongst gun homeowners, they found that the ammunition was the identical model and caliber that was discovered on the crime scene.

Nick Shaughnessy and Jackie Edison are married and transfer in with Corey 

Via their search, investigators additionally realized that Nick and Jackie had been secretly married. This was information to Corey, as effectively. Regardless of feeling they had been too younger, she supplied to assist them plan a correct marriage ceremony. And she or he had ample alternative as a result of within the days after Ted’s loss of life, the younger couple moved in with Corey.

At this level, investigators suspected Nick and Edison might have deliberate the assault on the Ted and Corey. Because it was nonetheless only a working concept, they might not inform Corey.

Corey Shaughnessy stands by her son as investigators shut in

Whatever the suspicions surrounding her son, Corey stood by him, hiring him a protection legal professional and sustaining his innocence.  

Nick Shaughnessy’s whereabouts are questioned    

As authorities continued to research, incriminating info arose. Though telephone information confirmed Nick had been greater than 100 miles away on the time of his father’s homicide, additionally they confirmed proof of a lie. Nick informed authorities he hadn’t been to Austin for a month, however telephone information proved in any other case. Cellphone utilization confirmed Nick in Austin on Feb. 28,  simply two days earlier than Ted’s loss of life.

Jackie Edison withdraws cash from the financial institution

Investigators additionally say they discovered textual content messages between Nick and Edison that present suspicious correspondence. In a single textual content, Nick asks Edison to make a money withdrawal. Detectives say that Jackie did in reality make this withdrawal, taking out $1,000 from the financial institution, simply days earlier than the homicide.      

A key witness

In Might of 2018, investigators talked to a highschool pal of Nick’s named Spencer Patterson. Patterson proved to be an essential witness. He informed investigators that Nick had approached him, letting him know that he anticipated to come back into $8 million as soon as his dad and mom died.

A double arrest

On Might 29, 2018, Nick Shaughnessy and Jackie Edison had been arrested for legal solicitation.     

Revealing surveillance footage

Safety footage from Nick and Jackie’s entrance porch proved to be a serious flip within the case. Recorded simply two days earlier than the assault, it exhibits Nick greeting two males on the entrance door.

One of many males within the video is sporting a T-shirt with a emblem, which led detectives to a close-by window firm.  An worker’s daughter informed detectives she had met the person within the surveillance footage. His identify was Cameron Vosmek.

Cameron Vosmek’s spouse tells all 

Detectives went to Vosmek’s house, and he wasn’t there. However his spouse appeared to know precisely why that they had proven up.

She informed them a person named Johnny Leon had requested her husband to commit homicide for cash. Vosmek declined to assist Leon and was dominated out as a suspect. However detectives now knew who the opposite man within the surveillance video was.

A 3rd arrest

Johnny Leon was questioned by police and arrested for capital homicide. And police had been capable of finding proof that Leon didn’t act alone. On Leon’s telephone investigators discovered a flurry of contacts across the time of the homicide with a person named Arieon Smith.

A confession

Police introduced Smith in for questioning and later arrested him for capital homicide. Smith opened up concerning the occasions of that night time. He not solely confessed to being there for the homicide, he additionally admitted to killing Ted. And he led investigators to the lacking homicide weapon. It was the .40 caliber pistol, lacking from the gun field in Nick’s childhood bed room.

Jackie Edison cooperates and activates Nick

After Edison’s arrest, she determined to cooperate with police. She confirmed that Nick had employed any individual to kill his dad and mom.  

Capital homicide expenses

Nick Shaughnessy and the 2 alleged hit males had been charged with capital homicide. All three males took a plea: plead responsible to a lowered cost of homicide in return for a sentence of 35 years, with the opportunity of parole

Jackie Edison’s plea deal

For her cooperation, Jackie Edison was supplied a special deal. She agreed to plead responsible to conspiracy to commit capital homicide by terror menace or different felony, and serve 120 days and 10 years probation. Moreover, for the subsequent 10 years, on the anniversary of Ted Shaughnessy’s homicide, Edison should spend the night time in jail.

Oct. 17, 2023: Jackie Edison is free

In October 2023, on the day Edison was launched from jail after serving her four-month sentence, “48 Hours” producer Jenna Jackson was there with questions and a digital camera. When requested, Edison denied being in on the homicide plot and claimed she tried to cease Nick. Investigators say there is no such thing as a proof that Jackie ever tried to cease the homicide.

Remembering Ted Shaughnessy

Corey says her husband Ted treasured making folks really feel particular via his ardour for gems. His absence is felt deeply by those that knew and beloved him. Speaking about her survival from the lethal assault, Corey says she is aware of she’s “been given life” and intends to benefit from it.