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Austin Jeweler’s Son Indicted in Murder-for-Hire Plot
A grand jury indicted Nicolas Shaughnessy on a capital murder charge in the death of his father, Gallerie Jewelers owner Ted Shaughnessy.
Austin, Texas—A grand jury has indicted the son of an Austin, Texas jeweler on a capital murder charge in the case of his father’s death, court records show.
Theodore Shaughnessy, owner of Gallerie Jewelers, was shot to death in his home by an intruder on March 2. His wife, Corey, also was in the house at the time but survived the attack.
Nicolas Shaughnessy and his wife, Jaclyn Alexa Edison, allegedly hired Johnny Roman Leon III of College Station, Texas, to murder both of his parents so the couple could collect insurance money. Court records state that investigators found a number of incriminating messages in which Shaughnessy appeared to be planning the crime.
Initially, Shaughnessy and his wife both were charged with solicitation of capital murder. Under Texas law, a defendant can be charged with this crime if it is believed he or she paid someone else to commit murder.
However, prosecutors later decided to bring a capital murder charge against Nicolas Shaughnessy and a Texas grand jury agreed that there was enough evidence to move forward with the charge. According to the indictment handed down Aug. 15, Nicolas Shaughnessy “knowingly caused the death of an individual” when he hired a man to kill his father.
He remains in the Travis County Jail, with a bail set at $3 million. Shaughnessy’s next court date is Aug. 31.
Law enforcement officials reduced his wife’s bond in July, and she since has been released. She has not yet been indicted but is accused of participating in the plot.
Police arrested an alleged accomplice of the couple, Leon, last month.
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