Crossfire at the Shaughnessys'

Summary

Summary of “Crossfire at the Shaughnessys'” Episode from “48 Hours”

Podcast Title: 48 Hours
Episode: Crossfire at the Shaughnessys'
Release Date: December 30, 2024
Host/Author: CBS News
Description:
“48 Hours” delves into the intricate narratives behind significant crime and justice cases, offering deep investigative insights through evidence examination and interviews with key figures. This episode, “Crossfire at the Shaughnessys’,” explores a harrowing family tragedy that unveils deceit, betrayal, and the quest for justice amidst overwhelming personal loss.

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Introduction: A Peaceful Home Shattered

The episode opens with Corey Shaughnessy recounting the tragic night when her husband, Ted Shaughnessy, was brutally murdered in their Austin, Texas home. Corey, a former jewelry store owner, narrates the sudden intrusion by two shooters that turned an ordinary evening into a nightmare.

Corey Shaughnessy:
"[03:32]...I started shooting back and I ran out of ammo. I just bailed into the closet."

The Crime Scene: A Chaotic Battlefield

Detectives Paul Salo and James Moore arrive at the Shaughnessy residence to find a scene of devastation. Ted Shaughnessy lies dead from multiple gunshot wounds, accompanied by the lifeless body of one of their pet rottweilers, Bart. The home shows signs of a violent struggle with shattered windows, bullet casings scattered across the floor, and varying calibers of ammunition indicating multiple shooters.

Detective (James Moore):
"[07:22]...We had .40 caliber and .380, so that told us that we had two shooters."

Initial Investigation: From Robbery to Suspect

Initially, the police hypothesize that the murder was a robbery gone wrong. However, the absence of stolen items and the nature of the violence raise suspicions of a more targeted attack. Corey, the sole survivor, provides crucial information about the firearms in the house, pointing towards her own .357 revolver as the weapon she used during the attack.

Detective (Paul Salo):
"[10:48]...She’s the only person in the house, and we have her husband who has been shot to death. We know that she owns firearms, so it’s obviously an option for us."

Growing Suspicions: Corey Under the Lens

As the investigation progresses, Corey's actions post-murder come under scrutiny. Despite her cooperation, her attempts to access her husband’s life insurance and her behavior in the immediate aftermath raise red flags. Notably, she inquires about avoiding a funeral and cleaning the house, which alarm investigators.

Corey Shaughnessy:
"[16:46]...That could only mean that they suspected me."

Uncovering the Plot: The Son and His Girlfriend

Further investigation shifts focus to Corey’s son, Nick, and his girlfriend, Jackie Edison. Evidence surfaces revealing that Nick and Jackie had secretly married eight months prior, a fact unknown to Corey. Financial strains, including Nick’s failing day trading business and overdue loans, particularly from Corey herself, paint a motive for the murder.

Spencer Patterson (High School Friend and Minister):
"[25:27]...Just like someone came in the house. There was an exchange of gunfire. I believe she fired a shot and then she ran to the closet."

The Arrests: Crackdown on the Perpetrators

In May 2018, Nick Shaughnessy and Jackie Edison are arrested for criminal solicitation after evidence links them to hiring hitmen to murder Ted and Corey. Their communications reveal a calculated plan to eliminate Ted for financial gain, with Nick expressing desperation over his financial woes.

Detective (Paul Salo):
"[26:23]...We find a marriage certificate for Nick and Jacqueline."

Plea Deals and Sentencing: A Controversial Resolution

Facing overwhelming evidence, both hitmen and Nick Shaughnessy opt for plea deals. The hitmen receive 35-year sentences, while Jackie Edison is granted a much lighter punishment of 120 days in jail and 10 years probation. This disparity ignites controversy, particularly for Corey, who feels justice has not been served.

Corey Shaughnessy:
"[37:49]...It's an outright dismissal of everything that I went through as a victim. And it's a dismissal of Ted's life."

Corey's Struggle: Betrayal and Loss

Corey grapples with the betrayal from her own son and his girlfriend, whom she once trusted and considered family. The emotional turmoil is palpable as she confronts the reality that those she loved most orchestrated the death of her husband and endangered her life. Her feelings of anger, disbelief, and sorrow culminate in a profound sense of loss and injustice.

Corey Shaughnessy:
"[33:53]...You're a monster. You are evil and everyone needs to know it."

Conclusion: Seeking Closure Amidst Grief

The episode concludes with Corey’s ongoing struggle to reconcile her love for her son with the grave actions he committed. Despite Nick’s remorse and partial admissions, Corey remains unable to forgive, feeling that the sentence imposed does not reflect the magnitude of the crime. The narrative underscores the devastating impact of betrayal within a family and the complexities of seeking justice in the face of personal tragedy.

Corey Shaughnessy:
"[46:19]...Nicholas and Jackie destroyed my entire world. They took my husband. They took memories. They took my business. They took everything I had that I cared about."

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Corey Shaughnessy:
  "[16:28]...She says, 'I was still under the assumption that he's being wrongly accused.'"

• Detective (Paul Salo):
  "[28:05]...Something he was wearing a green Anderson T shirt."

• Nick Shaughnessy:
  "[36:23]...Yes. Jackie and I participated in multiple aspects to."

• Detective (Paul Salo):
  "[43:15]...Corey and Nick have both told us is that you were a partner in this murder plot."

• Corey Shaughnessy:
  "[46:13]...Yes."

---

Key Insights and Conclusions

1. Betrayal Within the Family: The most striking aspect of this case is the betrayal by Corey’s own son, Nick, and his girlfriend, Jackie, highlighting how personal relationships can drastically shift into motives for heinous crimes.

2. Investigation Dynamics: The investigative process showcases the challenges police face in unraveling complex family dynamics and the importance of meticulous evidence analysis, such as matching bullet calibers and uncovering hidden communications.

3. Justice and Sentencing Controversy: The disparity in sentencing between the perpetrators and their accomplice raises questions about the criminal justice system’s handling of co-conspirators and the emotional toll on victims seeking closure.

4. Emotional and Psychological Impact: Corey’s journey through grief, betrayal, and the quest for justice underscores the profound psychological impact such crimes have on survivors, emphasizing the need for comprehensive support systems.

5. Complex Motivations: The case illustrates how financial desperation and personal relationships can intertwine to create motives for extreme actions, offering a nuanced perspective on criminal behavior.

6. Media and Public Perception: The involvement of media and the public’s view on the case influence both the investigation and the emotional responses of those involved, highlighting the interplay between crime, media, and societal reactions.

---

“Crossfire at the Shaughnessys’” is a poignant exploration of innocence lost and the dark turns that familial relationships can take. Through detailed storytelling and incisive interviews, “48 Hours” sheds light on a case that exemplifies the complexities of criminal motives, the relentless pursuit of truth by investigators, and the enduring pain of those left behind.

Transcript

[Narrator]

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[Corey Shaughnessy]

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[Corey Shaughnessy]

In a fraction of a second, it changed my life. Now I'm someone else. No warning, no premonition, Nothing. My name is Corey Shaughnessy and I used to own gallery jewelers in Austin, Texas. The thing that made the jewelry business really fun is selling engagement rings. Selling jewelry to people because they're Marking special occasions. Ted kind of had the same passion. He loved colored gemstones. We called ourselves gallery jewelers. It should have been called Ted's jewelers because it really was all about him. March 1st was just a boring day. He came home from work, we had dinner. I basically rolled over to go to sleep. And the next thing I know, one of the dogs barks.

[Detective]

This was early morning hours. Two shooters enter the Shaughnessy home. They quietly move through the home.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Ted sits up in bed. And he grabbed his gun to go see what it was. I hadn't even gotten my head back on the pillow, I don't think, before I heard the first gunshot. And then there was a barrage of gunfire.

[Detective]

One of the shooters advances towards the master bedroom where Cora.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

I grabbed my gun, I started shooting back and I ran out of ammo. I just bailed into the closet. Travis County 911. Do you need police? Fire a paramedic? I don't know. I'm in the closet. There were shots fired. Help me. Okay, well, we're helping you, ma'am. Help me. I heard this horrible, horrible moaning. And when I came out of the closet and I saw Ted's legs and I could tell that he was dead. Ok. Oh my God. Take a deep breath. You're doing awesome, Cory. Ok. Oh, God.

[Detective]

Theodore Shaughnessy was shot dead in his.

[Narrator]

Austin area home by an intruder.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Corey Shaughnessy shot back at the intruder and wasn't hurt. I was under the impression that this was a robbery that had gone bad.

[Detective]

There was nothing stolen. We weren't finding anybody that had any ill feelings towards either one of them. We didn't have any idea who committed this murder. Anybody that can do this is a sociopath.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

It's just absolutely crazy. I don't even know why. I really don't know why.

[Narrator]

When Travis county sheriff's detectives Paul Salo and James Moore arrived to investigate a shooting at Ted and Corey Shaughnessy's Austin, Texas home early on March 2, 2018. They first thought it might be a robbery gone wrong.

[Detective]

It looked as though there was a home invasion and a homeowner was killed.

[Narrator]

Inside the sprawling suburban home. It looked like a battlefield. 55 year old Ted Shaughnessy lay dead in a pool of blood near the kitchen table.

[Detective]

He was shot in the head, the back, the thigh and the buttocks.

[Narrator]

One of the family's two pet rottweilers, Bart, had been shot to death as well. There was broken window glass everywhere. Bullets lodged in the walls, casings all over the floor. Authorities noticed they were not all the same type.

[Detective]

We had.40 caliber and.380, so that told us that we had two shooters.

[Narrator]

Corey would tell police she and ted kept about 20 guns in the home and said she'd used her.357 revolver to shoot back at the attacker.

[Detective]

It was a hell of gunfire.

[Narrator]

Investigators had noticed a single wide open ground floor window around the side of the house and wondered if the intruders had used it to get in.

[Detective]

Somebody took the screen off, set it next to the window outside.

[Narrator]

That open window led into an unoccupied bedroom. And there inside a drawer, police found what seemed like an unlikely coincidence.

[Detective]

There's a.40 caliber gun box in that drawer. It's missing out of the box.

[Narrator]

Well, hang on.40 caliber is one of the caliber that you were just describing.

[Detective]

Yes.

[Narrator]

It meant that Shaughnessy's empty gunbox could have held a pistol that one of the intruders used and had ejected bullet casings near the victim.

[Detective]

That information gets past me while I'm outside.

[Narrator]

Outside near Detective Moore, first responders were looking after Corrie Shaughnessy.

[Detective]

Corey's hysterical.

[Narrator]

Corey would tell police she had not seen the attackers faces, but she did have a hunch about why they'd come.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Being a jeweler, you might someday be a target.

[Narrator]

When you hear they own a jewelry store, what does that prompt in your minds?

[Detective]

Automatically? A motive.

[Narrator]

Someone figuring there was some safe with a bunch of jewelry.

[Detective]

Absolutely. That's right.

[Narrator]

Corey broke the news by phone to the Shaughnessy son, Nick, then 19, who lived two hours away with his girlfriend Jackie in College Station, Texas. They immediately drove to Austin, arriving about.

[Detective]

8Am Nick comes over and he's, he's emotional. He asks me what happened.

[Narrator]

Nick, Jackie and Corey all agreed to help the investigation in any way possible. Corey allowed police to search her phone. And though Nick said he hadn't been in Austin for about a month, he and Jackie did the same. All three also agreed to answer questions at the station.

[Detective]

Helpful. Our goal was to just try to get as much information as possible.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

I, I didn't hear anything until the dog started barking.

[Narrator]

But Corey says the more police questioned her in the coming days, the more a traumatic situation went from bad to worse.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

I'm trying to think of anything I can to.

[Narrator]

To help, she says. They were not treating her like a victim.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

I was extremely angry.

[Narrator]

At the Sheriff's department, investigators still weren't sure if the murder was part of a random attack, a jewel heist gone bad, or whether it was a targeted assassination. They weren't finding any relevant Unidentified prints at the scene. So they had to wonder if their sole surviving victim, Corey Shaughnessy, was actually a suspect.

[Detective]

She's the only person in the house, and we have her husband who has been shot to death. We know that she owns firearms, so it's obviously an option for us.

[Narrator]

They called her in for a series of interviews. For the last one, she brought a lawyer who is seated on the left.

[Detective]

Even though I didn't know Ted, it's not right. Somebody killed him.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

No, it's not.

[Detective]

I want to find them.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Me, too.

[Narrator]

You got a distraught wife, you got a dead husband. You have to ask about the marriage, don't you? Yes.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Ted was the people person. He was the front part of the story.

[Narrator]

Investigators learned Corey and Ted had met in the early 80s at a video arcade in Phoenix. They'd quickly discovered they had a lot in common, including a love of jewelry and eventually of each other. They married and opened gallery jewelers.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Everything seemed to be just about perfect.

[Narrator]

As the jewelry business grew. Ted and Corey had decided to grow their family, too. In 2000, they adopted Nick at 16 months old from an orphanage in Ukraine.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

It was just instant love.

[Narrator]

It was.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Yeah, instant.

[Narrator]

Corey says they all bonded even before bringing him home.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

There were animal crackers involved.

[Narrator]

Skillful distribution of animal crackers.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Yes. And by the time we left, we were a family.

[Narrator]

She says. Ted had a knack for helping people express their love with a sparkle everybody loved.

[Detective]

Ted didn't have any enemies.

[Narrator]

By the time of the murder, the Shaughnessys were worth millions, but maybe even more valuable to them. They counted some of their customers as close friends.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

We were very happy.

[Narrator]

For Corey, being a parent was worth its weight in gold. Nichols had everything a kid could want.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Yes.

[Narrator]

What was he into?

[Corey Shaughnessy]

He liked animals, and he loved cars, especially fast ones.

[Narrator]

His father drove race cars for fun and often took him to the track.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

He loved putting on Ted's helmet and his racing gloves and all of those things.

[Narrator]

In high school, she says, her son found another love. Her name was Jackie Edison. After her parents divorce, Jackie had moved from New Jersey to Austin to live with her father. Nick brought her to meet his parents in 2016.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

It was an awkward dinner, but Corey.

[Narrator]

Says Jackie eventually won them over. And before long, she was spending so much time in the Shaughnessy's house, they actually let her move in. Did you settle into a. Okay. A serious girlfriend seems to be part of Nick's life. And she's okay?

[Corey Shaughnessy]

I. I did. She was all right.

[Narrator]

In August of 2017, Nick and Jackie moved out to start a new life in College Station. She in school. He as a day trader. With his parents financial backing, Ted and Corey would have less than a year to enjoy their empty nest before that horrible night in March. Police stayed on the scene for hours trying to process all the evidence.

[Detective]

I was actually on call when the murder occurred.

[Narrator]

Amy Meredith was an assistant district attorney and says police asked her to come help them process and preserve the scene. An unusual request. She arrived around 11am and after looking around began to believe as they did that Ted Shaughnessy probably knew whoever had attacked him.

[Detective]

This was not a stranger. This was not a stranger killing.

[Narrator]

Meredith was sure the home was just too big and too dark for a pair of random robbers or jewel thief wannabes to find their way around. Maybe even more importantly, there was nothing stolen, nothing from that safe, no valuables missing from the rest of the house. So everything for you pointed to inside jobs.

[Detective]

Yes, without a doubt Foreign this episode.

[Narrator]

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[Corey Shaughnessy]

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[Detective]

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[Corey Shaughnessy]

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[Narrator]

Corey Shaughnessy's frustration with investigators was growing.

[Detective]

Thank you.

[Narrator]

All right.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Again, I appreciate you guys coming in.

[Narrator]

She says she'd known from the start that she was a suspect in her husband's murder. She says she needed money for the business in the following weeks and it didn't help when she tried to cash in his million dollar life insurance policy.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

I was the only beneficiary. That could only mean that they suspected me.

[Narrator]

Let me just ask, did you have anything to do with this?

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Absolutely not.

[Narrator]

But Amy Meredith says Corey had started raising red flags immediately after leaving the scene. Within hours of the murder, she reportedly stated there would be no funeral and inquired about having the house cleaned.

[Detective]

We had to make sure that she did not have any involvement.

[Narrator]

But Corey wasn't the only member of Ted's family who was raising suspicion. The Shaughnessy son, Nick, had been more than 100 miles away at the time of the murder at the scene that morning. He'd been emotional. But what struck detective Salo was one of Nick's first questions.

[Detective]

I tell him, it looks like somebody came into the home and shot your dad to death.

[Narrator]

And how did he absorb that news?

[Detective]

He asked me, did he suffer?

[Narrator]

Was that an odd question?

[Detective]

It definitely struck me as odd, yes.

[Narrator]

Even more so, police say, because as the morning wore on, Nick became much less interested in speaking with police than with the reporters who had started showing up.

[Detective]

Nick and Jackie continuously tried to talk to the media. We asked him to stop and to stay in the scene.

[Narrator]

And then Nick did something really odd, says detective Moore. He walked directly over to examine that ground floor wide open side window. The room it led to had once been his.

[Detective]

Him going to that side of the house to look specifically at that window, which you can't see from just the front of the house. So for him to know that that was even involved, he did not have that information.

[Narrator]

How does he know the entry point unless he was involved in creating the entry point?

[Detective]

Sometimes people will get information from cross talk with detectives or law enforcement. And so I didn't automatically get super suspicious, but it was catching my attention.

[Narrator]

Something on Nick's phone had caught their attention as well. An app that gave him access to his parents. Alarm Corey told them the family often chose not to arm the system and that it had been switched off that night. But authorities noticed something in the account history.

[Detective]

There was an activation for an open window. The time of the window being opened was 4:27 that morning. Following that was glass break activations. We believe that's when the bullets started breaking the glass in the house. That's when Ted died. That's when the shots were being fired.

[Narrator]

Was this important to have?

[Detective]

Extremely.

[Narrator]

Police also saw something that seemed important in Jackie Edison's behavior.

[Detective]

We were gonna do gunshot residue tests on their hands. We then separated them. And at that time, Jackie broke down hysterically.

[Narrator]

And what'd you make of it?

[Detective]

That was a major red flag for me. We knew there was something more to this. At that point, a woman officer put your mom on the phone, and then your mom told you what happened? Yeah. Just like someone came in the house. There was an exchange of gunfire. I believe she fired a shot and then she ran to the closet.

[Narrator]

In questioning later that day, Nick and Jackie reminded police they'd been at their home in College station when the shooting happened.

[Detective]

We both moved to College Station, and.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

He just works from home.

[Narrator]

A few days later, investigators got a search warrant.

[Detective]

Once we get in the Apartment. We're going through it. We're finding ammunition.

[Narrator]

Though common among gun owners, the ammunition was the same brand and caliber that was found at the crime scene. And investigators were about to find proof the couple was keeping secrets.

[Detective]

We find a marriage certificate for Nick and Jacqueline.

[Narrator]

You discovered that Nick and Jackie were married by searching Nick's apartment. In all of the conversation you were having, they never said that they were married. A teenage friend of Nick's named Spencer Patterson. Spencer Patterson, who'd been certified as a minister online, had married them eight months earlier. Police weren't the only ones surprised. You and Ted never knew?

[Corey Shaughnessy]

No.

[Narrator]

Corey Shaughnessy says Nick and Jackie didn't tell her about their clandestine marriage until after the murder.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

And I told him, I said, this is not. You shouldn't have done this. You're too young.

[Narrator]

Trying to be a good mom. She says she promised to help them plan a proper wedding.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

I said, you need to do it the right way.

[Narrator]

Corey had ample opportunity to make sure it happened, because over the next few days, Nick and Jackie moved back into her house.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

We were planning the engagement party. We had the guest list. Jackie was picking out invitations.

[Narrator]

That's especially chilling, because while police initially had looked at all three for the murder, they now suspected just two and that Nick and Jackie had also targeted Corey. But it was still only a working theory. You can't say anything to Corey.

[Detective]

No. That's a hard line to walk if.

[Narrator]

You have two people who planned her killing now living with her. Are you worried about Corey's safety?

[Detective]

Of course. Of course.

[Narrator]

But Corey Shaughnessy says what worried her was the possibility authorities were trying to frame her son, who by now was working in his father's place at the jewelry store.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

There is a set of circumstances that the police are trying to make work in the easiest way that they can.

[Narrator]

On March 10, 2018, she hired her son, the best defense attorney she could find.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

You could have told me aliens landed on the front yard, and I would have believed that before. I would have believed that Nicholas and Jackie planned to have us killed.

[Narrator]

Corey Shaughnessy knew police were suspicious of Nick and Jackie, but she says she had no reason to think they were right. After all, she says, I don't know. They'd been wrong about her.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

The last thing that I would ever do would be kill my husband. And I thought, well, if they think I did it, it's not a stretch for them to think Nicholas did it.

[Narrator]

But the closer police looked, the more incriminating evidence they seemed to find that Nick and Jackie had Planned to have both Shaughnessys killed. While phone records showed Nick had been more than a hundred miles away at the time of the murder, they also showed he was lying when he said he hadn't been to Austin for a month.

[Detective]

We ultimately see cell phone usage in Austin on February 28, which is just two days before Ted ends up getting killed.

[Narrator]

Investigators wondered if he had been in town making final preparations. There were text messages on Nick and Jackie's phones that police say showed a suspicious conversation. How important was the text message that he sent out 2-23-24? Nick is saying he's working on it.

[Detective]

And Jackie's response to the text message was, do they want 50k or not? And she says, we can't afford to pay half before.

[Narrator]

In another exchange, Nick asks her to withdraw money from her account, Quote, so if it happens, cash in hand, they.

[Detective]

Do make this withdrawal.

[Narrator]

Jackie withdrew $1,000 from the bank just days before the murder. Authorities suspected it was no coincidence. Then, In May of 2018, they talked to the man who had officiated Nick and Jackie's wedding, that high school friend, Spencer Patterson.

[Detective]

Trying to get a hold of Spencer was kind of difficult.

[Narrator]

At first, investigators believed Patterson might be a suspect, but when they finally reached him, he proved to be a critical witness. Instead, he told them, just before the murder, Nick had talked about coming into $8 million. With Ted and Corey gone, Nick had put a dollar sign on the lives of his parents. Yes, that's chilling.

[Detective]

No, it is.

[Narrator]

Patterson showed them text messages that were even more chilling.

[Detective]

There was also communication between Spencer and Nicholas where Nicholas was trying to hire him to kill a family.

[Narrator]

Just walk in and shoot a family, writes Nick. Steal all their no mask needed. Cause they'll all be dead.

[Detective]

Spencer didn't want to go along with it, but Nick still pitched the idea.

[Narrator]

Police cleared Patterson, and on May 29, 2018, they arrested Nick Shaughnessy and Jackie Edison for criminal solicitation. Corey couldn't believe it.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

I'm still under the assumption that he's being wrongly accused.

[Narrator]

For months, Corey had stood by Nick. But she told us when she read the arrest affidavits and saw the evidence, her rock solid belief in his innocence began to crumble.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

I got to where I understood that, yes, they were involved in some way.

[Narrator]

But as a mother, she says she still couldn't convince herself they'd deliberately tried to kill anyone.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

I was then hoping that they had maybe gotten caught up in something in College Station, where maybe Nicholas owed someone money, or maybe there was some sort of estranged Drug thing. Or maybe he told the wrong person that we were jewelers.

[Narrator]

Confident Nick and Jackie were behind the attack, Police hope some time in jail might make them come clean about who had actually pulled the trigger. For the moment, though, neither one was talking.

[Detective]

The next step was who were the actual shooters.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

And how do we figure this out?

[Narrator]

The evidence trail had essentially run cold.

[Detective]

So we kind of hit a stall point.

[Narrator]

When? In early July, four months after the murder, Detective Moore decided to review some security video from Nick and Jackie's porch, recorded just two days before the attack.

[Detective]

I see two individuals show up to his front door.

[Narrator]

Moore says he noticed something about one of the men that made him freeze the video.

[Detective]

Something he was wearing a green Anderson T shirt.

[Narrator]

Window company.

[Detective]

A window company.

[Narrator]

This feels like a break. And it only happens because you isolated a frame of the video from the security camera.

[Detective]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

He and Salo drove to the window company, where their hard work ran into more good luck. By sheer coincidence, an employee's daughter said she'd actually met the man in the freeze frame. Apparently, he'd only worked there for a few days.

[Detective]

Four years earlier and this woman still remembered his name.

[Narrator]

Sergeant, what are the odds of a hit like this on the identity?

[Detective]

It was crazy that we got that break.

[Narrator]

His name was Cameron Vosmek, and he wasn't home that day. But his wife answered the door and quickly got their attention.

[Detective]

I know why you're here. That kid who hired somebody to kill his jewelry store parents.

[Narrator]

Hang on. She doesn't know who you guys are. You identify yourselves as detectives, and she says, I know why you're here. Yes, she said. A few months earlier, a man named Johnny Leon had asked her husband to commit murder for money, but he turned him down. Police ruled out Vosmek as a suspect, but Leon turned out to be the other person in the security video from Nick and Jackie's porch. When they brought him in for questioning, he told them he was no murderer. But he admitted Nick had tried to hire him.

[Detective]

I'm not gonna lie to you. When Saul offers you 100k, you're gonna think about it. He's luring you into this to commit been murdered.

[Narrator]

Police were convinced that Leon had taken the bait.

[Detective]

I'm just telling you, we know you're involved in this. You know what happened. You know I'm involved. Absolutely. There's no doubt.

[Narrator]

Leon was arrested for capital murder. And on his phone, police found evidence he may not have acted alone. There was a flurry of contacts around the time of the killing with a Fort Worth man named Arion Smith. They also discovered both men had arrest records. In fact, the two had been arrested together for drugs a year earlier.

[Detective]

Detective Moore and I interviewed him. He did admit that he had met Nick. He gave us a lot of good information.

[Narrator]

Smith opened up about the details of that night and broke down in the process.

[Detective]

You're the only person showing regret. I don't understand How. How could you kill somebody and not have any emotion about it? And you actually killed him. I was in this situation. I'm devastated. I cannot sleep at night.

[Narrator]

Prosecutors were closer than ever to having everything they needed to make their case.

[Detective]

We've got enough now. Let's go to trouble.

[Narrator]

Something Nick Shaughnessy told us he'd wanted to avoid. Did you pay these two men to go kill your parents?

[Detective]

You sign up for something, forget about it. After the trial period ends, then you're charged month after month after month. The subscriptions are there, but you're not using them. In fact, 85% of people have at least one paid subscription going unused each month. Thanks to Rocket Money, you can see all your subscriptions in one place and cancel the ones you're not using anymore. Now, boom, you're saving more money.

[Narrator]

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[Detective]

That helps find and cancel your unwanted subscriptions, monitors your spending, and helps lower your bills so you can grow your savings. Rocket Money has over 5 million users and has saved a total of $500 million in canceled subscriptions, saving members up to $740 a year. When using all of the app's premium features, cancel your unwanted subscriptions and reach.

[Narrator]

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[Detective]

Go to RocketMoney.com Wondery today. That's RocketMoney.com Wondery RocketMoney.com Wondery now, more than ever, people are relying on their community pharmacy. Fortunately, CVS pharmacy team members are passionate.

[Narrator]

About their local communities.

[Detective]

In fact, 87% of pharmacists wish their customers would ask more questions about their health needs.

[Narrator]

Does your CVS pharmacist go above and beyond for you?

[Detective]

We'd love to hear your story. Share it at cvs.com stories that's cvs.com.

[Narrator]

Stories CVS making healthier happen together. After police arrested the last of their four suspects, Aryan Smith, Detective Salo says Smith told them he wasn't just there for Ted's murder.

[Detective]

Yes, I was there.

[Narrator]

He acknowledged firing the fatal shot and then made a stunning request.

[Detective]

I request the death penalty.

[Narrator]

The death penalty.

[Detective]

I killed somebody.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

I deserve to die.

[Detective]

What is that?

[Narrator]

He also told police where to find the murder weapon. It was the.40 caliber pistol missing from that box they'd found in nick's old bedroom. The.40 caliber gun that killed Ted was Ted's?

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Yes.

[Narrator]

For a mother who'd struggled for months to keep faith in her son, it felt like the last straw.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Too much had happened that pointed to Nicholas and Jackie having involvement.

[Narrator]

And Corey was horrified to realize she'd spent months sheltering the very people who'd planned to have Ted and her murdered that night. What a chilling thought. Two people who tried to have you killed, and they're living in your home.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Very. It's very chilling. I bought all the groceries. I paid all the bills. I bought her clothing.

[Narrator]

This is diabolical.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Absolutely. They thought they had gotten away with it.

[Detective]

Do you prefer Jackie or Jacqueline?

[Narrator]

But after their arrest, it took just a couple of weeks for Jackie to blame Nick.

[Detective]

Did Nicholas hire somebody to kill his parents?

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

And Jackie seemed to know why he'd done it. She says Nick was in desperate financial straits with a failing day trading business and thousands in overdue loans, including at least one from Corey.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

I think his mom gave him $30,000.

[Detective]

And she expected money in return, but.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

He wasn't paying her.

[Narrator]

After her cooperation, authorities released Jackie on a reduced bond. And prosecutor Amy Meredith resolved to go after Nick for the maximum.

[Detective]

We're going to try Nicholas Shaughnessy for capital murder.

[Narrator]

At this point, were you prepared to testify against Nick?

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Yes.

[Narrator]

Nick Shaughnessy and the two alleged hitmen were charged with capital murder. But by the spring of 2021, Amy Meredith had left her job as assistant district attorney, and there was a new da, Jose Garza, whose office made the men an offer. Avoid a possible death sentence by pleading guilty to a reduced charge of murder and served 35 years with the possibility of parole. Leone and Smith agreed, and Corey wrote to Nick to suggest he do the same.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

If I could speak to Ted, I think that would have been his choice.

[Narrator]

Nick Shaughnessy accepted the deal. He could be released when he's 36. In the summer of 2023, we visited him in prison near Houston. Did you hire people to go kill your parents?

[Detective]

Yes. Jackie and I participated in multiple aspects to.

[Narrator]

Never mind participated in multiple aspects. Did you pay these two men to go kill your parents?

[Detective]

Yes.

[Narrator]

Nick told us he's sorry for all of it.

[Detective]

I know that I'm here because of those actions.

[Narrator]

Nick, at the end of the day, are you sorry for what you did, or are you sorry that you got caught?

[Detective]

I'm most truly, passionately sorry. For what I did.

[Narrator]

And Nick told us he never would have done it if not for Jackie.

[Detective]

It was a very toxic relationship.

[Narrator]

A although he stood to inherit his parents money eventually he told us he wasn't prepared to wait. Were you at all thinking, what am I doing?

[Detective]

Of course it was always in the back of my head like red flags, like, stop, don't go the back of your head.

[Narrator]

Why not the front of your head?

[Detective]

I guess the validation or approval from Jackie.

[Narrator]

It is hard to know how much Jackie Edison should be blamed or what punishment she deserves. And jurors won't get to decide. She too got a deal from the office of the new DA for pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit capital murder by terror threat or other felony. A jail sentence of 120 days and 10 years probation.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

It's astounding. It's absolutely astounding.

[Narrator]

She began serving her time in June of 2023.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

It is an outright dismissal of everything that I went through as a victim. And it's a dismissal of Ted's life.

[Narrator]

Three are doing 35 years, one is doing 120 days. Corey says that's outrageous. What are your thoughts?

[Detective]

I had no involvement once I left the district attorney's office on Jackie's case.

[Narrator]

Amy Meredith was working elsewhere before prosecutors offered the plea deals. Corey's feelings aren't lost on her. Do you understand her rage?

[Detective]

I absolutely understand that she is upset.

[Narrator]

Corey is so upset that when the new prosecutors asked her to appear at Jackie's 2023 plea hearing, she refused, instead recording this video at home to be played in court.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

I'm alive because your plan to have me murdered didn't succeed. You are a monster. You are evil and everyone needs to know it. You knew what was about to happen, and yet you sat home and did nothing because you wanted it to happen.

[Narrator]

We wanted to ask Jackie Edison about that and other things, but she declined our request for an interview. On the day she was released from jail, our producer Jenna Jackson approached her.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Hey, Jacqueline.

[Narrator]

What do you make of Nick Shaughnessy's apology? See more evidence from the case at 48hours.com most weight loss plans are one size fits all, not taking into account each person's individual needs. Noom, on the other hand, is built for your psychology and your biology. Meeting you where you are noomweight uses psychology.

[Detective]

And that's why they say losing weight starts with your brain.

[Narrator]

But it also takes into account your unique biological factors which also affect weight loss success. The program helps you understand the science behind your eating choices and why you have cravings. Stay focused on what's important to you with Noom's psychology and biology based approach. Sign up for your trial [e-mail] that's n o o m.com Rakuten is the smartest way to save money when you shop because you earn cash back at over 3,500 stores. Fashion, beauty, electronics, home essentials, travel, dining, concert tickets and more. Your favorite stores like Lowe's, Levi's, and Nike. Pay Rakuten to send them shoppers and Rakuten then passes on a part of that payment to its members as cash back. You're already shopping at your favorite stores. Why not save while you're doing it? It's a no brainer. Membership is free and easy to sign up. Get the Rakuten app now and join the 17 million members who are already saving cash back. Rates change daily. See rakuten.com for details. That's R a k u T e n Your cash back really adds up. Corey and Nick Shaughnessy haven't spoken directly since his 2018 arrest. When you look in the mirror, do you see evil?

[Detective]

My mom stated that me being evil, I don't see evil in me.

[Narrator]

And these days, it's safe to say they don't see eye to eye. In fact, there may be only one thing they do agree on.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Jackie is not a victim.

[Narrator]

This is a 5050 thing.

[Detective]

Most definitely.

[Narrator]

Did Jacqueline Edison get away with murder?

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Absolutely.

[Narrator]

On October 17, 2023, Jackie Edison walked out of an Austin area jail after serving her four month sentence.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Hey, Jacqueline.

[Narrator]

We'd been asking for an interview for months.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

I don't want to do any interviews.

[Narrator]

But our producer, Jenna Jackson, had some questions for her Anyway.

[Detective]

Nick got 35 years. The hitmen got the same. You got 120 days. Are you getting away with murder?

[Corey Shaughnessy]

No, I think that it's fair. I think it accurately reflects the level.

[Detective]

Of involvement Corey and Nick have both told us is that you were a partner in this murder plot.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Yeah. I think Nick is saying whatever he has to say to kind of clear his name.

[Detective]

And Cory is very much in denial about what really happened. You weren't in on this plot?

[Corey Shaughnessy]

I was not in.

[Detective]

Didn't get money out to pay the hitman?

[Narrator]

No, ma'am.

[Detective]

Is she innocent? Absolutely not. No. She knew. She knew what he was trying to do. She could have stopped us at any time.

[Narrator]

I tried to stop him, but investigators say there is no evidence Jackie ever tried to stop the murder.

[Detective]

She's no apprentice in this.

[Narrator]

And according to what Nick told Authorities. Jackie had been making plans for spending the Shaughnesses money.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

I found out that Jackie had already picked out the car she was going to buy her mother. With the money that they made off.

[Narrator]

Of the murder of you and Ted.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Yes.

[Detective]

I'm not defending her by any degree.

[Narrator]

Though she did eventually help them make their case against the person they identified as the key culprit.

[Detective]

They're both to blame. Who took more action? It's Nick. You take Nick out of this, you don't have the incident.

[Narrator]

You take Jackie out.

[Detective]

Still happens.

[Narrator]

Do you understand Corey's frustration?

[Detective]

I do. Absolutely. We empathize with her.

[Narrator]

But More and Salo say Jackie's plea deal wasn't their call.

[Detective]

Our job ended at the arrest and there's not a single step further that we can take it.

[Narrator]

We wanted to ask DA Jose Garza exactly why Jackie Edison got 120 days after the other three got 35 years. But he wouldn't agree to an interview. A district attorney's spokesperson sent us a statement saying quote, our office takes acts of violence seriously and is committed to holding people who commit violent crimes accountable. The statement also said Edison is on 10 years probation and if she violates the terms she could face 20 years in prison. Corey Shaughnessy says a full explanation from authorities would have helped her make sense of something that has always struck her as impossibly wrong. So no one's ever explained to you why this enormous disparity in sentence?

[Corey Shaughnessy]

No, absolutely not.

[Detective]

It's a slap in the face to my mother.

[Narrator]

Now you're concerned about your mother?

[Detective]

Most definitely.

[Narrator]

True or not, Nick Shaughnessy told us he hopes someday Corey will agree to speak with him. What would you say to her?

[Detective]

I wish I could tell my mom how truly sorry I am. That this is not something I'm proud of. And I failed her as a son.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

It means nothing to me.

[Narrator]

Do you think he believes it? What he's saying?

[Corey Shaughnessy]

I don't know that person. I have no idea who Nicholas Shaughnessy is.

[Narrator]

And Corey says there is no point responding to an apology she was never meant to hear.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

In my mind I am supposed to be dead. And so I'm a ghost. And ghosts can't speak.

[Narrator]

But even after a betrayal no mother should ever have to see. Corey still can't bring herself to condemn her son altogether. Do you still love your son?

[Corey Shaughnessy]

I love the person I knew to be my son before this happened.

[Narrator]

You love that 8 year old boy racing cars with his dad?

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Yes.

[Narrator]

She knows that boy is gone forever. And so is the life she and Ted tried to build around him.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

Nicholas and Jackie destroyed my entire world. They took my husband. They took memories. They took my business. They took everything I had that I cared about.

[Narrator]

But now, living out of state under a different name, Corey is determined to make the most of every day.

[Corey Shaughnessy]

It'll always be there. It'll always be a part of who I am. But I've been given life, and I need to do something with it.

[Narrator]

Join me Tuesday for postmortem from 48 hours, where we'll dive even deeper into today's episode and answer your questions about the case. If you like this podcast, you can listen ad free right now by joining Wondery plus in the Wondery app. Before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a quick [e-mail] survey he was hip hop's biggest mogul, the man who redefined fame, fortune, and the music industry.

[Detective]

The first male rapper to be honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Sean Diddy Combs.

[Narrator]

Diddy built an empire and lived a life most people only dream about.

[Detective]

Everybody know ain't no party like a Diddy party.

[Narrator]

So, yeah, that's what's up. But just as quickly as his empire rose, it came crashing down. Today I'm announcing the unsealing of a.

[Detective]

Three count indictment charging Sean Combs with.

[Narrator]

Racketeering, conspiracy, sex trafficking, interstate transportation for prostitution.

[Detective]

I was up. I hit rock bottom.

[Narrator]

But I made no excuses.

[Detective]

I'm disgusted. I'm so sorry. Until you're wearing an orange jumpsuit, it's not real. Now it's real.

[Narrator]

From his meteoric rise to his shocking fall from grace from law and crime, this is the rise and fall of Diddy. Listen to the rise and fall of Diddy exclusively with Wondery. Hi, I'm Lindsey Graham, the host of wondry show American Scandal. We bring to life some of the biggest controversies in US History. Presidential lies, environmental disasters, corporate fraud. In our latest series, NASA embarks on an ambitious program to reinvent space exploration with the launch of its first reusable vehicle, the space shuttle. And in 1985, they announced they're sending teacher Christa McAuliffe into space aboard the space shuttle Challenger along with six other astronauts. But less than two minutes after liftoff, the Challenger explodes. And in the tragedy's aftermath, investigators uncover a series of preventable failures by NASA and its contractors that led to the disaster. Follow American Scandal on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad free and be the first to binge the newest season. Only on Wondry. You can join Wondry in the Wondry app, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today. Behind the closed doors of government offices and military compounds, there are hidden stories and buried secrets from the darkest corners of history. From COVID experiments pushing the boundaries of science to operations so secretive they were barely whispered about. Each week on Declassified Mysteries, we pull back the curtain on these hidden histories. 100% true. True and verifiable stories that expose the shadowy underbelly of power. Consider Operation Paperclip, where former Nazi scientists were brought to America after World War II not as prisoners but as assets to advance US intelligence during the Cold War. These aren't just old conspiracy theories. They're thoroughly investigated accounts that reveal the uncomfortable truths still shaping our world today. The stories are real. The secrets are shocking. Follow Declassified Mysteries with me, Luke lamanna on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts to listen ad free. Join Wondery plus in the Wondery App.