A TEXAS WOMAN SENTENCED TO 120 DAYS IN JAIL FOR HER ROLE IN A PLOT TO HAVE A MILLIONAIRE TEXAS JEWELER MURDERED TALKS EXCLUSIVELY TO "48 HOURS" IN "SHOOTOUT AT THE SHAUGHNESSYS'"
Jaclyn Edison Says of Her Sentence: "... I Think That It's Fair. I Think It Accurately Reflects the Level of Involvement."
On March 2, 2018, intruders entered the home of wealthy jewelers Ted and Corey Shaughnessy in Austin, Texas. A gunfight left 55-year-old Ted Shaughnessy dead. Investigators at first wondered if it was a random attack, a robbery gone wrong or a targeted assassination. Correspondent Jim Axelrod reports on the case in 48 HOURS: "Shootout at the Shaughnessys'" to be broadcast Saturday, Jan. 13 (10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+.
Something about the crime scene just didn't sit right with investigators.
"This was not a stranger," says Amy Meredith, who was an assistant district attorney at the time of the murder. "This was not a stranger killing."
Once investigators dug deeper, they learned their hunches were correct. It was not a random robbery but rather a plot involving the Shaughnessys' son Nicolas and his wife, Jaclyn Edison, to have his parents killed. Police had evidence that included text messages between them, which appeared to be a discussion about paying for a hit. Soon after, Nick Shaughnessy and two alleged hit men were charged with capital murder.
"Did you pay these two men to go kill your parents?" Axelrod asks Shaughnessy.
"Yes," he responds.
In the spring of 2021, the office of district attorney Jose Garza offered Nick Shaughnessy and the two alleged hit men a deal to avoid a possible death sentence. All three agreed to a reduced murder charge carrying 35 years in prison with a possibility of parole. And for pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit capital murder by terror threat or other felony, Edison received a jail sentence of 120 days and 10 years' probation. As a parole requirement, Edison must spend the night in jail on the anniversary of Ted Shaughnessy's murder for the next 10 years.
On the day she finished her four-month sentence, 48 HOURS producer Jenna Jackson approached Edison.
"Nick got 35 years; the hit men got the same. You got 120 days. Are you getting away with murder?" Jackson asked.
"No, I think that it's fair. I think it accurately reflects the level of involvement," Edison said.
"Corey and Nick have both told us that you are a partner in this murder plot," Jackson said.
"Yeah, I think Nick is, is saying whatever he has to say to kind of clear his name. Um, and Corey is very much in denial about what really happened," Edison said.
"You weren't in on this plot?" Jackson asked.
"I was not in on it, no," Edison said.
"Didn't get money out to pay the hit men?" Jackson said.
"No. No, ma'am," Edison said.
48 HOURS is broadcast Saturdays at 10:00 PM, ET/PT on CBS, and streams anytime on Paramount+. You can also watch 48 HOURS on the CBS News Streaming Network Wednesdays at 8:00 PM, ET. 48 HOURS is also available on CBSNews.com, Fave TV, Pop TV, Pluto US, Pluto UK, Pluto Nordics, Pluto Canada and Pluto South Africa. Download the CBS News app on your phone or connected TV. Follow 48 HOURS on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Listen to podcasts at CBS Audio.
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