Third Suspect Tied to Murder of Austin Jeweler Arrested

Austin, Texas—Police have arrested a third suspect in connection with the murder-for-hire plot that resulted in the death of an Austin jeweler earlier this year.  

The Travis County Sheriff’s Office said it arrested 21-year-old Johnny Roman Leon III at 10:30 a.m. last Wednesday in College Station, Texas. He has been charged with criminal solicitation of a capital murder.

According to court records, investigators believe Leon conspired with Nicolas Shaughnessy to arrange the March 2 murder of Theodore Shaughnessy, Nicolas’ father. A spokesperson for the Travis County Sherriff’s Office also told National Jeweler it is a “distinct possibility” that Leon was the shooter but added that the case is still being investigated.

Nicolas Shaughnessy and his wife, Jaclyn Alexa Edison, are alleged to have hired someone to murder both Theodore (Ted) and Corey Shaughnessy so they could collect the $2 million in insurance that would come to Nicolas in the event of his parents’ deaths, as well as the additional $6 million he expected to get by selling his parents’ business, Gallerie Jewelers, and house.

According to police records, Corey Shaughnessy told investigators that she and her husband were awoken around 4 a.m. on March 2 by the sound of their dogs barking.

Ted grabbed his handgun and got up to investigate. Less than a minute later, Corey heard gunfire so she grabbed her handgun and got out of bed as well.

She and the intruder exchanged gunfire until she ran out of ammunition; it is believed the suspect was injured in the exchange, authorities said. Corey then hid in the closet and called 911, remaining there until police came.

When deputies arrived on the scene, they discovered the body of 55-year-old Ted Shaughnessy with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to the arrest affidavit for Leon, he and Nicolas Shaughnessy approached a man, identified only as a “source” in the affidavit, and offered him $10,000 to help kill Theodore and Corey Shaughnessy.

The source, who has not been named, was involved in the plan but was not originally told what he would be asked to do. They later told him “they needed two people to kill two people, by shooting them and possibly shooting some dogs,” the affidavit states.

No other information is being released about whether the unidentified source faces any charges.

Nicolas Shaughnessy and Jaclyn Alexa Edison were arrested in early June. Both