Who Was Ted Shaughnessy & What Happened to Him? 2026 Update & Background

Ted Shaughnessy was well known in the Austin community as the co-owner of Gallerie Jewelers, a successful family-run business he operated with his wife, Corey. Charismatic and approachable, Ted was the public face of the business — someone who took pride in helping people celebrate life’s special moments with custom pieces and fine jewelry. Friends, customers, and employees alike described him as warm, generous, and deeply committed to his family and the business he had built.

Ted met Corey in the early 1980s while both were living in Phoenix. They bonded quickly over shared interests, especially their passion for jewelry. Their relationship flourished personally and professionally. After marrying, they opened Gallerie Jewelers and built a loyal clientele over decades. In 2000, they adopted their only child, Nicolas, from Ukraine. Ted was a hands-on father, sharing his love of fast cars and racing with his son and investing in his future.

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• Who Is Jaclyn Edison & Where Is She Now? 2026 Update & Background
• Who Is Johnny Leon & Where Is He Now? 2026 Update & Background
• Who Is Arieon Smith & Where Is He Now? 2026 Update & Background

The Night of the Attack

On the night of March 2, 2018, Ted was asleep in the family’s Austin home when intruders broke in through a side window. Around 4:30 a.m., Ted got up after hearing the dogs bark and reached for his .45-caliber handgun. He stepped out of the bedroom and was immediately met by gunfire. He never had a chance to fire back.

Ted was shot multiple times — in the head, back, thigh, and buttocks — and died at the scene near the kitchen. One of the couple’s Rottweilers, Bart, was also shot and killed. The attack appeared brutal and sudden. Investigators found multiple calibers of bullets and signs of forced entry through a window that had been tampered with. The home was riddled with bullet holes, and shell casings were strewn across the floor.

Initially, authorities believed it may have been a robbery, possibly connected to the couple’s work in the jewelry industry. But as they pieced together evidence, it became clear that the attack was not random — and that Ted had been targeted.

The Betrayal Behind His Murder

What stunned the community, and ultimately devastated Corey, was the revelation that Ted’s own son had orchestrated the attack. Nicolas Shaughnessy had hired two men — Johnny Leon and Arieon Smith — to kill his parents so he could inherit their estate, including millions in life insurance and business assets. At just 19 years old, Nick was already married and facing financial problems from a failing day trading venture. He and his wife, Jackie Edison, believed the murder would set them up for life.

Ted was unaware that the gun used to kill him had once belonged to him. It had gone missing from a drawer in his son’s old bedroom — the same room the attackers entered through. The killers used knowledge of the home’s layout and security system, which Nick had access to remotely, to carry out the plot. The plan succeeded in taking Ted’s life, but Corey’s survival ultimately led to the unraveling of the conspiracy.

Remembering Ted Shaughnessy

Those who knew Ted remember a man who loved his family, his business, and the joy he could bring to others through his craft. His death left a gaping void in the lives of those who trusted and admired him. He was a father who embraced adoption and gave his son every opportunity to succeed. He was a husband who shared a decades-long bond with his wife, both in marriage and business. And he was a community member whose life ended in one of the most disturbing betrayals imaginable.

His story is now at the center of national coverage — not because of the jewelry he crafted, but because of the cruel irony that all he built was destroyed by the person he loved most. The murder of Ted Shaughnessy is more than a tragic crime; it’s a cautionary tale of deception, greed, and the painful reality that trust, once broken, can never be restored.

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