Dateline NBC: Who was Ted Shaughnessy?

Ted Shaughnessy was a beloved jeweler in Austin, Texas, who was shot to death on March 2, 2018, by two armed invaders in his home. Ted and Corey Shaughnessy, both recognized by the American Gem Society, were asleep in their home when they were alerted by their dogs.

Despite being prepared with handguns, Ted was shot multiple times and bled to death, while Corey narrowly escaped the gunfire to hide inside the closet. The 55-year-old jeweler was known to have a big heart and a warm personality among friends and family who mourned for him after his death.

The Dateline NBC episode Ghosts Can’t Talk showcases exclusive footage of Ted Shaughnessy's close ones as it aired on January 12, 2024, at 9 p.m. EST. The synopsis reads:

"A quiet night in Texas turns deadly when gunfire erupts at the home of local business owners."

---

Ted Shaughnessy was an Austin-based jeweler

Theodore "Ted" Shaughnessy was an Austin-based jeweler registered with the American Gem Society. As an AGS-registered jeweler, he established Gallerie Jewelers at 35th and Jefferson streets in north central Austin in 1995, which quickly rose to prominence.

Ted was married to Corey Shaughnessy, who held the title of Certified Gemologist Appraiser, and the couple lived at their 9000 block of Oliver Drive residence. Ted and Corey were parents to Nicolas Shaughnessy, who was adopted from Russia when he was 18 months old. Ted was a proud father who often boasted of teaching his son to be faster than him at go-karting.

Ted was quite popular around town for his warm personality. He was known to love his job, which became evident through the pleasure he derived from talking about beautiful pieces of jewelry and gems at his shop. Ted and Corey's Rottweilers, Brina and Bart, greeted customers at the store, while Ted was known to turn his clients into friends with his conversations.

Upon Theodore Shaughnessy's passing, the CEO of AGS, Katherine Bodoh, took to Facebook to write:

“All of us at the American Gem Society are saddened and shocked by the tragic death of Theodore Shaughnessy, RJ on Friday. Ted and his wife are the owners of Gallerie Jewelers in Austin, Texas. It is times like these where words are not enough. Our hearts, prayers and deepest condolences are with his family.”

Ted and Corey Shaughnessy were married for 30 years. The much-loved couple were remembered as "true partners in every sense" and "the best of friends." His obituary reads:

"Ted Shaughnessy died doing exactly what everyone that knew him knew that he would do in a situation that threatened both his and his wife's lives. He saved the life of his wife, Corey, by giving her just a few critical seconds to fight back."

Upon Ted's death, Nicolas took over his father's role at Gallerie on May 1, 2018, after the store was closed indefinitely. He, along with his wife, Jaclyn Edison, moved from Capital Station and started living with Corey in Austin.

---

What happened to Ted Shaughnessy?

Theodore Shaughnessy was asleep with his wife, Corey Shaughnessy, when their home was intruded on by two armed strangers. Ted Shaughnessy was shot multiple times, even though he had a handgun, while Corey managed to survive and returned fire until she ran out of bullets. She hid inside the closet until the strangers left and dialed 911.

When she came out of the closet, she found Ted Shaughnessy lying on the floor in a large pool of blood in the kitchen. Around him were bullet casings from two guns, each of .380- or 40-caliber. Corey found one of their Rottweilers, Bart, shot to death in the bedroom. Ted was pronounced dead at 5:14 a.m. after the first responders arrived at the scene, per the Austin American-Statesman.

Michelle Acosta from 32Dental, the dental office next to Gallerie Jewelers, spoke to CBS Austin to share:

"It kind of breaks my heart because he was a really sweet guy. I'm going to miss him. He just always popped in to see how everyone was doing. And his dogs, he would bring them over and introduce them to us."

The intruders were identified as Johnny Leon and Arieon Smith, but the murder plot was tracked to Ted Shaughnessy's 19-year-old son Nicolas, and his then-wife, Jacyln Edison. Leon, Smith, and Nicolas were sentenced to 35 years in prison, while Jaclyn pleaded guilty and received 10 years on probation, per the Daily Mail.