A woman who helped orchestrate the murders of her in-laws in a cruel murder-for-hire plot has been sentenced to 10 years of probation – with crime victims outraged at the district attorney who helped her avoid prison.
Jaclyn Alexa Edison and her then-husband were both 19 years old when they hired two hit men to kill his adoptive parents in a violent home invasion that saw his father, prominent jeweler Ted Shaughnessy, shot dead back in 2018.
She was sentenced last week in Austin, Texas, after cutting a deal with District Attorney Jose Garza, whose election was backed by billionaire liberal George Soros.
She pled guilty to conspiracy to attempt to commit capital murder years after her ex-husband, Nicolas Shaughnessy, and two hit men, Arieon Smith and Johnny Leon, took up plea deals of 35 years in prison.
Austin Police Retired Officers Association President Dennis Farris said Edison should have faced the same sentence
Jaclyn Edison was sentenced to 10 years of probation after conspiring to murder her then-husband’s parents
She and and her then-husband Nicolas Shaughnessy were both 19 years old when they hired two hit men to kill his adoptive parents in a violent home invasion
The murder-for-hire plot saw prominent Austin jeweler Ted Shaughnessy shot dead in 2018
Many have criticized Attorney Jose Garza, whose election was backed by billionaire liberal George Soros, for Edison’s plea deal
‘They literally are just as guilty, she’s just as guilty as the person who pulled the trigger,’ he told Fox News Digital.
Police say Shaughnessy had approached multiple people in the months before the shooting asking if they were willing to kill his parents for payment.
His mom Corey called 911 the morning of March 2, 2018, to report an intruder inside the parents’ Austin home.
When police arrived, they found Theodore dead of multiple gunshot wounds. One of the family’s Rottweilers Bart was also shot dead.
Police said the murder-for-hire plot also called for Corey to be killed but she emerged unscathed.
Prosecutors said the young couple was motivated by money, particularly the couple’s $2 million life insurance policy. Ted was the owner of Gallerie Jewelers in Austin.
Read Related Also: Killer dad's 'lame' coverup story sentenced for murdering his wife and three kids Pennsylvania fire
They were arrested after police found ammunition in Shaughnessy’s home in College Station that matched casings found at the crime scene.
The Shaughnessys adopted their killer son from Russia when he was 18 months old.
As part of her plea deal, Edison will have to report to jail for two days each year on the anniversary of the murder as part of her probation. Edison was given deferred adjudication, which allowed her to accept responsibility for the crime without the conviction being put on her record.
They were arrested after police found ammunition in Shaughnessy’s home in College Station that matched casings found at the crime scene. He’s pictured above
Theodore dead of multiple gunshot wounds in his Austin home. One of the family’s Rottweilers Bart was also shot dead
Nicolas Shaughnessy, and two hit men, Arieon Smith (left) and Johnny Leon (right), took up plea deals of 35 years in prison
Steve Brittain, the attorney for Corey Shaughnessy, told KXAN-TV had never seen a similar outcome in such a crime.
‘I can’t put it together in my mind, and I just don’t understand it,’ he said. ‘She is evil. And in my view, very dangerous.’
Nicholas Kantor, whose brother was killed when he was caught in the middle of a fight between gangs, said people should ask themselves how they would feel if Edison had killed one of their parents.
‘Would you feel contentment that the DA provided you with justice and peace of mind to settle your heart?’ he said, calling the Edison’s plea a ‘sweetheart deal.’
DA Garza has been slammed by numerous families, including Kantor’s, for not doing enough to punish violent offenders.
He is one of numerous district attorneys across the country whose campaigns received millions in funding from Soros, leading directly to wave of liberally-minded judicial policies and decisions.
He received about $600,000 from the Soros-backed Texas Justice and Safety PAC during his campaign, leading to his appointment in 2021.
Garza vowed to end ‘over-prosecution’ of minorities and impoverished residents.
He has also drawn ire from the Austin Police Department for arresting officers for incidents which had been handled through department’s internal process.
