In a chilling 911 call, George Tiaffay's voice trembled as he reported a horrifying discovery:
"I think I need to report a break-in and a murder. My wife… my wife is on the floor, bloody, stiff, not moving" he said.
Tragically, George said that he had just found his wife, Shauna, lying lifeless on the floor.
He claimed there had been a break-in and that the intruder had brutally murdered her.
However, George was lying because he had hired a hitman to kill his beloved wife.
In fact, he expected her to be dead when he visited her house with their 8-year-old daughter that day.
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| Shauna and George Tiaffay |
Shauna’s Journey from Cheerleader to Cocktail Waitress
Shauna Tiaffay was born in March 1966 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Shauna grew up in a Mormon household with her sister and five brothers.
She was a popular and outgoing student, known for her cheerful demeanor.
Shauna was also a member of the cheerleading team at South Lakes High School in Virginia.
After graduating in 1984, she eventually moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1994.
Her move to Las Vegas was more than just a change of scenery.
It was a chance to start fresh, be closer to her sister Paula, and build a new life.
While in Vegas, Shauna first worked in upscale retail stores before moving to the casino scene as a cocktail waitress.
By 2002, Shauna had secured a well-paying job at the Palms Hotel Casino.
She thrived in a job and made nearly $100,000 a year in salary and tips.
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| Shauna Tiaffay |
A Love Story Marred by Tragedy
It was at the Palms that Shauna met George Tiaffay in 2002.
Born in September 1972, George was six years younger than Shauna
He graduated as valedictorian of his high school class and then went on to attend the US Military Academy at West Point.
After serving in the Army Corps of Engineers, George became a Las Vegas firefighter.
Their connection was instant, and within a year, they welcomed their daughter into the world.
Three years later, the couple got married.
On the surface, their life seemed perfect, but beneath it, tensions started to build—tensions that would eventually lead to unimaginable violence.
The Night Everything Changed
On September 29, 2012, Shauna Tiaffay clocked out of her job at the Palms Casino at 3:01 AM.
Exhausted from a long shift, she drove 30 minutes back to her home, unaware that it would be her final journey.
When she got home, she entered through the garage and walked down the dark hallway, eager to go to bed.
But unknown to her, someone was waiting in that dark hallway.
Armed with a hammer, the intruder attacked Shauna with brutal force.
Despite her attempts to defend herself, she was overpowered, and the blows continued until she was dead.
George discovered Shauna's body the next morning prompting a 911 call.
However, one question was on everyone's lips: who could have done such a thing?
Unraveling the Dark Secrets
The investigation into Shauna’s murder quickly focused on George, but his alibi appeared solid.
Despite George’s apparent grief and solid alibi, the police couldn’t ignore the unusual details of the case.
George claimed he knew nothing about the incident and insisted that an intruder was responsible.
There had been a break-in at Shauna’s home just weeks before the murder.
The burglar had used her shower, stolen her wedding ring, and left behind a pair of boxer shorts.
As a result, George Tiaffay believed that it was the same intruder who had killed his wife.
Fortunately for detectives, a major breakthrough emerged as the investigation progressed.
A man named William "Big Will" Pennicks approached the police with a shocking revelation.
Big Will said a friend he knew only as "Greyhound" had confessed a murder to him.
He said Greyhound confessed to killing a woman and described how he had struck her repeatedly with a hammer until it broke.
Greyhound, whose real name was Noel Scott Stevens, was a homeless ex-convict living in a tent in the foothills outside Vegas.
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| Noel Scott Stevens |
The Grim Reality of Betrayal
During the police interrogation, Noel Stevens initially denied any involvement.
However, when confronted with evidence, he broke down and confessed.
He had indeed killed Shauna, but his confession revealed an even darker truth.
Noel wasn’t just a random burglar; he was someone who had been close to George.
He revealed that George had given him $600 in advance to kill his wife, and promised him another $5,000 after the job.
Noel’s confession detailed how George had meticulously planned the murder.
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| George Tiaffay |
Justice Served: The Trial and Verdict
The case against George Tiaffay was strong.
The evidence of the phone calls, Noel’s confession, and blood-stained pants all pointed to a premeditated murder.
In the end, the jury found George Tiaffay guilty of first-degree murder.
He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Undoubtedly, this was a fitting punishment for the man who had betrayed the family he was meant to protect.
George Tiaffay's motive for killing his wife remains somewhat unclear.
Prosecutors believe the murder happened because George lost control over Shauna.
They said the loss of control came after she moved into her own apartment and filed for divorce.
The couple had been separated, and Shauna had expressed intentions to end their marriage, which George found unacceptable.
Noel Stevens, who had been manipulated by George, was also convicted but received a lighter sentence for his cooperation with the authorities.
Noel Scott Stevens, the hitman in the murder of Shauna Tiaffay, was sentenced to 42 years to life in prison for his role in the crime.
He avoided the death penalty by cooperating with authorities and testifying against George Tiaffay, Shauna's husband, who orchestrated the murder.
Here’s a longer video from The Decoder, diving deeper into the case.
In a separate case, a woman was found guilty of killing her lover, who also happened to be Beyoncé’s cousin, during an argument in their apartment.
Click here for more details on the case.
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