Inside the chilling murders linked to attorney Catherine Shelton after five mystery deaths - but never charged

A NEW television special will follow five unusual deaths allegedly connected to a former defense attorney.

CBS News' popular television series, 48 Hours, delves into compelling and often unsolved American true crime stories.

7

7

The show airs regularly every Saturday evening at 10/9c on CBS, but it was announced that December 17 would have a double feature at 9/8c and the normal allotted time slot.

It will feature the mysteries surrounding former Texas defense attorney Catherine Shelton, as she has allegedly been connected to five different deaths since 1979.

The show is reportedly supposed to feature an exclusive interview between Shelton and journalist Jenna Jackson as she tries to uncover information on why some men in Shelton's life appear to have bad things happen to them.

With assistance from defense attorney Brian Benken and former prosecutor Lisa Andrews, CBS News has organized a relative timeline of the deaths and Shelton's suspicious history ahead of the double feature.

Read More on Crime

1. George Tedesco

Back in the late 1970s, Shelton and an anesthesiologist from Houston, George Tedesco, had reportedly dated for some time.

However, after the two had moved on from the relationship, Shelton allegedly sued Tedesco on the claim that they were 'common law' married, meaning she would have rights to half of Tedesco's assets.

Shelton and Tedesco were set to appear in court to settle the dispute, but the latter was found beaten to death in his garage the very same day.

Investigators at the time noted a tire iron to be the murder weapon.

Most read in The US Sun

After Tedesco's death, before the crime scene was taken down, Shelton allegedly broke into the victim's home to collect the property she claimed to be hers.

Shelton later admitted that she took a TV, some pottery, 140 dollars, her driver's license, and an antique sword.

Tedesco's family reportedly went on to file a wrongful death lawsuit against Shelton, but that never even made it to trial.

Not long after the Tedesco situation, Houston reporter Gary Taylor who usually covered courthouse proceedings in 1979, had a relationship with Shelton.

7

According to Taylor, he tried to break up with Shelton only weeks later but claimed that she became 'furious,' even allegedly putting a pistol next to their bedside at one point.

Taylor then decided to go to some friends at the DA's office who were reportedly still investigating the murder of Tedesco.

Taylor and a roommate are said to have tried to secretly record Shelton, but she found out.

Then, in early 1980, Taylor's home suffered a burglary.

Shelton did not say she was responsible for it, but Taylor said that she allegedly told him he could get his belongings back if he came to her home.

Taylor claimed that Shelton then lured him into a closet and tried to shoot him, missing at first.

He then ran down the hall and was shot in the back before the police arrived.

Taylor survived, and Shelton was arrested but claimed self-defense as Taylor allegedly threw a chair at her to get away.

2. Tommy Bell

7

After a complicated trial and an overturned conviction in the case of her and Taylor, Shelton reportedly got off with only aggravated assault charges and probation.

Soon after, in May of 1980, the second death surrounding Shelton occurred.

Tommy Bell, a former client of Shelton's, was found shot to death in his home.

Bell was allegedly named with Shelton in the wrongful death lawsuit filed by George Tedesco's family.

However, Bell's roommate reportedly told law enforcement that he had been playing Russian roulette with the gun by himself in his bedroom.

Nothing further was investigated concerning Shelton.

3. Chris Hansen

7

In 1988, after moving to Dallas and getting married to Clint Shelton in 1981, Catherine was once again allowed to practice law after the situation with Taylor.

After some time, things would get suspicious again in 1999 with the death of Shelton's former client, Chris Hansen.

She had reportedly been helping Hansen by doing a little bit of immigration work for him, per CBS News.

Hansen was originally from Canada, but came to the United States and began doing some contracting work in Shelton's new house.

In June of 1999, Hansen was allegedly found hanging naked in the house he was working on.

Reports from local newspapers around the time of his death allegedly attributed it as an accident, citing autoerotic asphyxiation to be responsible.

4. Michael Hierro

7

The fourth death surrounding Shelton was Michael Hierro, whose wife, Marisa, used to work for Shelton's law practice.

Hierro reportedly left to start her own immigration consulting business, which Shelton was allegedly very unhappy about.

She claimed that Shelton threatened her life at one point, and ultimately feared for her safety because of what she knew about Hansen.

Hierro also said she knew Hansen, and about one month before his death he allegedly confided in her about a conflict he was having with Shelton.

In December of 1999, Hierro and her husband Michael were arriving home in their car when two masked gunmen opened fire.

Michael was killed and Hierro was shot in her arm.

Hierro reportedly told law enforcement that Shelton was responsible, as she recognized her voice giving orders to the larger masked man as to where to shoot.

Police later found a mask nearby the scene made out of pantyhose that reportedly held the DNA of Shelton's husband, Clint.

He was arrested and charged with murder and aggravated assault in February of 2000 and claimed to be innocent.

Catherine was allegedly never charged in connection.

5. Sam Shelton

Years after the situation involving Marisa and Michael Hierro, in August of 2017, a 70-year-old veteran named Sam Shelton was reportedly living in the same home as Catherine.

Although the two allegedly have no relation, Sam was unwell according to Catherine, and she was taking care of him.

Then, Hurricane Harvey came through Houston, and Catherine claimed Sam died of natural causes in her home.

Things only became uncertain after Catherine signed Sam's name on a lease application for renting another house.

However, Catherine is said to have claimed good intentions, as she was allegedly trying to get a new house for Sam's nurse and her family after they lost their home in the hurricane.

Nevertheless, she has still reportedly been charged with a felony for fraudulent use of identifying information and will face trial this summer.

Ahead of the double feature on December 17 on CBS, Shelton has told Jackson that she has never killed another person, despite the timeline of events.

Read More on The US Sun

"I have never killed any human being… I have never paid anyone to kill any human being, promised anyone that I would pay them to kill another human being, offered anyone anything of value," Shelton said.

7