NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Back in November 2000, Tim O’Shaughnessy was killed by a disgruntled former employee whom he had terminated at First Union Securities.
After serving only 23 years since the crime, Ludlam will be interviewed by the parole board to consider release.
In November, Ludlam turns 60 and is eligible for geriatric release.
O’Shaughnessy’s family greatly concerned.
In 2002, Joe Ludlam pleaded guilty to first-degree murder to ensure a 40 year sentence in prison, but he faces a parole interview 23 years since the crime.
These are interviews only, they are not the parole hearings. It’s the process, though, that concerns the O’Shaughnessy’s family.
His wife, Paige, will be interviewed Nov. 15.
Joe Ludlam will be interviewed Nov. 8, 23 years-and-a-day after Ludlam killed Tim O’Shaughnessy.
Tim and Paige O’Shaughnessy were a remarkable couple with four boys. Life was good.
We knew Tim from his contributions to the WAVY News 10 morning show.
He was well-liked, and well-informed.
And then Nov. 7, 2000, everything would change.
Tim O’Shaughnessy would be gunned down by a former broker he worked with, and one he had to terminate.
Paige knew it was Ludlam when she heard what had happened.
“Tim had complained about him ever since he was terminated,” she said. “He was concerned about him. … Now we know what happened. Joe said, ‘You can’t do that,’ and he attacked him with a golf club. It broke, so he started stabbing Tim. At that point, Joe pulled out the gun. Tim didn’t see him, so he shot Tim in the back, and then he shot him in the head.”
Before a judge, you could hear Ludlam say, “I’m not guilty by reasons of insanity.”
Ludlam would later plead guilty to first-degree murder and get a 40-year sentence.
Now that Ludlam is 60, he is eligible for geriatric parole because he has served at least 10 years in prison.
“I feel like I was misled because no one ever bothered to tell me about geriatric parole, and that would be eligible at 60 years of age,” said Paige O’Shaughnessy.
Both are getting interviewed by the parole board — her on Nov. 15, and Ludlam Nov. 8. Chances for parole are remote for first year of eligibility.
“Even if they don’t let him out for geriatric reasons, it has brought back all the old memories,” she said. “It has consumed my life for the last two weeks. I feel like I was misled.”
When Tim died, his four sons were ages, 6, 4, 2 and the youngest just born, 9 months old. The last one never knew his father.
“I know it impacts him,” she said. “He shares Tim’s birthday. He was born on Tim’s 40th birthday. Talk about God’s little gifts. To me that was one of those little gifts. Jan. 27.”
