Sheppard "Shep" Watson is a repeat offender hired along with his girlfriend Helena Navarro by real estate heir Jason Bregman to fake his kidnapping for ransom money from his father Sol Bregman. Watson shot Jason, presumably over a dispute with the money, and left him for dead. Watson and Jason previously tried insurance fraud with one of Watson’s paintings, but they were found out, and Sol buried the crime,
Watson and Navarro were arrested from evidence against them, including the vehicles they used, familiarity with their hideout, and aliases from their past crimes they also used. The couple provided Jason’s draft tapes of ransom demands to prove he was the mastermind. Jason, after previous opposition, acquiesced to a second-degree grand larceny plea to testify against the couple.
Watson and Navarro were found not guilty of second-degree attempted murder, yet guilty of first-degree larceny, and the couple were imprisoned. Jason jumped bail and fled with Sol’s help.