When asked why she didn't take Leonard's hospitalization in March 2012 as an opportunity not to let him back into her home since she knew what he wanted to do by that point, she said she couldn't turn away a sick person. Mark Leonard moved in with Monserrate Shirley about a month later. Shirley says he and Monserrate married on July 17, 1993. After the first failure, Leonard decided he also wanted to bring in his half-brother, Bob. The defense said if prosecutors wrapped up early enough on Thursday, they could call all of their witnesses that day alone and closing arguments could be held Friday, July 10. So you do get concerned about, will they see the arsons? He also told Bob to go get Gary Thompson. SOUTH BEND, Ind. Richmond Hill explosion - Wikipedia Its because the game of death is the game of life itself. Gary Thompson pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit arson and received a 30-year sentence, with 10 years suspended. The human toll is harder to estimate. Monserrate Shirley, who had initally pleaded not guilty after she and two men were charged in late 2012, appeared Tuesday before a Marion County judge in a courtroom filled with current and. Shirley: "She lost everything. He says he "was very surprised" to learn Snowball had been boarded on the night of the explosion. [37] She is serving her sentence at Indiana Women's Prison in Indianapolis. I was at one of my part-time jobs when I got a text from my daughter, which was very unusual. After a while, Mark came back in and said Bob had agreed to help for $10,000, but never specified what exactly Bob would be doing. HOW TO SOLVE ERROR CODE PII_EMAIL_DE03C2D55A4B639F558D. The first attempt was supposed to be carried out by Gary Thompson, but it failed. We believed that he did, we had some very thin evidence that he did. Sgt. . [28] Prosecutors expected to submit nearly 3,000 pieces of evidence, and potentially call up to 175 witnesses. Minch: "You testified about some things you lost in the explosion. Robinson, all-too-aware of the limitations of the justice system after decades as a prosecutor, says she is just glad they were able to get some amount of justice for the victims. Monserrate worked Friday, November 9. On top of his prior criminal convictions, at the time of his arrest, Mark Leonard was being sued civilly by multiple women who accused him of scamming them out of money through online dating sites. She grabbed a few pictures, including the canvas portrait of her daughterat age 5 that hung above the fireplace. You may have noticed that the name monserrate has been replaced with the word shirley, which is used in both a variety of other games and in the game of death. Their funeral was held earlier today. "John Shirley, whose ex-wife Monserrate Shirley lives at the home with their 12 year-old-daughter, said he got a text from his daughter about a week-and-a-half ago telling him the heat. John moved out in February 2010 and their divorce was finalized that summer. I didnt give it any credibility. He reportedly said, "[T]he tsunami winds came down the chimney, blew out the fire in the fireplace and the gas kept running and the house blew up. During the course of this lengthy process, we have sincerely appreciated the cooperation and patience of these families. Leonard is charged with 53 counts of murder, arson and conspiracy. After her 12 hour shift, she planned to see her daughter at the Holts' house and change there. With good behavior, her earliest possible release date is Dec. 19, 2032. They should go to jail. This story is Chapter III of a three-part series. ", Holts then asked who would get the money if they went through with it and Mark said, "Of course, me. Robinson also couldnt tell the residents that Shirleys cooperation would mean charges against two more suspects: Gary Thompson and Glenn Hults. She and her boyfriend, Mark Leonard, who also lived at the residence, told authorities they had left Friday night for a weekend at Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. He looked over the insurance policy and said she was under-insured so she called the insurance company and doubled her policy from $150,000 to $300,000. Leonard got sick in March 2012. In an interview with former RTV6 reporter Stacia Matthews, Shirley suggested the explosion may have been an attempt on her life. Not until the following morning, when I went from this job to another job, did I get a text from a friend who thought it might be my house. [11], Monserrate Shirley, Mark Leonard, and Bob Leonard were initially charged with two counts of murder and arson in the deaths of Dion and Jennifer Longworth. and one-eighth, Zionsvilles Brian Mason will be Colts coordinator, Indy east side fire kills dog, injures multiple people, Record breaking weather week in central Indiana, Indiana state trooper hit, killed in the line of, New billboard in Fountain Square tackles antisemitism, Trooper killed on I-69, speeding driver arrested, Everything you need to know about the 2023 Academy, Congressman Baird calls for pause on toxic shipments, Congress works to tackle military spouse unemployment, Indy man gets 16 years after shooting wife in arm, Spencer man killed in rollover crash on I-70, 3 Ind. The only improvement he ever made was to buy two flat screen TV's, a 65-70 inch model for the master bedroom and a 42 inch screen for her daughter'sroom. While there had been some communications early on, we were not willing to offer Monserrate Shirley a significant deal for her cooperation, Robinson said. Hed also been previously accused of insurance fraud in connection with a car accident. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Leonard started talking the next week about trying for a second time to burn down the home. The crowd watched in grim silence as a Marion County judge entered not guilty pleas for Monserrate Shirley, her boyfriend Mark Leonard, and his brother, Bob Leonard. "You face one, you get over one and you've got another one all the way until the end. Indianapolis House Explosion Case Now a Criminal Homicide Investigation Shirley testified that friends called and told her there was a huge explosion. I said OK, she said. Eventually, hed be asked to repeat her answer at her boyfriends murder trial. "Cases are made up of hurdles all the time," Robinson said Wednesday. Shirley said she recalled telling them two innocent people die out of this.THIS HAS TO BE DONE. The program is a spin-off of the Oxygen series Snapped and has a similar format to the Investigation Discovery program Wicked Attraction. He told her one of the reasons she needed to upgrade the policy was he planned to bring in some nicer things and do some work around the house to improve it and they would need the extra coverage to match the upgrades. [6] One woman had previously won a $70,000 judgment against Leonard in a civil suit after lending him $53,000, which he never repaid. The brothers were sentenced to terms of life without parole for spearheading the conspiracy. According to Shirleys account, she was struggling to stay financially afloat when she met Leonard, and within a month of dating, he came up with the idea. Shirley would receive over $300,000 in insurance money for the replacement of the home as well as personal items. Her house exploded on their third attempt of trying to claim insurance money. Although the jury would eventually hear testimony and an audio recording of Leonard talking to an undercover ATF agent posing as a hitman (and Leonard would eventually get an extra 50 years in prison for it), having that information before the trial even began would have been extremely prejudicial against him. A second mortgage had been taken out on the home for $65,000 in addition to the original mortgage of $116,000. Prosecutors said Leonard planned to pay a person he thought was a hit man $15,000, giving him a $5,000 bonus if a witness in the case called police to say he had lied about information he had given investigators. Psychologist Dr. Stephanie Callaway diagnosed her with dependent personality disorder, but stated under cross-examination that, while the diagnosis explains Shirley's actions, it does not absolve her of responsibility. It was a restaurant that had the name of a famous Italian poet who died young, but the restaurant only lasted for a year. Leonard asked Holts to tell the story of his own fire, how easily he'd gotten the money and to re-assure Shirley everything would be alright if they did it at her house. Minch: "Before that, you did have some problems with the pilot light on the furnace?" Follow his reporting on Twitter at @Jordan_RTV6 or on Facebook. PREVIOUS|Timeline of events|Gallery: The Richmond Hill Explosion|Where were you at 11:11 PM? But I cant do that, and everybody knows you cant do that, but sometimes theres this perception that getting through the justice system will make things better. arranged for her daughter to stay . By the time wed got to trial, hed already been in jail for going on three years. She didnt know anyone died, she said. ", "Richmond Hill explosion suspects to get separate trials", "Attorneys: Change of venue likely in Monserrate Shirley case", "Richmond Hill suspect trial moved to South Bend", "Defendant in deadly Indiana explosion agrees to plea deal", "Richmond Hill trial: Informant says Mark Leonard wanted witness killed", "Home> U.S. Indianapolis House Explosion: Suspect Charged in Murder-for-Hire Plot", "Marion county prosecutor's office asks for life without parole sentences in richmond hill explosion", "Richmond Hill trial to focus on greed and desperation", "Mark Leonard convicted of murder in explosion scheme", "Mark Leonard gets life without parole for Richmond Hill explosion", "Richmond Hill explosion mastermind Mark Leonard dies", "Cause of death of Richmond Hill conspirator Mark Leonard determined", "Richmond Hill explosion culprit Mark Leonard dies at Indy hospital", "Leonard found guilty of all counts in Richmond Hill trial", "Indianapolis man get 2 life sentences in deadly house blast", "Psychologist Says Monserrate Shirley Was Abused as Child, Has 'Dependent Personality Disorder', "Monserrate Shirley sentenced to maximum 50 years in prison", "Gary Thompson sentenced in Richmond Hill explosion after pleading guilty to arson charge", "Glenn Hults sentenced to 3 years in deadly Richmond Hill blast", Affidavit of Probable Cause, Dec. 20, 2012, Affidavit of Probable Cause, April 14, 2015, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richmond_Hill_explosion&oldid=1133693717, November 2012 crimes in the United States, Articles with incomplete citations from March 2015, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 15 January 2023, at 02:18. The two divorced on July 25, 2011. It wasnt the only curveball Black and Shircliff would throw at the prosecution. Aaron Carter. On the other two days, Robinson still the head of the prosecutors homicide division would review pending cases and prepare for other trials on her plate. By December 2014, two years after the explosion in the Richmond Hill subdivision, prosecutors were preparing to go to trial without any cooperating witnesses. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Dion and Jennifer Longworth, two occupants in the house at 8355 Fieldfare Way, died in the explosion; seven others were injured. Its a game that only you can play. "I have everybody telling me stuff that they said on the TV," she said. Not until the following morning, when I went from this job to another job, did I get a text from a friend who thought it might be my house. To begin the day, Monserrate Shirley explained how she and Mark Leonard met. He says the log lighter worked fine when he lived there. [5], Monserrate "Moncy" Shirley, a nurse, owned the home at the center of the explosion. But she put an end to that in August 2011.". Robinson has said she will argue for 50 when the time comes. In a deposition before the trial, though, she reported saying, "I'm not doing this. [9], Investigators discovered a number of allegations of insurance fraud and other scams by Leonard prior to the blast, particularly involving stolen or wrecked automobiles. ", Minch: "You've had problems over the years with the furnace and the water heater. Shirley says he was paying Monserrate $1,000 a month in child support and mortgage payments. Robinson could not tell them, for example, that Shirley would be facing a sentencing range of 20-50 years in prison. She talked about being Catholic and said it was in God's hands, but still, they should be punished.". Indianapolis explosion may have been caused by furnace, says owner of She told them she didn't want anything to do with them anymore. At the center of the case, Mark Leonard, a womanizer with gambling debts who preyed on divorcees, hatched an arson plot for money with his girlfriend, Monserrate Shirley. Monserrate Shirley, Indianapolis Homeowner Whose House Exploded, Bereft Shirley says they were his. Leonard said he talked to Gary Thompson without her, telling him they were ready to do it. Shirley stated that her daughter had smelled gas during the week before the explosion. Shirley struck a plea deal with prosecutors and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. The here, in this case, was the knowing murder of Dion and Jennifer Longworth. IndyStar reporter Robert King contributed to this story. For one thing, the trial team deputy prosecutors Denise Robinson and Mark Hollingsworth, plus two junior deputies would have to wade through an entire subdivision-worth of evidence to build, arguably, the largest criminal prosecution in Indiana history. Two mental health experts testified that her childhood could have contributed to her decision to stay with Mark Leonard and go along with his plan to blow up her house for insurance money. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison. Its very difficult sentencing hearing weve been through for two days. Shirley: "No.". Estimates for the total scope of the damage caused by the explosion exceeded $4.5 million. He leaves to cherish his memory his daughters: Britney Morales (Malcolm Richardson) and Maria Morales: two step-daughters Latasha (Nathan) Roberts and Kizzy Carter; three grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends. A class C felony carries 2-8 years. Instead, on Dec. 20, 2016 after a two-day sentencing hearing that would be the closest her former neighbors would get to seeing her on trial Shirley was sentenced to the maximum term of 50 years in prison. The host family had a lot of horses, so Shirley's daughter went to play with them under the supervision of Holts' girlfriend, Sharon, whose teen daughters often watched the girl. In November 2014, Glenn Olvey who was trapped with his family in his collapsing house finally gave up on rebuilding his home in the neighborhood. When the relationship first started, she said, "He was a nice guy. There's little remaining of Shirley's home (pictured at left) after Saturday's explosion. Richmond Hill explosion: Where are they now? - indystar.com Glenn Hults, a friend of Leonard's who said he knew about the plot beforehand but didn't call police, was sentenced to three years. Except her cat, the clothes on her back and a teddy bear she got when she was 1. "Except her cat, the clothes on her back and a teddy bear she got when she was 1.". Shirley: "In order to pay a very large amount of child support, I was working a full-time job and two part-time jobs. We did the right thing, for the right reason, and got the right result in the right way.. I always get the money.". She was crying and hysterical and said the house blew up.". The Richmond Hill explosion took place on November 10, 2012, in the Richmond Hill subdivision in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. [12] Though the trio was eligible for the death penalty under Indiana law, prosecutors chose to pursue life sentences without parole because they believed a jury would be unlikely to impose the death penalty without any evidence that the suspects intended to cause the deaths. [24], On March 28, 2015, Mark Leonard was charged with conspiring to murder the key witness against him, Mark Duckworth. ProjectEuler/Program.cs at master gknicker/ProjectEuler Shirley had earlier cooperated in providing testimony against alleged co-conspirators but. FORT WAYNE, Ind. [34][35], Monserrate Shirley pled guilty to conspiracy to commit arson. But their arrests wereonly the beginning of years of work to put them behind bars for good. Richmond Hill trial: Monserrate Shirley testifies | wthr.com All I can say is, I had one small role in this. Defense attorneys tried to play that video for jurors Wednesday, but the judge wouldnt allow it. The first time Shirley cried on the stand Wednesday was when she was asked about her neighbors. [3][4] Damage to homes in the neighborhood was estimated at $4 million. They claim that Leonard wanted the hit man to force the witness to call 9-1-1 and recant his statement before killing him. As his court date neared, the workload ramped up. Inquiry Into Indianapolis Blast Suggests Scheme Gone Wrong - The New After court adjourned for the day, Shircliff said he attacked her inconsistencies "to show that she can tell the truth as easily as she tells a lie, and it's hard for the jury to know the difference. "I don't understand it," Shircliff said of the judge's ruling. [14] In April 2015, a fifth man, Glenn Hults, was charged with conspiracy to commit arson. As fate would have it, it would be Carter, just a few weeks later, who would place Monserrate Shirley in handcuffs. It was never no for an answer. She later worked at St. Francis and Community South. There have been days with only two people in the audience other than media, but there were more than 30 Wednesday. Shirley said after he and his wife's divorce was finalized in July 2011, the last time he was at the home at 8349 Fieldfare Way was August of that year. Richmond Hill explosion: 'It's the toughest thing I've ever done in my career', Richmond Hill explosion: 7 keys that solved the case, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Indiana sheriffs deputy dies after falling ill during training, Myles Colvin captivates Heritage Christian crowds, preps for Purdue. Out of fear that a Marion County jury would be too tainted by extensive media coverage of the case, the trial had been moved to South Bend, Indiana. [21] Mark Leonard was granted a change of venue and was tried in South Bend. The next time, Monserrate Shirley said Mark Leonards brother, Bob, was supposed to carry out the plan. While she was driving, Mark called to tell her to book a hotel room and to tell her daughter it was because the house was too cold to stay at. I dont believe in vengeance and I know that my son is not a person that would accept vengeance and such things, he didnt live that way., I look at Monserrate Shirley and I see a wasted life, said Tony Burnett, who lived across the street from Shirley. I dont wish them any hardship. When we got in this case, we were asked to save her life, said defense attorney James Voyles. More on AOL Real Estate:Find homes for rent in your area.Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.Find homes for sale in your area.Find foreclosures in your area. Including journalists, it was closer to four dozen. [28], Mark Leonard was found guilty on all 53 counts, including murder and felony murder charges, on July 14. She took care of all three. Witness: Indianapolis man promised $10K for home explosion Bob Leonard's son told investigators that several items were in the van that had been taken from the home, including photos and financial documents. "I moved out in February of 2011," he said. She was wearing a jail jumpsuit, was shackled and her hair had grown long, dark and curly.IM TELLING THE TRUTH. Monserrate Shirley, Indianapolis Homeowner - AOL Real Estate He says he and Monserrate never boarded the cat when they were married. Their first trip together was to the Hollywood Casino roughly 3-4 months after they first met. Mark Leonard, the man considered the mastermind behind the 2012 Richmond Hill neighborhood explosion that killed two people and wounded at least a dozen others, is dead. Richmond Hill explosion mastermind Mark Leonard dies You're a piece of [expletive]. When she got home, Mark told her he and Bob had gone to the library to research other similar homes that had been set on fire without anyone getting hurt. Shirley testified Leonard asked to see the insurance policy on the home within a few weeks of moving in. I see a con artist when I look at her., If she really is apologetic, then I accept the apology, said Dion Longworths father, John Longworth. Monserrate Shirley is lead into her sentencing hearing in December 2016. "The State asked questions about [the interview] andthe judge said on the record that he saw no difference in her demeanor [on the video] than what she did today and that was our whole point: that she can tell a lie as easy as she tells the truth.". At least three of his possessions did survive, however: two golf bags, with clubs, and a driver he'd been gifted. JDK-8141210 : Very slow loading of JavaScript file with recent JDK He eventually improved enough to return home, but Shirley had to continue caring for him for several months. And in each of those categories, you betrayed your trust.. [2] Over sixty firefighters responded to the blaze. [5], The most damning piece of evidence was a witness statement from one of Mark Leonard's associates, who told investigators that the weekend before the explosion, Leonard told him that "the house blew up". The case was expected to be the largest and most expensive trial in Marion County history. The cat, nicknamed Snowy, was a birthday gift for their daughter, he said, and "she misses him.". UPDATE: Search for accused Johnson County scammer ends in arrest, Men's challenges in fatherhood and marriage explored in new documentary, Live Doppler 13 Weather Blog: Record-breaking rain raises ongoing flood concerns, Saturday Sunrise Live Doppler 13 forecast March 4, 2023. "I mean, I'm totally devastated like my neighbors are.". Officials did not release further information regarding his death. Your email address will not be published. Monserrate Shirley sentencing: 'She is the worst of the bunch' - WTHR Leonard, his ex-girlfriend Monserrate Shirley, his half-brother Robert Leonard and Mark Leonards former employee blew up Shirleys home in the Richmond Hill subdivision to collect about $300,000 in insurance money to pay off the houses mortgage and Mark Leonards gambling and credit card debts. But Im not allowed to say that. Hults and his then-fiance babysat Shirley's daughter on the night of the explosion. Holts invited Leonard and Shirley to his friend's house for a pool party in the Geist neighborhood. Again, she said, "Because I was not able to tell him 'no'." But she had no hesitation when asked to identify the Longworths as her neighbors. Arguing for the maximum in this case, when you live with this case and you see the impact, and you know what devastating effect its had on these lives, it just compels you to argue for that, said Robinson. Shirley says the house had three gas appliances when he lived there: furnace, water heater and fireplace. And you have to weigh that out? She grew up in Puerto Rico with a violently abusive father who would often beat Shirley as well as her siblings and mother. But she put an end to that in August 2011.". Indianapolis blast: house owner, 2 others accused of deadly plot Prosecuting Mark Leonard presented with some challenges. The co-conspirators include Shirleys boyfriend at the time, Mark Leonard, and his brother, Bob Leonard Jr. In addition to his roofing business, Mastercraft, Leonard also flipped cars on the side. The defendants requested that the trials be moved over concerns they would not receive a fair trial in Central Indiana due to the high-profile media coverage received by the case. At least half a dozen marriages in the Richmond Hill neighborhood ended in divorce in the years immediately following the blast. (WISH) Monserrate Shirley told jurors Wednesday she would do anything for Mark Leonard, because she was in love with him. Monserrate Shirley was a divorced Puerto Rican mother whose exotic looks quickly attracted Mark Leonard. On the night of the explosion, Shirley said he was working a second job in Fishers. He occasionally worked on those cars at Shirley's home so she saw he had a wide array of tools. I should have been there.". The host family had a lot of horses, so Shirley's daughter went to play with them under the supervision of Holts' girlfriend, Sharon, whose teen . She has already been behind bars for four years. Defense attorney Ted Minch on cross-examination: "You're not happy to be here today." Prosecutors alleged Leonard was the mastermind behind the explosion that damaged or destroyed more than 80 homes in Indianapolis, plotting with his then-live-in girlfriend Monserrate Shirley. Once the trial began, rather than trying to claim their client was innocent, Black and Shircliff instead told the jury up front that he was guilty but of trying to start a small fire, not cause an explosion. The next morning, they went to Bob Leonard's mobile home. Leonard was being held at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facilitybut was transferred to the hospital several days ago. Among the "no" votes, inexplicably: political dancer Hiram Monserrate. Its been around since the late 80s, but Im sure well find more of it on our own site. Prosecutors told Judge Marnocha Tuesday they will likely rest their case next Wednesday or Thursday. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, Indianapolis, IN Interactive Weather Radar, Mark Leonards friend says he knew too much, Opening statements in the trial of Mark Leonard. Mr. Monserrate Morales was born on January 7, 1955 in Puerto Rico. "I mean, sometimes I wish I was there and I'd be dead, and now I wouldn't have to be asked so many questions.". Mark Leonard first mentioned trying to burn the house down in February 2012, according to Shirley. Bob had been asking for his $10,000 payment before the explosion even happened. The Version table provides details related to the release that this issue/RFE will be addressed. He questioned her about the multiple boardings of her cat, Snowball, which he found odd. She explained that Snowball had anxiety. John did all the maintenance on the home - she never did any.