That hit man was later revealed to be an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The brothers were sentenced to terms of life without parole for spearheading the conspiracy. You were a nurse. Defense attorney David Shircliff then said Shirley may not have provided the "means" for the explosion, but she took care of the logistics to make sure no one realized she was helping blow up her own home. Of the dozens and dozens of homes damaged by the blast, 33 were affected so severely they had to be demolished. To do that, the team moved 80 boxes of documents connected to the case to an office on the east side of Indianapolis. Even years later, Robinson says she doesnt know why Black brought the hitman allegations up. The defense attorney told the judge without the jury in the room that he planned to use the video to show that Shirley had the same demeanor in the courtroom as she did while lying to reporters. FORT WAYNE, Ind. Monserrate Shirley, the Indianapolis homeowner whose house is suspected of being the source of a deadly explosion that damaged nearly 80 homes in her subdivision, was inconsolable Tuesday as she wept while speaking publicly for the first time about the horrific incident. There have been days with only two people in the audience other than media, but there were more than 30 Wednesday. [28] Prosecutors expected to submit nearly 3,000 pieces of evidence, and potentially call up to 175 witnesses. John Shirley, her ex-husband, who owns the home with her, told The Associated Press that he believed the home's faulty furnace could have led to the explosion. "I mean, I'm totally devastated like my neighbors are.". Leonard went to pick up Thompson in the white van witnesses in the neighborhood have previously testified seeing in Shirley's driveway. "I am a nurse. [31][32][33] Bob Leonard was convicted on all 51 counts, including murder and conspiracy to commit arson, on February 24, 2016. During the course of this lengthy process, we have sincerely appreciated the cooperation and patience of these families. The jury found 46-year-old Mark Leonard guilty of all counts against him, including murder and felony murder. While she was charged in December 2012 for her role in the explosion, she pleaded guilty to two felony conspiracy charges earlier this year in exchange for her testimony. The stove was electric. Mark Leonard was convicted in 2015 of two counts of murder as well as a litany of other charges, including multiple counts of arson and conspiracy to commit arson. PHOTOS: First Richmond Hill trial Mark Leonard is on. He faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted. Its not the only weird coincidence Ive noticed in the past few months, but the name shirley was the one that stood out to me most. Shirley didn't hear anything more about a plot to start a fire that night, and nothing happened. Investigators quickly honed in on the home's owner, Monserrate Shirley, her boyfriend Mark Leonard and his brother, Bob Leonard Jr., as the primary suspects. Mark had called her asking which credit card he could buy the thermostat with, but she didn't see him actually switch out the thermostat for the new one, nor did he ever say who did it. 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. I didnt give it any credibility. He was sentenced to two life sentences without parole, as well as 70 years from other charges, on March 18, 2016. Ms. Shirley, 47, and Mark Leonard, 43, her boyfriend, were 100 miles away at a casino when their home blew up. Eventually, hed be asked to repeat her answer at her boyfriends murder trial. Snapped: Killer Couples - Wikipedia 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. "Everything they were telling me, it could not be possible," Shirley said on the stand as she started to get emotional. At that point, Shirley and her co-defendants her boyfriend Mark Leonard and his brother, Bob Leonard Jr. had been sitting in jail for two years following their arrest on charges of murder, arson and attempted insurance fraud in connection with the explosion. Monserrate Shirley sentenced to 50 years in prison - YouTube Charged in the deadly Richmond Hill Fire RTV6 News brings you the best breaking news coverage in Indiana. Robert Leonard, who was convicted of murder and multiple felonies, was sentenced to life without parole. Monserrate worked Friday, November 9. I dont feel bad for Mr. Leonard, said Don Buxton, father of Jennifer Longworth, who was killed in the blast with her husband, Dion. Most importantly, Shirleys testimony would further tip the scales against the Leonard brothers. 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. For one: She had earned a reputation as a master liar, as Mark Leonards defense team would later call her. That's whatwe'll be asking the jury to consider.". Prosecutors started by addressing her plea agreement. HOW TO SOLVE ERROR CODE PII_EMAIL_DE03C2D55A4B639F558D. Download the RTV6 app to get the latest live blog posts as the proceedings unfold. Shirley, her boyfriend Mark Leonard, and three others were convicted and sentenced to prison on various charges, including felony murder for Leonard. The shirley daughter is an Italian restaurant that takes more than 15 minutes to make you feel at home. While still at the hotel, Mark asked her to call a heating & cooling company on Sunday, November 4, to see what they would charge to check on the heat because the house was too cold. The first time Shirley cried on the stand Wednesday was when she was asked about her neighbors. "Except her cat, the clothes on her back and a teddy bear she got when she was 1.". Monserrate Shirley, who had pleaded not guilty after she and two men were charged in late 2012, appeared before a Marion County judge in a courtroom filled with current and former residents of the . [38], Gary Thompson pled guilty to conspiracy to commit arson and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He said there wouldn't be a problem because it would be a small fire so no one would get hurt, and since she had a long history with the insurance company and no criminal record, they would get the money almost immediately. Their first trip together was to the Hollywood Casino roughly 3-4 months after they first met. 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. As Mark Leonards defense team would point out repeatedly throughout his trial, there was a chance, however small, that Shirleys cooperation could end with her walking free at the end. Should I have accepted that stipulation? He asked whose name the house was under, and she said it was entirely in her name after the divorce. But these were good defense attorneys. At the time of the explosion, Shirley says he was living in Noblesville. Although prosecutors didnt need their blessing to go ahead with the plea, Robinson said they felt it was important to tell the residents as much as they could. A prosecuting attorney showed her a photo of the house that exploded and asked her who lived on either side of her. She later pointed out she agreed to the plot under Mark Leonard's premise that it would be a small fire at just her home - not an explosion that would affect other people. They went to the casino and waited for the call that a fire had broken out, but again, the call never came. Jeff Wager, the lead homicide investigator in the case, talks about the surveillance and arrests of Mark Leonard and Monserrate Shirley: It was at a meeting with prosecutors in early 2015 that Richmond Hill residents learned of the plea deal being worked out with their former neighbor, Monserrate Shirley. I was introduced to this once-a-year dish at a party and she was one of the first people to give it a shot. She was crying and hysterical and said the house blew up.". Federal grand jury indicts man on hate crime charges after he allegedly shot 2 Jewishmen in Los Angelesin February, Pot vote has Oklahoma hungry to rake in green from Texas, Indonesia fuel depot fire kills 18, over dozen missing, Fishers firefighters assist car flipped NB over I-69. I did everything to make him happy, Monserrate Shirley said in testimony. ", Minch: "At no time did she ever say she was involved in the explosion?" 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. The next morning, they returned to Indianapolis and saw the house was again still standing so Mark called Bob and told him to meet at a nearby parking lot. She told him the attempt didnt work but that there would be another attempt. 2012 explosion in Richmond Hill, Indianapolis, Indiana, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, "At least 2 killed, others injured in explosion, fire in Indianapolis neighborhood", "Family breaks ground on new home in Richmond Hill subdivision after Indianapolis home explosion", "36 homes critically damaged in explosion in south side neighborhood", "Homeowner at center of explosion feels lucky to be alive", "Authorities call Richmond Hill explosion a homicide case, seek details on white van", "Probable cause suggests pattern of fraud, details inconsistencies", "Richmond Hill suspect, friend face insurance fraud charges", "Affidavit: women say richmond hill blast suspect Mark Leonard has long history of scheming", "Shattered Subdivision Offers a Trail of Clues", "Life sentences without parole sought for Indianapolis explosion suspects", "4th person arrested in Indianapolis house explosion", "Fifth suspect charged in 2012 Indianapolis south side explosion", "Mark Leonard, Indy Blast suspect, pleads not guilty in murder plot", "Jim Voyles now representing Monserrate Shirley", "Home Explosion Case: Monserrate Shirley, Mark And Bob Leonard Due In Indianapolis Court", "Richmond Hill explosion: 3 trials for price of 1? Mark. She asked Mark and Bob what happened that made it be an explosion instead of a fire. Hults faces no prison time to three years . [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. She, at first, struggled to identify her other neighbors. [10] Included on the probable cause affidavit were complaints from several women claiming that Leonard scammed them out of thousands of dollars. Shirley testified in Fort Wayne at the trial of Bob Leonard, Jr. one of five people accused in the deadly 2012 Richmond Hill Explosion. Investigators have ruled out a natural gas leak from the home's underground pipelines, the Star reported, and they are now focusing on whether there may have been a leak from one of the gas appliances inside three homes that were obliterated in the explosion. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. She told them she didn't want anything to do with them anymore. He was sentenced to 75 years in prison on the arson charges on top of two life sentences for the murder charges. You're done.". The original posters source was a little bit of a weird little coincidence, but the name was still alive and well. [23] The plea deal involved Shirley pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit arson in exchange for testifying against the other suspects. A second home was reduced to rubble as well, and other houses were half-collapsed. 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. You were a mom. Are they going to get bored with it?. I said OK, she said. Shirley agreed to plead guilty to two counts conspiracy to commit arson and testify against the co-conspirators in exchange for having all other charges dropped. John moved out in February 2010 and their divorce was finalized that summer. If Monserrate Shirley keeps up her part of the agreement, a judge will decide her sentence after all the Richmond Hill explosiontrials have been completed. Mark Leonard drove her home that night and stayed with her for what the defense characterized as a romantic, sexual night. 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. monserrate is a real-life cousin of Shirley, and its said that her daughter monserrate will be taking us on when we die. Its because the game of death is the game of life itself. IndyStar reporter Robert King contributed to this story. He says he and Monserrate never boarded the cat when they were married. 2023 CIRCLE CITY BROADCASTING I, LLC. Glenn Hults, who had known of the scheme and kept Shirleys daughter Brooke out of the house, pleaded guilty on Dec. 28, 2016, to one count of assisting a criminal. In another, she said Mark Leonard turned on the gas line and actually lit the fire during the second attempt. 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. Richmond Hill trial: Monserrate Shirley testifies | wthr.com [14] Shirley admitted raising the limit on her insurance coverage at Mark Leonard's urging, and only went along with the plot out of love for him. No one deserved what happened. The human toll is harder to estimate. For her cooperation with the prosecutions of the Leonard brothers, and the information she provided that led to the convictions of Hults and Thompson, Monserrate Shirley was spared the possibility of life without parole. Defense attorneys later pointed out she allowed him to move in and eventually drive her daughter to school despite knowing he was serving house detention for a DUI charge. It started as a bad headache, but quickly grew until he was hospitalized with an autoimmune disease serious enough he would need a blood transfusion. By this time, Shirley's daughterhad noticed her portrait was no longer above the fireplace and asked Monserrate about it. An autopsy will be conducted by the Marion County coroner's office Wednesday, according to the DOC. [19] Judge Shelia Carlisle rejected the proposal, noting that no Indiana law authorizes the use of concurrent jury trials. Its a difficult case. I dont know why they did it. And I think when the motivation is that, what we have is a person who is the worst of the worst.. If I could bring Dion and Jennifer back, I would do that in a heartbeat, she said. Seven months later, on March 18, 2016, his brother Bob Leonard Jr. received his own sentence of life without parole in a courtroom in Fort Wayne, Indiana. More: Richmond Hill: 'The scars still remain', More: Richmond Hill explosion: 'It's the toughest thing I've ever done in my career', More: Richmond Hill explosion: 7 keys that solved the case. 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. 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. In court, Shirley testified Leonard had promised to show her how to make a lot of money. She went to a bar on the south side of Indianapolis in November 2011 and they immediately noticed each other. When you come out and say, My client attempted to commit insurance fraud through a small fire and this just happened, he had no idea, what the jury doesnt realize, because Im not allowed to tell them, is attempted insurance fraud even if coupled with reckless homicide is a class C felony. No one, Shirley replied, crying.I WAS IN LOVE WITH HIM. Shirley: "Yes. Again, she said, "Because I was not able to tell him 'no'." Investigators found that the couple had substantial debt, including $63,000 in credit card debt, and were in bankruptcy proceedings. She now faces 20-50 years, though a judge has the right to suspend some, or all of that time. I was at one of my part-time jobs when I got a text from my daughter, which was very unusual. She was the one who got her daughter and her cat out of the situation and left her neighbors in the situation. I had to know I could make this case based on the evidence I had.. When she left that morning, her daughterand Snowball were still there (Mark was going to take them to school and the kennel). "No one deserves what happened," she said. "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. Robinson knew that. Both the prosecution and defense attorneys asked Shirley if she thought Hults was joking. Im thankful for my trial team for sticking with me. Monserrate Shirley spent the entire day on the stand Wednesday, and the anticipation of her testimony was evident in courtroom attendance. Man accused of murder in deadly house blast learns his fate - CBS News Shirley said that she was at a casino bar at the time of the explosion, and her boyfriend and daughter -- who also live with her -- weren't home either. The defense team started their cross-examination by establishing Shirley's ability to make life-and-death decisions in high-pressure situations while a charge nurse in the ICU. When we got in this case, we were asked to save her life, said defense attorney James Voyles. "You face one, you get over one and you've got another one all the way until the end. I cant give the Olveys back a peace of mind. It wasnt the only curveball Black and Shircliff would throw at the prosecution. wikipedia.en/Richmond_Hill_explosion.md at main - github.com Shirley testified that friends called and told her there was a huge explosion. Shirley met Mark Leonard. She asked Mark not to try the house fire plan again. arranged for her daughter to stay . He gave her $3,000 to use, and they lost it all. [29] He was sentenced to life in prison plus 75 years without parole on August 14, 2015. Sometimes they would go during the week while her daughterwas at school and leave in enough time to pick her back up. After the first failure, Leonard decided he also wanted to bring in his half-brother, Bob. At the end of the day, we still miss her and him, Dion, as much as ever, Buxton said. "I moved out in February of 2011," he said. The shirley daughter is an Italian restaurant that takes more than 15 minutes to make you feel at home. It had three gas appliances - the water heater, the furnace and the fireplace. They agreed to say they'd been having trouble with the thermostat and smelling gas for a while. I had a homicide detective crying on the stand. Shirley said she would come back immediately, but they told her there was no house to come back to. In the game of death, monserrate daughter is the only way to be reunited with the game of life. This time, Shirley's daughterwas at home, but she was upstairs. Bob had been asking for his $10,000 payment before the explosion even happened. Defense counsel said the deposition version showed she was actually in favor of burning the house down, she just didn't want to get caught. He refused, though, and warned them, "You guys be careful, because I know someone who committed arson and got 75 years in prison. In exchange, she offered him the money in her 401K. The Insurance Scam That Blew Up A Neighborhood - Medium She grabbed a few pictures, including the canvas portrait of her daughterat age 5 that hung above the fireplace. The men were reportedly in the home briefly and hurriedly left. They had left town the night before, after Ms. Shirley's nursing shift at a local. Glenn Hults, the final defendant to stand trial for the explosion, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge last month that may result in no additional jail time. Shirley told jurors he lost a number of things in the explosion, including a collection of tennis rackets and a drafting table. At the time her friends called her, Monserrate was at a casino with Mark Leonard. None of them had given any indication they were willing to take a plea under the terms prosecutors were offering. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison. You can't do anything," he said. Leonardwas placed under "imminent death watch" earlier this week. After the second failed attempt to burn the home, Monserrate Shirley said she went to the home of Glenn Hults to pick up her daughter. (They were) my neighbors for a very long time since we built the house, Shirley said. She even took some leave from work to stay with him longer than her paid vacation time allowed. When she arrived at the bar, she found Mark and Bob in the white van at a nearby gas station. Shirley: "Yes. Thats time served, and hes out. But she put an end to that in August 2011.". She owned the house. [1] Thirty-three homes were damaged severely enough to require demolition. At the end of the interview, Carter asked Shirley what should happen to the person responsible for the explosion. [30] He died on January 30, 2018, at an Indianapolis hospital, aged 48, of natural causes. FORT WAYNE, Ind. He questioned her about the multiple boardings of her cat, Snowball, which he found odd. She explained that Snowball had anxiety. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. [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". An offhand comment would change that. Did you see her on TV a few days later? ", Minch: "You've had problems over the years with the furnace and the water heater. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Again, Monserrate agreed to do her same three preparations: a casino hotel reservation, a babysitter for her daughterand boarding for Snowball. West's Mortuary, Inc. Mark Leonard first mentioned trying to burn the house down in February 2012, according to Shirley. Once they were alone, Leonard, Holts and Shirley started talking about the fire again while they sat around the pool drinking beer. [21] Mark Leonard was granted a change of venue and was tried in South Bend. She found a house with a floorplan she liked." Her sister had lived in the same housing complex. The defense wrapped up a little more quickly than expected after Judge John Marnocha denied their request to play a video of Shirley's 2012 interview with the media. Hed also been previously accused of insurance fraud in connection with a car accident. They enter into evidence two golf bags with clubs and a driver. When the relationship first started, she said, "He was a nice guy. 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. They went home together that night and he moved in the first week of December. Later that same day, an attorney asked Shirley if the Longworths deserved what happened to them. 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. American Greed: Property, auto insurance fraud is $30B problem - WSAV-TV Once again, she agreed to make the same three arrangements: the casino reservation, a babysitter for her daughterand boarding for Snowball. 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. More than 4 years later, Monserrate Shirley to be sentenced in Richmond "Our investigators believe natural gas is involved," the Indianapolis Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. She came into the courtroom looking much different than she did the weekend of the explosion in 2012. 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. monserrate shirley daughter - Investigative Guide Follow his reporting on Twitter at @Jordan_RTV6 or on Facebook. Its about becoming who you were meant to be. At least half a dozen marriages in the Richmond Hill neighborhood ended in divorce in the years immediately following the blast. You're a piece of [expletive]. She agreed that's what happened, but insisted she only said what Mark told her to say. [7], An investigation involving the Indianapolis Division of Homeland Security, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Indianapolis Fire Department was begun. She will not learn her fate until after all four of her alleged co-conspirators has been tried. No one else was within earshot, so far as she knew. "I want $300,000. I commend Det. Im telling the truth and nothing but the truth was a phrase repeated by Monserrate Shirley throughout the day. Prosecutors ended by asking Shirley if the Longworths or any of her other neighbors deserved what happened. After her 12 hour shift, she planned to see her daughter at the Holts' house and change there. But no other problems. And the water heater." She was an RN for more than 20 years, starting her career in Michigan where she attended college, before moving to Indianapolis after her then-husband John Shirley got a job offer there. After he was done, the fireplace worked properly and they never smelled any gas inside the home because of it. Indiana Neighborhood Explosion: Two Questioned in Connection to Blast The man he called was actually an undercover agent. She has already been behind bars for four years. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. 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. "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.". They are charged with. She was 11 years old at that point. Monserrate Shirley: 'I did everything to make him happy' - WISH-TV Mr. Monserrate Morales was born on January 7, 1955 in Puerto Rico. Monserrate Shirley, 47, her boyfriend, Mark Leonard, 43, and his brother, Bob Leonard Jr., 54, are accused of intentionally leaking natural gas into the house and then using the kitchen's. While Thompson checked the digital thermostat, Shirley heard him and Leonard say they could use it to trigger the fireplace as the source of the fire, but they never directly gave her any specifics on how they were going to do it. She gave it to him, and he used it to pay Bob. Monserrate Shirley, 49, would have to testify against former boyfriend Mark Leonard and his brother in the plea deal . ", Holts then asked who would get the money if they went through with it and Mark said, "Of course, me. Its about your game being the only game that matters. He couldn't get a card to play with so she got a card for him and played on his behalf. I cant give back what was taken from them on November 10. I didnt want it to affect the trial date, Robinson said. Monserrate Shirley, the Indianapolis homeowner whose house is suspected of being the source of a deadly explosion that damaged nearly 80 homes in her subdivision, was inconsolable Tuesday as she wept while speaking publicly for the first time about the horrific incident.
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