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. Leonard said he talked to Gary Thompson without her, telling him they were ready to do it. Monserrate Shirley spent the entire day on the stand Wednesday, and the anticipation of her testimony was evident in courtroom attendance. The truth is, I was scared.. ", She said Mark told her, "It cannot be that bad.Don't worry about it. We again offer our condolences to the families of Dion and Jennifer Longworth and to those who suffered injury and loss. She remained in the house as the sole owner until the explosion. "I moved out in February of 2011," he said. We have done that. On Friday, October 26, Leonard told Shirley to get anything sentimental out of the house. Shirley testified in Fort Wayne at the trial of Bob Leonard, Jr. one of five people accused in the deadly 2012 Richmond Hill Explosion. And I think when the motivation is that, what we have is a person who is the worst of the worst.. When she left that morning, her daughterand Snowball were still there (Mark was going to take them to school and the kennel). Make She asked Mark not to try the house fire plan again. "I want $300,000. Shirley had earlier cooperated in providing testimony against alleged co-conspirators but. Would you describe her demeanor the same way?" Prosecuting Mark Leonard presented with some challenges. At the time her friends called her, Monserrate was at a casino with Mark Leonard. towns among 150 Best Small Town in America, Citizens support Ind. [18], Prosecutors initially sought to try the suspects together, but the defendants were granted the right to separate trials. The case was expected to be the largest and most expensive trial in Marion County history. We knew somebody else was involved, and he was the only one whose name consistently came up, but it was only after she cooperated that we were able to charge Gary Thompson and Glenn Hults.. [29] He was sentenced to life in prison plus 75 years without parole on August 14, 2015. Once again, she agreed to make the same three arrangements: the casino reservation, a babysitter for her daughterand boarding for Snowball. 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. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Shirley testified Leonard asked to see the insurance policy on the home within a few weeks of moving in. Shirley stated that her daughter had smelled gas during the week before the explosion. 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. 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. As fate would have it, it would be Carter, just a few weeks later, who would place Monserrate Shirley in handcuffs. ", Minch: "You said you talked to Ms. Shirley on the 11th. 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. This may help explain why this dish is beloved by patrons like myself. FOLLOW|Rafael Sanchez on Twitter|Jordan Fischer on Twitter, RELATED LINKS |Richmond Hill Special Section|Mark Ray Leonard convicted on all counts. Thompson said he'd been pulled over by a cop so he couldn't get to the house. 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. You were a nurse. FULL STORY | Mark Leonards friend says he knew too much. Eventually, hed be asked to repeat her answer at her boyfriends murder trial. And that, Im sure, will never change.. They decided to cut a piece of cardboard to block off the chimney path. Shirley struck a plea deal with prosecutors and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. 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. Shirley, her boyfriend Mark Leonard, and three others were convicted and sentenced to prison on various charges, including felony murder for Leonard. Shirley's daughterwent with them in Leonard's Cadillac. But ultimately I think we were able to accomplish what we needed to do for her.. 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. "You face one, you get over one and you've got another one all the way until the end. The here, in this case, was the knowing murder of Dion and Jennifer Longworth. I don't want anyone to get hurt," then started cooking dinner. I worked from the smaller charges to the larger ones to say, Of course its clear he did this, this and this, but heres how you get to here, Robinson said. John Duncan was the one to call, saying something horrible had happened on her street and he wanted to make sure she and her daughterwere okay. The first attempt was supposed to be carried out by Gary Thompson, but it failed. Roughly a week afterward, Mark asked Shirley for $500. The blast killed two people and. In another, she said Mark Leonard turned on the gas line and actually lit the fire during the second attempt. Much of Tuesdays testimony included accounts of Shirleys difficult childhood. The next morning, they went to Bob Leonard's mobile home. This time, Shirley's daughterwas at home, but she was upstairs. Monserrate Shirley agreed to testify against Mark Leonard as part of a plea agreement to reduce her potential prison time. But while he was living in the home, the only problem he had with its gas appliances the furnace, water heater and fireplace was that their pilot lights would sometimes go out when a draft blew in from an open garage door. [5], Monserrate "Moncy" Shirley, a nurse, owned the home at the center of the explosion. 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 . How to fix pii_email_029231e8462fca76041e Error Code? Leonard is charged with 53 counts of murder, arson and conspiracy. Ms. Shirley ultimately took responsibility for her actions by pleading guilty and provided important information during the investigation. And I wanted to be able to tell them everything., TRANSCRIPT | The full testimony of Monserrate Shirley. 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. [19] Judge Shelia Carlisle rejected the proposal, noting that no Indiana law authorizes the use of concurrent jury trials. Source: http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/11/14/monserrate-shirley-speaks-about-indianapolis-house-explosion/, emmy rossum jay z and beyonce the big chill tony blankley charles barkley beyonce troy polamalu, http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/11/14/monserrate-shirley-speaks-about-indianapolis-house-explosion/. In court, Shirley testified Leonard had promised to show her how to make a lot of money. Shirley says Monserrate got the house in the divorce. 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. Monserrate Shirley is lead into her sentencing hearing in December 2016. To see the faces of the neighborhood people and the sense of relief and calmness when the verdicts came in was a good thing, Garza said. All I can say is, I had one small role in this. [16] On March 13, Leonard allegedly placed a call to a man who he believed to be a hit man. She was the one who got her daughter and her cat out of the situation and left her neighbors in the situation. 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. [23] The plea deal involved Shirley pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit arson in exchange for testifying against the other suspects. ", When prosecutors asked if she was serious about the 401K offer, Shirley said, "I would have given him anything because I was in love with him.". Call 6 Investigator Rafael Sanchez and Senior Digital Correspondent Jordan Fischer will be in Fort Wayne covering the trial every day. Dont make that kind of joke, Shirley testified. And it wasn't the answer we were looking for. Shirley is originally from Puerto Rico. 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. 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. "You can't even do a fire. "They are currently in the process of recovering the appliances from destroyed homes to help determine the cause.". Today, Snowball, a white Persian cat, is in the care of John Shirley, Monserrate's ex-husband. Prosecutors contend that the motorcycle was disassembled in Shirley's garage. . The man he called was actually an undercover agent. ", Minch: "You've had problems over the years with the furnace and the water heater. And the water heater." They went home together that night and he moved in the first week of December. [The residents] clearly knew the Leonards were the bad actors, and that we needed to do everything we could to get to them, Robinson said. She was 11 years old at that point. "No one.". 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. Its about not letting the person who was watching your game die ever have a say in your game. Shirley met Mark Leonard. "No one deserves what happened," she said. In addition to the thousands of pieces of physical evidence, they had more than 200 witnesses lined up to testify. (WISH) Monserrate Shirley told jurors Wednesday she would do anything for Mark Leonard, because she was in love with him. Shirley says he and Monserrate married on July 17, 1993. She said she did not tell officers at the time what happened because she was scared. This time, Mark and Bob talked alone while Monserrate left to pick up her daughter. While Shirley and the Leonards had been sitting in jail, Robinson and Hollingsworth had been traveling to the ATF lab in Washington D.C. to learn about explosions and taking a crash course on natural gas. And then there was the arrangement that when I picked up my daughter I would get to take some of my belongings. [6] Investigators said personal insurance on the home had recently been increased to $300,000. 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. Follow us on Twitter at @AOLRealEstate, or connect with AOL Real Estate on Facebook and Pinterest. Everything's under control.". The inmate and Leonard drew up a contract agreeing that Leonard would pay the inmate $15,000 when he was released, the affidavit said. This story is Chapter III of a three-part series. ", "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. Investigators found that the couple had substantial debt, including $63,000 in credit card debt, and were in bankruptcy proceedings. HS counselor at board meeting, Serial Indianapolis rapist pleads guilty to 9 counts, Mom speaks out after 2 kids killed by falling tree, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. ", Minch: "At no time did she ever say she was involved in the explosion?" Shirley: "Back in August (2011) she just stopped taking my phone calls and letting me talk to Brook. "Our investigators believe natural gas is involved," the Indianapolis Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. Shirley: "In order to pay a very large amount of child support, I was working a full-time job and two part-time jobs. Holts invited Leonard and Shirley to his friend's house for a pool party in the Geist neighborhood. I did everything to make him happy, Monserrate Shirley said in testimony. 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. She could face 20-50 years in prison. Shirley says they were his. IndyStar reporter Robert King contributed to this story. The entire day she answered questions from attorneys, repeatedly crying. The co-conspirators include Shirleys boyfriend at the time, Mark Leonard, and his brother, Bob Leonard Jr. 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. Shirley: "Yes. This is too risky." 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. Monserrate Shirley, 51, was one of five people charged in the explosion that left two people dead. 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. After the first failure, Leonard decided he also wanted to bring in his half-brother, Bob. 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. She was able to take that to the prosecutor and get a protective order against me. Shirley and her boyfriend were hoping to collect $300,000 in insurance . Mark Leonard moved in with Monserrate Shirley about a month later. Leonard went to pick up Thompson in the white van witnesses in the neighborhood have previously testified seeing in Shirley's driveway. Deputy prosecutor Denise Robinson returned from prosecuting the Richmond Hill cases to a pile of homicides waiting on her desk. He told her his friend Glenn Holts had done the same at his own house with help from Gary Thompson, who worked for Leonard at the time. The sentence accounts for time served and good time credit. FORT WAYNE, Ind. But didnt the jury need to hear from the residents? Write For Us: Investigative Articles are Intriguing. Its a game that only you can play. Prosecutors told Judge Marnocha Tuesday they will likely rest their case next Wednesday or Thursday. Its about becoming who you were meant to be. Prosecutors alleged Leonard was the mastermind behind the explosion, plotting with his. [3][4] Damage to homes in the neighborhood was estimated at $4 million. Shirley says he was working at Eli Lilly at the time, and Monserrate was working as an RN at the VA hospital. He asked how much was in the 401k, according to Shirley. Made and inspired by a love triangle, this was written by a girl from Italy. Again, she said, "Because I was not able to tell him 'no'." Thompson left after a few hours and Shirley didn't hear anything else before the first attempt that Saturday. The explosion leveled 8349 Fieldfare Way, the home at the center of the explosion, and severely damaged a number of other residences, including several (on either side) which were damaged by the ensuing fire. Powerball winner sold in central Indiana! For Lt. Mario Garza, the Indianapolis Fire Department veteran tasked with leading the arson investigation, the Richmond Hill explosion will likely be the most significant challenge of his career. It ended in the deaths of Dion and Jennifer Longworth. For years, the team holed up in that office three days a week to avoid being distracted by other ongoing cases. Shirley and her boyfriend Mark Leonard were out of town for the weekend while her 12-year-old daughter stayed with friends. Leonard died around 9:15. When they arrived, Mark told her the fire would happen Saturday night so she needed to ask to keep their room a second night (Saturday night). She will not learn her fate until after all four of her alleged co-conspirators has been tried. This has to be done, Shirley testified. Residents, particularly the younger ones, report experiencing continued psychological trauma from the incident. When testimony moved to the night of the explosion that killed Jennifer and Dion Longworth, Monserrate Shirley had a difficult time staying composed. . The girlwas already out of the house while they cleared it of the sentimental items. She was crying and hysterical and said the house blew up.". And the game of death is the game of life itself. Thats time served, and hes out. [10] Included on the probable cause affidavit were complaints from several women claiming that Leonard scammed them out of thousands of dollars. Until shed agreed and signed on the dotted line, there were things I could not tell them. A class C felony carries 2-8 years. . Her house exploded on their third attempt of trying to claim insurance money. Should I have accepted that stipulation? He said that his daughter had mentioned that the furnace wasn't working, and he wondered whether a gas leak ignited the blast. She and her daughterwent to the hotel, where Mark later joined them. He says the log lighter worked fine when he lived there. Shirley says he replaced the thermostat "so there were more options to heat the house during the day.". No one involved in this investigation or prosecution will forget the stories of this tragedy and the continuing fear and trauma that it caused to the survivors. They'd soon get a new roommate. [28] Prosecutors expected to submit nearly 3,000 pieces of evidence, and potentially call up to 175 witnesses. This type of trial is unusual but not unheard of, and had been used in the trial of the Menendez brothers. [37] She is serving her sentence at Indiana Women's Prison in Indianapolis. The next morning, they drove back and saw the house was still standing so they went on to Thompson's house where Leonard confronted him. arranged for her daughter to stay . Every day I ask myself why I didnt stop this. Mark Leonard was the first to go on trial. I had seen it used in a couple of games, but I never knew it was the name of a real person. She grabbed a few pictures, including the canvas portrait of her daughterat age 5 that hung above the fireplace. "That's not what you told me," she remembered saying to Mark. I said I think theres ($10,000) or $12,000 in there, and he said, That was not enough, I want $300,000, Shirley said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Shirley's sentencing started Monday morning at 9 a.m. She faces 20 to 50 years in prison for two counts conspiracy to commit arson. The shirley daughter is an Italian restaurant that takes more than 15 minutes to make you feel at home. "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.". In her sentencing order, Judge Sheila Carlisle repeatedly stressed that Shirley could have stopped the plan at any time but didnt. He says he and Monserrate never boarded the cat when they were married. Police became suspicious when they uncovered evidence that the couple had taken similar steps the previous weekend; the cat had been boarded and Shirley's daughter had been placed with a babysitter overnight before the couple went to the casino. "I don't know what happened. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. monserrate is a real-life cousin of Shirley, and its said that her daughter monserrate will be taking us on when we die. The next time, Monserrate Shirley said Mark Leonards brother, Bob, was supposed to carry out the plan. Start the day smarter Notable deaths in 2023 The world's largest war 2023 meteor showers 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. Marion County Superior Court Judge Sheila Carlisle sentenced Monserrate Shirley to spend the maximum sentence of 50 years in prison on Tuesday. No one deserved what happened. They laughed at her for asking, but it was switched back out. The two divorced on July 25, 2011. But no other problems. 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. 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. And in each of those categories, you betrayed your trust.. [28], Mark Leonard was found guilty on all 53 counts, including murder and felony murder charges, on July 14. Get caught up on the first two chapters here:Chapter I: The Night the Sky Caught Fire|Chapter II: The $4 Million Arson Plot. They enter into evidence two golf bags with clubs and a driver. The November 2012 blast claimed the lives of John and Jennifer Longworth and spawned an investigation that landed five people behind bars. But she put an end to that in August 2011.". 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? So in the end there were a couple of people who were opposed to it, and I respected that. "I was at one of my part-time jobs when I got a text from my daughter, which was very unusual. She went to a bar on the south side of Indianapolis in November 2011 and they immediately noticed each other. Authorities blamed a natural gas explosion inside the home of Monserrate Shirley, who was away at the time of the explosion. TRANSCRIPT | Opening statements in the trial of Mark Leonard. [34][35], Monserrate Shirley pled guilty to conspiracy to commit arson. 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. I cant give the Olveys back a peace of mind. She said he also told her not to worry because he took out the step-down valve on the gas line, "and put it away where no one else would ever find it. She later worked at St. Francis and Community South. Defense attorneys tried to play that video for jurors Wednesday, but the judge wouldnt allow it. Follow her on Twitter:@hollyvhays. News, information &. The first time Gary Thompson first came over to discuss starting a fire, she told him, "I'm ready, as long is this is a small fire. Dion and Jennifer Longworth, two occupants in the house at 8355 Fieldfare Way, died in the explosion; seven others were injured. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. [39] Glenn Hults received a three-year sentence.[40]. He asked whose name the house was under, and she said it was entirely in her name after the divorce. Again, Monserrate agreed to do her same three preparations: a casino hotel reservation, a babysitter for her daughterand boarding for Snowball. Monserrate Shirley was ordered to serve out her sentence at the Indiana Womens Prison in Indianapolis. monserrate is the name of the dish, as well as its chef and owner. 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.