The couple says their neighbor Bob Leonard was led away for questioning. To this day, absolutely they had the right to do that. They decided to cut a piece of cardboard to block off the chimney path. Mark Leonard is on trial in South Bend in connection to the explosion in the Richmond Hill neighborhood that killed Jennifer and Dion Longworth in November 2012. The Richmond Hill neighbors had been waiting long enough without a trial. "No one.". 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. Exasperated, Judge John Marnocha, who was assigned to oversee the trial, dismissed dozens of potential jurors and ended the day early with an admonition for Black and her co-counsel, David Shircliff. [23] The plea deal involved Shirley pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit arson in exchange for testifying against the other suspects. The stove was electric. He faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted. See also:Shantonia Heard of Atlanta Left Her 2 Children Alone With No Power and Gas Oven On, Police Say Apartment Fire Safety Tips Man Killed as Gas Explosion Destroys Connecticut Home. At 11:11 p.m. on Nov. 10, 2012, a two-story home on the south side of Indianapolis exploded with the force of as much as 5 tons of TNT. The group researched methods of how to destroy the home and made more than one attempt at doing so before succeeding, authorities said. 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. She didnt know anyone died, she said. 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. "That cannot be real. . Monserrate Shirley, 49, would have to testify against former boyfriend Mark Leonard and his brother in the plea deal . It had three gas appliances - the water heater, the furnace and the fireplace. . Your email address will not be published. In her sentencing order, Judge Sheila Carlisle repeatedly stressed that Shirley could have stopped the plan at any time but didnt. [14] In April 2015, a fifth man, Glenn Hults, was charged with conspiracy to commit arson. 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. She was wearing a jail jumpsuit, was shackled and her hair had grown long, dark and curly.IM TELLING THE TRUTH. I didnt want to do anything that would cause that trial date to be continued.. An offhand comment would change that. [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. Shirley struck a plea deal with prosecutors and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. Shirley: "I moved out in February of 2011. . While questioning potential jurors, one of Leonards attorneys, Diane Black, brought up out of the blue that her client had tried to hire a hitman from jail to kill his friend, and potential witness against him, Mark Duckworth. She was the neighbor that all the other neighbors were looking at. He occasionally worked on those cars at Shirley's home so she saw he had a wide array of tools. But she had no hesitation when asked to identify the Longworths as her neighbors. At the end of the day, we still miss her and him, Dion, as much as ever, Buxton 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. No one else was within earshot, so far as she knew. So there wasnt a great deal of pressure on us, or desire by us, to offer her anything.. The name was inspired by the work of the famous Italian poet Leonardo da Vinci, but it was actually a combination of the two that are so influential in the history of Italian cooking that the name was changed to monserrate. Mark started telling Shirley they needed to get their stories straight before police started asking questions. 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. Again, she said, "Because I was not able to tell him 'no'." Monserrate worked Friday, November 9. FOLLOW|Rafael Sanchez on Twitter|Jordan Fischer on Twitter, RELATED LINKS |Richmond Hill Special Section|Mark Ray Leonard convicted on all counts. monserrate is the name of the dish, as well as its chef and owner. 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. 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. Example video title will go here for this video. Shirley and her boyfriend Mark Leonard were out of town for the weekend while her 12-year-old daughter stayed with friends. They had left town the night before, after Ms. Shirley's nursing shift at a local. According to Shirley, he said the house fire would happen, "even if I have to step in the living room and light up this house myself.". Monserrate Shirley was ordered to serve out her sentence at the Indiana Womens Prison in Indianapolis. Home owner, Monserrate Shirley; her boyfriend, Mark Leonard; and his brother, Bob Leonard, were arrested Friday and charged with murder and arson Prosecutors may seek the death penalty Fire. This may help explain why this dish is beloved by patrons like myself. The sentence accounts for time served and good time credit. Snapped: Killer Couples (known as Killer Couples from seasons 7 to 15) is an American true crime television series currently airing on the Oxygen Network.The program details couples who commit crimes together. I was at one of my part-time jobs when I got a text from my daughter, which was very unusual. FULL STORY | Mark Leonards friend says he knew too much. 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. Much of Tuesdays testimony included accounts of Shirleys difficult childhood. To the uninitiated, it seems to be a reference to a nickname used by the family of the deceased who are being called Shirley by their name. She was the nurse. Thirty-three homes were damaged so severely they were deemed unrecoverable, and had to be torn down to the foundation. She owned the house. 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. And the water heater." "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. Deputy prosecutor Denise Robinson returned from prosecuting the Richmond Hill cases to a pile of homicides waiting on her desk. Shirley said she has been reeling from the pain of people blaming her for the tragic event. But didnt the jury need to hear from the residents? Gary Thompsonwas handed a 30-year prison sentence, 20 years executed, for his role in the murderous insurance fraud scheme. You're done.". She came into the courtroom looking much different than she did the weekend of the explosion in 2012. Call 6 Investigator Rafael Sanchez and Senior Digital Correspondent Jordan Fischer will be in Fort Wayne covering the trial every day. 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 . Hed also been previously accused of insurance fraud in connection with a car accident. Shirley: "No. At least three of his possessions did survive, however: two golf bags, with clubs, and a driver he'd been gifted. Robert Leonard, who was convicted of murder and multiple felonies, was sentenced to life without parole. I should have been there.". Shirley says the house had three gas appliances when he lived there: furnace, water heater and fireplace. 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. 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. [16] On March 13, Leonard allegedly placed a call to a man who he believed to be a hit man. Their funeral was held earlier today. Mark was a handsome man with sex appeal and a lot of money, judging by his stash of cash and fast luxury cars. At one point you replaced the thermostat." She died at age 85 in 2014, but Shirley Temple's childrenand fans gathered in LA on Monday, April 23 to celebrate what would have been her 90th birthday. Shirley testified Leonard asked to see the insurance policy on the home within a few weeks of moving in. 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/. Shirley's daughter went with them in Leonard's Cadillac. On multiple occasions Wednesday, Shirley said she didnt say no to Mark Leonard because she loved him. On the day of the explosion, another neighbor saw a white van pull into the driveway of Shirley's residence between 2:00 and 3:00p.m. "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.". Required fields are marked *. I thought it was crazy, but I went along with him. Follow his reporting on Twitter at @Jordan_RTV6 or on Facebook. Mark and Bob stayed in the garage while they talked about what Bob's part would be, while Shirley stayed inside. The entire day she answered questions from attorneys, repeatedly crying. In exchange, she offered him the money in her 401K. Prosecutors contend that the motorcycle was disassembled in Shirley's garage. Prosecutors alleged Leonard was the mastermind behind the explosion, plotting with his. 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.. Shirley: "She wanted us to live in a bigger house. [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. And you said she was crying? Bad food, non-first class flights drop Colts to middle-of-pack in player survey. Its very difficult sentencing hearing weve been through for two days. But these were good defense attorneys. Shirley says Monserrate's sister moved out of the neighborhood around the same time they moved in. Many Git commands accept both tag and branch names, so creating this branch may cause unexpected behavior. [28], Mark Leonard was found guilty on all 53 counts, including murder and felony murder charges, on July 14. 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. Shirley is originally from Puerto Rico. He was going to bring Thompson to their house so she could say she was okay to move forward, too. The brothers were sentenced to terms of life without parole for spearheading the conspiracy. Im thankful for my trial team for sticking with me. The first attempt was supposed to be carried out by Gary Thompson, but it failed. Two of those alleged co-conspirators were arrested as a direct result of her cooperation: Gary Thompson and Glenn Holts. I got upset with her and sent her some derogatory texts. [30] He died on January 30, 2018, at an Indianapolis hospital, aged 48, of natural causes. Roughly a week afterward, Mark asked Shirley for $500. Prosecutors entered all three into evidence Tuesday. Shirley says they were his. An Indianapolis woman said she asked her then-boyfriend's half-brother what he had done when she learned the fire they planned to ignite using natural gas had arranged for her daughter to stay . Shirley says he was paying Monserrate $1,000 a month in child support and mortgage payments. [26], In a case unrelated to the explosion charges, Mark Leonard and two other men were charged with conspiracy to commit insurance fraud. And that, Im sure, will never change.. Glenn Hults, who pleaded guilty to a felony for knowing about the plot but failing to report it to police, is scheduled for sentencing on December 28. Its about remembering who you are. Her earliest possible release date is December 19, 2037when she will be 72 years old. Jeffrey Wager and IMPD investigators, Lt. Mario Garza and IFD investigators, agents of the Federal ATF, and our trial team for their commitment and perseverance to bring justice for the Richmond Hill residents.. "I thought it was crazy," she told a jury, "but I went along with him." PREVIOUS|Timeline of events|Gallery: The Richmond Hill Explosion|Where were you at 11:11 PM? She told him the attempt didnt work but that there would be another attempt. We did what prosecutors are supposed to do. You were a mom. I dont feel bad for Mr. Leonard, said Don Buxton, father of Jennifer Longworth, who was killed in the blast with her husband, Dion. Dont make that kind of joke, Shirley testified. PREVIOUS | Full testimony: Monserrate Shirley takes the stand. Leonard is the brother of Mark Leonard, who is dating Montserrate Shirley, who along with Mark Leonard, lives in the home . He was sentenced to 75 years in prison on the arson charges on top of two life sentences for the murder charges. TRANSCRIPT | Opening statements in the trial of Mark Leonard. 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. They laughed at her for asking, but it was switched back out. Monserrate Shirley agreed to testify against Mark Leonard as part of a plea agreement to reduce her potential prison time. None of them had given any indication they were willing to take a plea under the terms prosecutors were offering. When we got in this case, we were asked to save her life, said defense attorney James Voyles. "I don't understand it," Shircliff said of the judge's ruling. Shirley told jurors he lost a number of things in the explosion, including a collection of tennis rackets and a drafting table. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. 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. As of summer 2022 the show has aired sixteen . He says the log lighter worked fine when he lived there. After demands for a vote on the bill, we finally received one. Would you describe her demeanor the same way?" [37] She is serving her sentence at Indiana Women's Prison in Indianapolis. John moved out in February 2010 and their divorce was finalized that summer. And I look at all the opportunity she had where she could have gone for help and she never did.. But the plan went horribly awry when a vast amount of natural gas had built up in the home before something set inside a microwave oven ignited the blaze. Everything's under control.". Get caught up on the first two chapters here:Chapter I: The Night the Sky Caught Fire|Chapter II: The $4 Million Arson Plot. A class C felony carries 2-8 years. Mark Leonard, the man considered the mastermind behind the 2012 Richmond Hill neighborhood explosion that killed two peopleand wounded at least adozen others, is dead. Its a game that only you can play. It wasnt the only curveball Black and Shircliff would throw at the prosecution. [3][4] Damage to homes in the neighborhood was estimated at $4 million. Monserrate Shirley, 51, was one of five people charged in the explosion that left two people dead. Shirley's daughterwent with them in Leonard's Cadillac. 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. From confusion to conviction, Richmond Hill blast recapped. Dion and Jennifer Longworth, two occupants in the house at 8355 Fieldfare Way, died in the explosion; seven others were injured. Mark then asked Bob twice to "go get the part that we need." This time, Leonard worked with Thompson instead of Thompson doing the work while Leonard stood next to him, watching and planning. Are they going to get bored with it?. Deputy Prosecutor DeniseRobinson has said she will argue for 50 when the time comes. While Shirley said he lost a lot, he pointed out the toll was much greater on his then-13-year-old daughter Brook. wishtv.com your home page, Business, Equity and Opportunities Podcast with Scott Sander. To do that, the team moved 80 boxes of documents connected to the case to an office on the east side of Indianapolis. So you do get concerned about, will they see the arsons? The inmate and Leonard drew up a contract agreeing that Leonard would pay the inmate $15,000 when he was released, the affidavit said. On November 19, it was announced that the investigation had become a criminal investigation. 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. Again, Monserrate agreed to do her same three preparations: a casino hotel reservation, a babysitter for her daughterand boarding for Snowball. He eventually improved enough to return home, but Shirley had to continue caring for him for several months. Mark Leonard first mentioned trying to burn the house down in February 2012, according to Shirley. They agreed to say they'd been having trouble with the thermostat and smelling gas for a while. Leonard is charged with 53 counts of murder, arson and conspiracy. The November 2012 blast claimed the lives of John and Jennifer Longworth and spawned an investigation that landed five people behind bars. He refused, though, and warned them, "You guys be careful, because I know someone who committed arson and got 75 years in prison. She, at first, struggled to identify her other neighbors. Shirley testified in Fort Wayne at the trial of Bob Leonard, Jr. one of five people accused in the deadly 2012 Richmond Hill Explosion. 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. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. She said Leonard had bought it a few months beforehand at that point. The next time, Monserrate Shirley said Mark Leonards brother, Bob, was supposed to carry out the plan. Shirley says he and Monserrate married on July 17, 1993. I didnt give it any credibility. Somebody knew that I was out of town. 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. The jury found 46-year-old Mark Leonard guilty of all counts against him, including murder and felony murder. Monserrate "Moncy" Shirley, a nurse, owned the home at the center of the explosion. But she put an end to that in August 2011.". That's whatwe'll be asking the jury to consider.". Shirley spent hours on the stand. The co-conspirators include Shirleys boyfriend at the time, Mark Leonard, and his brother, Bob Leonard Jr. When testimony moved to the night of the explosion that killed Jennifer and Dion Longworth, Monserrate Shirley had a difficult time staying composed. We've got a few more.". This is too risky." 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. She found a house with a floorplan she liked." The blast the product of an insurance fraud scheme killed two people and injured dozens of others. I had to know I could make this case based on the evidence I had.. Shirley says he and Monserrate married on July 17, 1993. Later that same day, an attorney asked Shirley if the Longworths deserved what happened to them. At the trial I had firefighters crying on the stand. After speaking with detectives, they went to Mark's sister's home, where they spent the night. 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. Defense attorneys tried to play that video for jurors Wednesday, but the judge wouldnt allow it. During the course of this lengthy process, we have sincerely appreciated the cooperation and patience of these families. Having Shirley as a witness came with its own pitfalls, though. . I thought it was crazy, that cannot be done, and I asked Mark, Thats not what you told me, theres an explosion in there, (theres) people, my neighbors, that cannot be real, Shirley said. Prosecutors ask if Shirley was asked by police to identify personal property following the explosion. Shirley gave 12 interviews and statements between the explosion and Wednesday's testimony - some for law enforcement, others for attorneys and one for the media - and defense attorneys pointed out inconsistencies between some of those. She later worked at St. Francis and Community South. 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 said she did not tell officers at the time what happened because she was scared. (WISH) - Monserrate Shirley told jurors Wednesday she would do anything for Mark Leonard, because she was in love with him. 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. I certainly might feel bad for his family. Just to prepare the evidence list which eventually numbered more than 2,000 items Robinson said the entire four-person team worked 24 hours straight. Shirley: "No.". Shirley claims Leonard coerced her involvement, testifying that he threatened her and her daughter. 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. All I can say is, I had one small role in this. 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. Investigators found that the couple had substantial debt, including $63,000 in credit card debt, and were in bankruptcy proceedings. 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. Prosecutors alleged that the men conspired to submit an insurance claim for a stolen motorcycle. Shortly thereafter I moved some furniture into the apartment. At least half a dozen marriages in the Richmond Hill neighborhood ended in divorce in the years immediately following the blast. She talked about being Catholic and said it was in God's hands, but still, they should be punished.". 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. [28] The defense said that what became the Richmond Hill explosion was only supposed to be a "stupid and selfish insurance fraud that went horribly wrong", adding, "Precautions were taken to ensure people weren't harmed." On Monday, November 5, they changed out the thermostat for a "cheaper" model. Many people may remember Shirley giving an interview to the media, including WISH-TV, after the explosion. Shirley said she thought the fire plan was crazy, but went along with it anyway. They should go to jail. Of the dozens and dozens of homes damaged by the blast, 33 were affected so severely they had to be demolished. Her role in the plan and execution of this act protected her own child and the family pet, but failed to consider the obvious danger it presented to anyone else. She told them she didn't want anything to do with them anymore. A prosecuting attorney showed her a photo of the house that exploded and asked her who lived on either side of her. It's also possible she will walk free if the judge sentences. "I mean, I'm totally devastated like my neighbors are.". [18], Prosecutors initially sought to try the suspects together, but the defendants were granted the right to separate trials. They moved into a home they built in Richmond Hill toward the end of 2003. At the time her friends called her, Monserrate was at a casino with Mark Leonard. [5], Monserrate "Moncy" Shirley, a nurse, owned the home at the center of the explosion. Will they get to the felony murder?. I didn't do nothing wrong.". [6] A friend of the couple reported that Mark Leonard had lost $10,000 at the casino approximately three weeks before the explosion. Prosecutors alleged that the natural gas explosion was intentionally set to collect insurance money. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Glenn Hults, the final defendant to stand trial for the explosion, Best athletic wear for kids joining baseball and, How to watch all the Oscar-nominated movies in style, Best smart home devices for older users, according, Bryce Young falls short: 5-10 . You were a nurse. The explosion in the subdivision just south of the city on Saturday, Nov. 10, killed John and Jennifer Longworth. 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. [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. The sentence accounts for time served and good. Powerball winner sold in central Indiana! 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. [20] The trials started in 2015. This has to be done, Shirley testified. Start the day smarter Notable deaths in 2023 The world's largest war 2023 meteor showers They then worked to establish a pattern of poor decisions in her personal life and changing stories throughout the investigation. 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. Residents, particularly the younger ones, report experiencing continued psychological trauma from the incident. [36] Shirley was sentenced to 50 years in prison, the maximum possible under her plea agreement, on December 20, 2016.
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