But she had no hesitation when asked to identify the Longworths as her neighbors. Defense attorneys tried to play that video for jurors Wednesday, but the judge wouldnt allow it. "I want $300,000. 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. FOLLOW|Rafael Sanchez on Twitter|Jordan Fischer on Twitter, RELATED LINKS |Richmond Hill Special Section|Mark Ray Leonard convicted on all counts. She talked about being Catholic and said it was in God's hands, but still, they should be punished.". Shirley says he was paying Monserrate $1,000 a month in child support and mortgage payments. 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. In addition to his roofing business, Mastercraft, Leonard also flipped cars on the side. I don't want to be involved in any of this.". [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. . Bob Leonard, Monserrate Shirley, Gary Thompson and Glenn Hults also face charges in connection to the explosion. It would have shortened the trial a week. A tag already exists with the provided branch name. Too little, too late, said Jennifer Longworths father, Don Buxton. She then got food for them both and went back to the room around midnight. [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. Its about your game being the only game that matters. Bob had been asking for his $10,000 payment before the explosion even happened. A prosecuting attorney showed her a photo of the house that exploded and asked her who lived on either side of her. 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. 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 was introduced to this once-a-year dish at a party and she was one of the first people to give it a shot. As his court date neared, the workload ramped up. Mark. At the final tally, the explosion meant to allow Shirley and Leonard to collect $300,000 in insurance money caused more than $4 million-worth of property damage. Prosecutors told Judge Marnocha Tuesday they will likely rest their case next Wednesday or Thursday. At the time her friends called her, Monserrate was at a casino with Mark Leonard. 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. Shirley testified that friends called and told her there was a huge explosion. Leonard is charged with 53 counts of murder, arson and conspiracy. 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. I don't want anyone to get hurt," then started cooking dinner. The here, in this case, was the knowing murder of Dion and Jennifer Longworth. [18], Prosecutors initially sought to try the suspects together, but the defendants were granted the right to separate trials. He says the log lighter worked fine when he lived there. Gary Thompson pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit arson and received a 30-year sentence, with 10 years suspended. She was too involved. "Two innocent people died because of this!" Shirley and her boyfriend Mark Leonard were out of town for the weekend while her 12-year-old daughter stayed with friends. 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. After that, the fire wasn't mentioned again until the week before Halloween. In an interview with former RTV6 reporter Stacia Matthews, Shirley suggested the explosion may have been an attempt on her life. 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. Robert Leonard, who was convicted of murder and multiple felonies, was sentenced to life without parole. I dont know why they did it. She told them she didn't want anything to do with them anymore. I care about people. They moved into a home they built in Richmond Hill toward the end of 2003. The most money she ever remembered seeing him lose on a single trip was $7,000. The next morning, they went to Bob Leonard's mobile home. In addition to the thousands of pieces of physical evidence, they had more than 200 witnesses lined up to testify. 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. She found a house with a floorplan she liked." (They were) my neighbors for a very long time since we built the house, Shirley said. [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. She asked Mark and Bob what happened that made it be an explosion instead of a fire. Check those tickets! Both the prosecution and defense attorneys asked Shirley if she thought Hults was joking. This time, Leonard worked with Thompson instead of Thompson doing the work while Leonard stood next to him, watching and planning. When we got in this case, we were asked to save her life, said defense attorney James Voyles. 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. Prosecutors entered all three into evidence Tuesday. I should have been there.". 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. Its been around since the late 80s, but Im sure well find more of it on our own site. Even years later, Robinson says she doesnt know why Black brought the hitman allegations up. The home also had a microwave above the stove which had a programmable timer. Leonard started talking the next week about trying for a second time to burn down the home. Shirley had heard of Bob before, but had not met him before he came over Thursday, November 1. 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. But ultimately I think we were able to accomplish what we needed to do for her.. Monserrate Shirley spent the entire day on the stand Wednesday, and the anticipation of her testimony was evident in courtroom attendance. A second home was reduced to rubble as well, and other houses were half-collapsed. 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. We did what prosecutors are supposed to do. I had to know I could make this case based on the evidence I had.. On December 21, 2012, Monserrate Shirley, Mark Leonard, and his brother Bob Leonard were charged with 2 counts of felony murder and . He questioned her about the multiple boardings of her cat, Snowball, which he found odd. She explained that Snowball had anxiety. 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. The stove was electric. In a deposition before the trial, though, she reported saying, "I'm not doing this. John did all the maintenance on the home - she never did any. In one case, she said the first attempt was supposed to be tied to gasoline not natural gas. We are sure to have a lot more weird coincidences in the next few days, but this one is pretty crazy. Neighbors, family testify in sentencing hearing of Monserrate Shirley, owner of the home. She told her daughter a friend had taken it to put a new frame on it. I have morals.I love my patients and I would do anything for them. That presented a potential pitfall in the case, Robinson said. I want everyone to know how sorry I am for this horrible tragedy, she said in court in front of Richmond Hill residents. Among the "no" votes, inexplicably: political dancer Hiram Monserrate. 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. Again, she said, "Because I was not able to tell him 'no'." Shirley recalled a later conversation that she had with Bob and Mark Leonard, after the explosion. Deputy prosecutor Denise Robinson returned from prosecuting the Richmond Hill cases to a pile of homicides waiting on her desk. In court Wednesday, she said he turned on the gas, but never lit the fire. An autopsy will be conducted by the Marion County coroner's office Wednesday, according to the DOC. [22], On January 16, 2015, Shirley agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors. "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. 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 certainly might feel bad for his family. But after a second round of boarding Snowball the cat, getting a babysitter for Shirleys daughter and setting hotel reservations, the house again was standing. When she told him, Holts said, "Between Mark and Gary, they're going to blow up the whole neighborhood.". [6] 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. The Version table provides details related to the release that this issue/RFE will be addressed. Shirley may have been the prosecution's highest profile witness, but that doesn't mean they're done. Monserrate and John had the home in Richmond Hill built in 2003. Once they were alone, Leonard, Holts and Shirley started talking about the fire again while they sat around the pool drinking beer. He said that his daughter had mentioned that the furnace wasn't working, and he wondered whether a gas leak ignited the blast. PREVIOUS | Full testimony: Monserrate Shirley takes the stand. She took care of all three. Everything's under control.". Shirley's daughter went with them in Leonard's Cadillac. We believed that he did, we had some very thin evidence that he did. Shirley said she recalled telling them two innocent people die out of this.THIS HAS TO BE DONE. Leonard went to pick up Thompson in the white van witnesses in the neighborhood have previously testified seeing in Shirley's driveway. It's been hard for me and my daughter. Prosecutors alleged that the men conspired to submit an insurance claim for a stolen motorcycle. She was inspired by the way Chef Alberto Marinovich put on this dish and it was a joy to serve. On Thursday, Shirley worked a 12 hour shift. So you do get concerned about, will they see the arsons? Authorities blamed a natural gas explosion inside the home of Monserrate Shirley, who was away at the time of the explosion. The blast the product of an insurance fraud scheme killed two people and injured dozens of others. 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. She remained in the house as the sole owner until the explosion. [10] Included on the probable cause affidavit were complaints from several women claiming that Leonard scammed them out of thousands of dollars. To begin the day, Monserrate Shirley explained how she and Mark Leonard met. Shirley testified Leonard asked to see the insurance policy on the home within a few weeks of moving in. [34][35], Monserrate Shirley pled guilty to conspiracy to commit arson. Dont make that kind of joke, Shirley testified. Leonard told him Shirley was ready and she agreed. And it wasn't the answer we were looking for. As stated previously, the investigation and prosecution of this matter has literally taken tens of thousands of hours of effort by numerous individuals. So there wasnt a great deal of pressure on us, or desire by us, to offer her anything.. In exchange, she offered him the money in her 401K. With good behavior, her earliest possible release date is Dec. 19, 2032. Bad food, non-first class flights drop Colts to middle-of-pack in player survey. One small job. 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. [2] Over sixty firefighters responded to the blaze. Investigators found that the couple had substantial debt, including $63,000 in credit card debt, and were in bankruptcy proceedings. At the end of the day, we still miss her and him, Dion, as much as ever, Buxton said. arranged for her daughter to stay . Then there was the question of Leonards history. "She lost everything," he said. She transferred from her job in Michigan to the VA hospital in Indianapolis, where she worked for 17 years, focusing in the ICU. 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. At least three of his possessions did survive, however: two golf bags, with clubs, and a driver he'd been gifted. 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. Mark Leonard moved in with Monserrate Shirley about a month later. Made and inspired by a love triangle, this was written by a girl from Italy. The now 49-year-old originally faced life in prison without parole. His defense team admitted that the blaze had been intentionally set, but told jurors it was only intended to be a small fire and that murder was never his intention. Mark then asked Bob twice to "go get the part that we need." [19] Judge Shelia Carlisle rejected the proposal, noting that no Indiana law authorizes the use of concurrent jury trials. From confusion to conviction, Richmond Hill blast recapped. Ms. Shirley ultimately took responsibility for her actions by pleading guilty and provided important information during the investigation. Shirley says they were his. After her 12 hour shift, she planned to see her daughter at the Holts' house and change there. I look at a neighbor that I would have been happy to help if she would have just come across the street and said, man I got a problem will you give me a hand? All I can say is, I had one small role in this. . Monserrate Shirley is lead into her sentencing hearing in December 2016. [38], Gary Thompson pled guilty to conspiracy to commit arson and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Hed also been previously accused of insurance fraud in connection with a car accident. The topic came up again around July 4. In the game of death, monserrate daughter is the only way to be reunited with the game of life. 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. At the trial I had firefighters crying on the stand. I told them I dont even want to be a part of this, Shirley testified as telling the Leonards. 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. SOUTH BEND, Ind. 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.. As fate would have it, it would be Carter, just a few weeks later, who would place Monserrate Shirley in handcuffs. We've got a few more.". The courtroom was crowded Monday as the proceedings began, as those who were hurt or lost their homes, plus the parents of Dion and Jennifer Longworth wait to learn Shirley's . He eventually improved enough to return home, but Shirley had to continue caring for him for several months. ", Minch: "You've had problems over the years with the furnace and the water heater. To do that, the team moved 80 boxes of documents connected to the case to an office on the east side of Indianapolis. News, information &. They laughed at her for asking, but it was switched back out. Shirley: "No. The shirley daughter is an Italian restaurant that takes more than 15 minutes to make you feel at home. [6] She claimed to have been horrified at the Longworths' deaths, as well as the massive destruction wrought by the explosion. [20] The trials started in 2015. 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. 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. 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. FORT WAYNE, Ind. 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. Resolved: Release in which this issue/RFE has been resolved. SOUTH BEND, Ind. For years, the team holed up in that office three days a week to avoid being distracted by other ongoing cases. She still wiped under her eyes with a tissue several times while she was on the stand. [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. If I could bring Dion and Jennifer back, I would do that in a heartbeat, she said. Its about becoming who you were meant to be. That was the last time she saw Bob before they were arrested. Mark Leonard drove her home that night and stayed with her for what the defense characterized as a romantic, sexual night. His sentencing is set for December 28, 2016 at 1 p.m. Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry issued the following statement: We respect the Courts decision ordering Monserrate Shirley to serve a fifty-year prison sentence for her participation in this senseless conspiracy. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. "In order to pay a very large amount of child support, I was working a full-time job and two part-time jobs," he said. We firmly believed that Gary Thompson played a role, but until she cooperated, we couldnt prove that, Robinson said. Prosecutors alleged Leonard was the mastermind behind the explosion, plotting with his. I dont feel bad for Mr. Leonard, said Don Buxton, father of Jennifer Longworth, who was killed in the blast with her husband, Dion. "He'll do anything I ask," Mark said of his brother. . | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The shirley daughter is an Italian restaurant that takes more than 15 minutes to make you feel at home. Again, Monserrate agreed to do her same three preparations: a casino hotel reservation, a babysitter for her daughterand boarding for Snowball. She said she did not tell officers at the time what happened because she was scared. There was discussion about: Should we cut all of those? 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. [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". She was upset when she got home that night and saw her nicer digital thermostat sitting on the kitchen island and the new cheaper model on the wall. Shirley met Mark Leonard. Example video title will go here for this video. Monserrate Shirley and Mark leonard, profiled on the next "American Greed," staged a natural gas explosion to collect the insurance on their Indianapolis home. In her sentencing order, Judge Sheila Carlisle repeatedly stressed that Shirley could have stopped the plan at any time but didnt. 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. Four years after thedeadly Richmond Hill explosion, another chapter has closed. Mark was a handsome man with sex appeal and a lot of money, judging by his stash of cash and fast luxury cars. Their funeral was held earlier today. 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. He says he and Monserrate never boarded the cat when they were married. That becomes eight years when good time credit is applied. Monserrate Shirley was ordered to serve out her sentence at the Indiana Womens Prison in Indianapolis. Yes, I didnt think it would be possible, Monserrate Shirley said.HUGE EXPLOSION. She was crying and hysterical and said the house blew up.". Monserrate Shirley spent the entire day on the stand Wednesday, and the anticipation of her testimony was evident in courtroom attendance. In a room inside IFD Station 63 less than a mile from the Richmond Hill subdivision Carter and Shirley talked about her whereabouts on the night of the explosion. And the game of death is the game of life itself. She said they should be punished, Carter testified. Im thankful for my trial team for sticking with me. Its because the life of the game itself is the life of the game itself.