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"We had a lot of parties," the late. Neighbors, family testify in sentencing hearing of Monserrate Shirley, owner of the home. Prosecutors alleged Leonard was the mastermind behind the explosion, plotting with his. The sentence accounts for time served and good. Shirley says Monserrate's sister moved out of the neighborhood around the same time they moved in. Residents, particularly the younger ones, report experiencing continued psychological trauma from the incident. [16][17] The alleged motive for the arson was to collect insurance money to ease financial strain. They laughed at her for asking, but it was switched back out. Your email address will not be published. Thompson said he'd been pulled over by a cop so he couldn't get to the house. I had seen it used in a couple of games, but I never knew it was the name of a real person. It also didnt carry much weight for the families of Dion and Jennifer Longworth, who died in the blast. But she put an end to that in August 2011.". Its about becoming who you were meant to be. 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 . 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. An autopsy will be conducted by the Marion County coroner's office Wednesday, according to the DOC. 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. 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. Marion County Superior Court Judge Sheila Carlisle sentenced Monserrate Shirley to spend the maximum sentence of 50 years in prison on Tuesday. SOUTH BEND, Ind. . The shirley daughter is an Italian restaurant that takes more than 15 minutes to make you feel at home. Until shed agreed and signed on the dotted line, there were things I could not tell them. She found a house with a floorplan she liked." 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. 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. 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 grabbed a few pictures, including the canvas portrait of her daughterat age 5 that hung above the fireplace. Mark was a handsome man with sex appeal and a lot of money, judging by his stash of cash and fast luxury cars. The man he called was actually an undercover agent. Check those tickets! [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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 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. [8], Prosecutors alleged that on the Friday before the explosion, Leonard and his brother Bob spoke with a neighbor who was a Citizens Energy employee, asking that person about the differences between natural gas and propane. They enter into evidence two golf bags with clubs and a driver. 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. Much of Tuesdays testimony included accounts of Shirleys difficult childhood. One small job. That's whatwe'll be asking the jury to consider.". 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). They had left town the night before, after Ms. Shirley's nursing shift at a local. Shirley says he was working at Eli Lilly at the time, and Monserrate was working as an RN at the VA hospital. 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. And then there was the arrangement that when I picked up my daughter I would get to take some of my belongings. She was crying and hysterical and said the house blew up.". I thought it was crazy, but I went along with him. Shirley: "No. She didnt know anyone died, she said. We used to cook together, have dinner together.Very charming, very lovely man.". Her house exploded on their third attempt of trying to claim insurance money. Monserrate Shirley is lead into her sentencing hearing in December 2016. Once again, she agreed to make the same three arrangements: the casino reservation, a babysitter for her daughterand boarding for Snowball. The jury found 46-year-old Mark Leonard guilty of all counts against him, including murder and felony murder. We again offer our condolences to the families of Dion and Jennifer Longworth and to those who suffered injury and loss. And that, Im sure, will never change.. None of them had given any indication they were willing to take a plea under the terms prosecutors were offering. She was the neighbor that all the other neighbors were looking at. Robinson also couldnt tell the residents that Shirleys cooperation would mean charges against two more suspects: Gary Thompson and Glenn Hults. He also told Bob to go get Gary Thompson. Leonard died around 9:15. 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.. 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. It was never no for an answer. The topic came up again around July 4. News, information &. At least half a dozen marriages in the Richmond Hill neighborhood ended in divorce in the years immediately following the blast. [37] She is serving her sentence at Indiana Women's Prison in Indianapolis. He faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted. Jurors will later hear that the golf bags and clubs were found at Bob Leonard's home after the explosion. In an interview with former RTV6 reporter Stacia Matthews, Shirley suggested the explosion may have been an attempt on her life. I told them I dont even want to be a part of this, Shirley testified as telling the Leonards. The Version table provides details related to the release that this issue/RFE will be addressed. She was too involved. She took care of all three. The game of death is a pretty popular one, but its not just because of the game of death; its also the game of life itself. 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. Leonard later tried telling Shirley that the only reason Holts wouldn't talk about his own fire was because he didn't want Leonard to end up with more money than he had. When she arrived at the bar, she found Mark and Bob in the white van at a nearby gas station. Mark and Bob stayed in the garage while they talked about what Bob's part would be, while Shirley stayed inside. She moved to the United States when she was 25. At the end of the interview, Carter asked Shirley what should happen to the person responsible for the explosion. 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. ", Minch: "You've had problems over the years with the furnace and the water heater. Monserrate Shirley, 49, said she became distraught when neighbors telephoned her after the November 2012 explosion and told her that her home was destroyed. Leonard asked her to get a babysitter for her daughter, make a reservation at the casino's hotel for the two of them and to board the family cat, "Snowball." He gave her $3,000 to use, and they lost it all. 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. She now faces 20-50 years, though a judge has the right to suspend some, or all of that time. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Call 6 Investigator Rafael Sanchez and Senior Digital Correspondent Jordan Fischer will be in Fort Wayne covering the trial every day. By the time wed got to trial, hed already been in jail for going on three years. Shirley and Leonard had gone on television on multiple occasions following the blast to state their innocence, and to ask for privacy. She never got a call, though. They got to the room, but Mark wasn't feeling well so he stayed there while Shirley played slot machines for about an hour. At about 11:10p.m., on November 10, 2012, a large explosion occurred in Richmond Hill, a subdivision on the southeast side of Indianapolis. ", She re-iterated that she offered him her retirement savings in place of burning the home. She wanted to put it on her plate. Even years later, Robinson says she doesnt know why Black brought the hitman allegations up. Prosecutors contend that the motorcycle was disassembled in Shirley's garage. "I don't understand it," Shircliff said of the judge's ruling. He was sentenced to two life sentences without parole, as well as 70 years from other charges, on March 18, 2016. At sentencing, St. Joseph Superior Court Judge John Marnocha said Leonard demonstrated a sheer indifference for the safety of others., The motivation here is greed, Marnocha said. When she left that morning, her daughterand Snowball were still there (Mark was going to take them to school and the kennel). Monserrate Shirley entered a guilty plea in the case that started as an insurance scam in Richmond Hill in 2012. The original posters source was a little bit of a weird little coincidence, but the name was still alive and well. They said they didn't know. On December 21, 2012, Monserrate Shirley, Mark Leonard, and his brother Bob Leonard were charged with 2 counts of felony murder and . [14] In April 2015, a fifth man, Glenn Hults, was charged with conspiracy to commit arson. 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. Its about not letting the person who was watching your game die ever have a say in your game. We believed that he did, we had some very thin evidence that he did. So while I had that, I pretty quickly set it aside and put it in a file marked Mark Leonard and never looked at it, because I couldnt allow that to influence me in the decision. Make Robinson knew that. 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. Psychologist Dr. Stephanie Callaway diagnosed her with dependent personality disorder, but stated under cross-examination that, while the diagnosis explains Shirley's actions, it does not absolve her of responsibility. Shirley: "She wanted us to live in a bigger house. [6] Her attorneys argued that she was trapped in an abusive relationship and was coerced by Mark Leonard into participating in the crime. [26], In a case unrelated to the explosion charges, Mark Leonard and two other men were charged with conspiracy to commit insurance fraud. Resolved: Release in which this issue/RFE has been resolved. 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. 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 . [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. They'd soon get a new roommate. On Thursday, Shirley worked a 12 hour shift. I said OK, she said. Sometimes they would go during the week while her daughterwas at school and leave in enough time to pick her back up. A copy of her plea agreement was entered into evidence and handed out to each member of the jury. 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. The Richmond Hill neighbors had been waiting long enough without a trial. In her sentencing order, Judge Sheila Carlisle repeatedly stressed that Shirley could have stopped the plan at any time but didnt. I should have been there.". Bad food, non-first class flights drop Colts to middle-of-pack in player survey. Im telling the truth and nothing but the truth was a phrase repeated by Monserrate Shirley throughout the day. Their challenge was to distill two-and-a-half years of research and investigation into a six week trial without losing the jury in the process. ", Holts then asked who would get the money if they went through with it and Mark said, "Of course, me. I went into the breakroom and texted my ex about what happened. An offhand comment would change that. This time, Mark and Bob talked alone while Monserrate left to pick up her daughter. And I look at all the opportunity she had where she could have gone for help and she never did.. I have morals.I love my patients and I would do anything for them. The name comes from a restaurant that is on the run called theserie rossa which translates to the run of the wits. Shirley said she recalled telling them two innocent people die out of this.THIS HAS TO BE DONE. It's been hard for me and my daughter. She later worked at St. Francis and Community South. arranged for her daughter to stay . 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. As fate would have it, it would be Carter, just a few weeks later, who would place Monserrate Shirley in handcuffs. [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 here, in this case, was the knowing murder of Dion and Jennifer Longworth. I know it caught us by surprise and we had to react to it.. The men were reportedly in the home briefly and hurriedly left. Below, find a transcript of John Shirley's testimony from Tuesday's hearing: 2:22 p.m. John Shirley, Monserrate Shirley's ex-husband, called as witness. Its very difficult sentencing hearing weve been through for two days. So there wasnt a great deal of pressure on us, or desire by us, to offer her anything.. 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. "I was at one of my part-time jobs when I got a text from my daughter, which was very unusual. "Except her cat, the clothes on her back and a teddy bear she got when she was 1.". [29] He was sentenced to life in prison plus 75 years without parole on August 14, 2015. . Shirley would receive over $300,000 in insurance money for the replacement of the home as well as personal items. 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. Its quite obvious that monserrate is the source of the name in this case. Bob Leonard, Monserrate Shirley, Gary Thompson and Glenn Hults also face charges in connection to the explosion. She even took some leave from work to stay with him longer than her paid vacation time allowed. She and Mark then gassed up her car and drove to the casino. FORT WAYNE, Ind. Made and inspired by a love triangle, this was written by a girl from Italy. As of summer 2022 the show has aired sixteen . Shirley didn't hear anything more about a plot to start a fire that night, and nothing happened. 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. The next time, Monserrate Shirley said Mark Leonards brother, Bob, was supposed to carry out the plan. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. 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. Shirley struck a plea deal with prosecutors and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. [25] Leonard allegedly asked another inmate at the Marion County jail if he could put him in contact with a hitman, according to the probable cause affidavit. The force of the blast shattered windows and ripped down garage doors at dozens of other homes in the neighborhood. In exchange, she offered him the money in her 401K. Holts invited Leonard and Shirley to his friend's house for a pool party in the Geist neighborhood. It had three gas appliances - the water heater, the furnace and the fireplace. For their families, the tree is one last connection to the loved ones they lost on Nov. 10, 2012. "No one.". Its about your game being the only game that matters. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. She was the one who got her daughter and her cat out of the situation and left her neighbors in the situation. Attorneys walked Shirley through a number of conversations she had with Mark Leonard from the time they met until the house exploded. When she told him, Holts said, "Between Mark and Gary, they're going to blow up the whole neighborhood.". Shirley wasnt a suspect at the time, and the interview was a routine one. A second home was reduced to rubble as well, and other houses were half-collapsed. 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. He says sometimes strong winds would blow out the pilot light when someone opened the garage door. 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. In court Wednesday, she said he turned on the gas, but never lit the fire. Most importantly, Shirleys testimony would further tip the scales against the Leonard brothers. Shirley stated that her daughter had smelled gas during the week before the explosion. When testimony moved to the night of the explosion that killed Jennifer and Dion Longworth, Monserrate Shirley had a difficult time staying composed. He eventually improved enough to return home, but Shirley had to continue caring for him for several months. 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. Prosecutors ask if Shirley was asked by police to identify personal property following the explosion. Everything's under control.". She grew up in Puerto Rico with a violently abusive father who would often beat Shirley as well as her siblings and mother. TRANSCRIPT | Opening statements in the trial of Mark Leonard. "She lost everything," he said. Shirley says they were his. Shirley alleged that Hults initially came up with the idea. "Our investigators believe natural gas is involved," the Indianapolis Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. Defense attorneys tried to play that video for jurors Wednesday, but the judge wouldnt allow it. Eventually, hed be asked to repeat her answer at her boyfriends murder trial. Prosecutors told Judge Marnocha Tuesday they will likely rest their case next Wednesday or Thursday. And the game of death is the game of life itself. The human toll is harder to estimate. . She told him the attempt didnt work but that there would be another attempt. 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. 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 . Monserrate and John had the home in Richmond Hill built in 2003. So in the end there were a couple of people who were opposed to it, and I respected that. Robinson says she didnt expect anything to change. Says Sen. Tom. I said, You guys are crazy, that my house is too big.. Jordan Fischer is the senior digital reporter for RTV6. Two mental health experts testified that her childhood could have contributed to her decision to stay with Mark Leonard and go along with his plan to blow up her house for insurance money. Amazingly, despite the force of the explosion, a hybrid pear tree planted by Dion Longworth still grows in the yard where he and his wife Jennifers house once stood. She will be 72 years old. ", 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.". Shirley: "Yes. I don't want anyone to get hurt," then started cooking dinner. [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. Today, Snowball, a white Persian cat, is in the care of John Shirley, Monserrate's ex-husband. 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. As stated previously, the investigation and prosecution of this matter has literally taken tens of thousands of hours of effort by numerous individuals. The blast the product of an insurance fraud scheme killed two people and injured dozens of others. Monserrate Shirley agreed to testify against Mark Leonard as part of a plea agreement to reduce her potential prison time. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. 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. In one case, she said the first attempt was supposed to be tied to gasoline not natural gas. 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. Then there was the question of Leonards history. Its a game that only you can play. In court, Shirley testified Leonard had promised to show her how to make a lot of money. He questioned her about the multiple boardings of her cat, Snowball, which he found odd. She explained that Snowball had anxiety. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. At one point, after one of the failed attempts to burn the home, Monserrate Shirley said she offered Mark Leonard her 401k instead. 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. ", When they went to pick up Shirley's daughteron Sunday, Holts told Mark to "Get the [expletive] out of here. She then spoke with another neighbor, who told her there had been an explosion. On Monday, November 5, they changed out the thermostat for a "cheaper" model. 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. After that, the fire wasn't mentioned again until the week before Halloween. 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. Shirley says Monserrate got the house in the divorce. At the time of the explosion, Shirley says he was living in Noblesville. "Shortly thereafter I moved some furniture into the apartment. 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. Shirley: "In order to pay a very large amount of child support, I was working a full-time job and two part-time jobs. The evidence Robinson and Hollingsworth had was substantial. We knew we were taking a week of testimony from the residents to talk about what had happened to their houses, Robinson said. Its about remembering who you are. Indiana sheriffs deputy dies after falling ill during training, Myles Colvin captivates Heritage Christian crowds, preps for Purdue. I didnt give it any credibility. And I understand it, because of their feelings about her. On August 14, 2015, Mark Ray Leonard was sentenced to two consecutive terms of life without parole, plus an additional 75 years, on 53 counts, including murder, arson and insurance fraud. Shirley: "Back in August (2011) she just stopped taking my phone calls and letting me talk to Brook. [19] Judge Shelia Carlisle rejected the proposal, noting that no Indiana law authorizes the use of concurrent jury trials. The stove was electric. Monserrate Shirley and Mark leonard, profiled on the next "American Greed," staged a natural gas explosion to collect the insurance on their Indianapolis home. This story is Chapter III of a three-part series. At a routine pretrial hearing, deputy prosecutor Denise Robinson, not thinking much of it, told Monserrate Shirleys defense counsel that if their client wanted anything other than a trial seeking life without parole, they had better work something out by the end of January 2015.
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