Woman tells of failed tries before deadly Indianapolis house explosion Attorneys walked Shirley through a number of conversations she had with Mark Leonard from the time they met until the house exploded. You were a nurse. 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. Shirley recalled a later conversation that she had with Bob and Mark Leonard, after the explosion. And I understand it, because of their feelings about her. They enter into evidence two golf bags with clubs and a driver. She was the nurse. 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. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison. 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. Shirley stated that her daughter had smelled gas during the week before the explosion. towns among 150 Best Small Town in America, Citizens support Ind. 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. They went home together that night and he moved in the first week of December. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Unresolved: Release in which this issue/RFE will be addressed. Again, Monserrate agreed to do her same three preparations: a casino hotel reservation, a babysitter for her daughterand boarding for Snowball. 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.. [2] Over sixty firefighters responded to the blaze. "You face one, you get over one and you've got another one all the way until the end. Officials did not release further information regarding his death. Her sister had lived in the same housing complex. Monserrate Shirley was given the house after her divorce. He says the log lighter worked fine when he lived there. So in the end there were a couple of people who were opposed to it, and I respected that. They'd soon get a new roommate. From confusion to conviction, Richmond Hill blast recapped. Again, she said, "Because I was not able to tell him 'no'." 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. 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. Woman agrees to testify against others in Indianapolis house explosion Prosecutors started by addressing her plea agreement. He leaves to cherish his memory his daughters: Britney Morales (Malcolm Richardson) and Maria Morales: two step-daughters Latasha (Nathan) Roberts and Kizzy Carter; three grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends. If that timeline holds, final jury instructions would be given Monday, July 13 then deliberation would begin. Even years later, Robinson says she doesnt know why Black brought the hitman allegations up. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. But Im not allowed to say that. Shirley Temple's Children Remember Their Late Mother - Closer Weekly "I was at one of my part-time jobs when I got a text from my daughter, which was very unusual. Monserrate Shirley, who had initally pleaded not guilty after she and two men were charged in late 2012, appeared Tuesday before a Marion County judge in a courtroom filled with current and. She transferred from her job in Michigan to the VA hospital in Indianapolis, where she worked for 17 years, focusing in the ICU. Hults and his then-fiance babysat Shirley's daughter on the night of the explosion. 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. Shirley testified Leonard asked to see the insurance policy on the home within a few weeks of moving in. When she told him there was around $10,000-12,000 in it, he said that wasn't enough. And you have to weigh that out? And I think when the motivation is that, what we have is a person who is the worst of the worst.. A class C felony carries 2-8 years. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. 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. Monserrate Shirley, 51, was one of five people charged in the explosion that left two people dead. 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. Her house exploded on their third attempt of trying to claim insurance money. [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". Prosecutors alleged Leonard was the mastermind behind the explosion, plotting with his. 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. She has already been behind bars for four years. In a deposition before the trial, though, she reported saying, "I'm not doing this. The next time, Monserrate Shirley said Mark Leonards brother, Bob, was supposed to carry out the plan. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. She now faces 20-50 years, though a judge has the right to suspend some, or all of that time. Write For Us: Investigative Articles are Intriguing. Leonard then tried to get Thompson to talk about what he did at Holts' home, but he refused, saying they shouldn't talk about it. PREVIOUS | Full testimony: Monserrate Shirley takes the stand. Did you see her on TV a few days later? And I look at all the opportunity she had where she could have gone for help and she never did.. 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 . The host family had a lot of horses, so Shirley's daughter went to play with them under the supervision of Holts' girlfriend, Sharon, whose teen daughters often watched the girl. She remained in the house as the sole owner until the explosion. "They are currently in the process of recovering the appliances from destroyed homes to help determine the cause.". I did everything to make him happy, Monserrate Shirley said in testimony. She got in the van with them, and Mark asked her to give Bob $40. 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? I went into the breakroom and texted my ex about what happened. The shirley daughter is an Italian restaurant that takes more than 15 minutes to make you feel at home. The third weekends attempt was the one that killed the Longworths. Deputy prosecutor Denise Robinson returned from prosecuting the Richmond Hill cases to a pile of homicides waiting on her desk. [10] Included on the probable cause affidavit were complaints from several women claiming that Leonard scammed them out of thousands of dollars. Monserrate Shirley cried at various points Wednesdaybut didnt shed any actual tears. Monserrate Shirley was ordered to serve out her sentence at the Indiana Womens Prison in Indianapolis. Many Git commands accept both tag and branch names, so creating this branch may cause unexpected behavior. Or that, because it was her first serious offense, a judge could eventually decide to suspend some or all of that sentence. He was sentenced to 75 years in prison on the arson charges on top of two life sentences for the murder charges. Its been around since the late 80s, but Im sure well find more of it on our own site. "Our investigators believe natural gas is involved," the Indianapolis Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. Witness: Indianapolis man promised $10K for home explosion 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. Then there was the question of Leonards history. When the relationship first started, she said, "He was a nice guy. She will be 72 years old. As fate would have it, it would be Carter, just a few weeks later, who would place Monserrate Shirley in handcuffs. Another woman reported that she had loaned him about $5,000 for a construction job, which he had yet to pay back. (Item updated.) She would sit with him, eat and drink and occasionally play slot machines. 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. In one case, she said the first attempt was supposed to be tied to gasoline not natural gas. monserrate shirley daughter - Investigative Guide 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. 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. Many people may remember Shirley giving an interview to the media, including WISH-TV, after the explosion. Leonardwas placed under "imminent death watch" earlier this week. Defense attorneys tried to play that video for jurors Wednesday, but the judge wouldnt allow it. Shortly thereafter I moved some furniture into the apartment. On the other two days, Robinson still the head of the prosecutors homicide division would review pending cases and prepare for other trials on her plate. It was the last time she would be in her home before the explosion. Monserrate Shirley was a divorced Puerto Rican mother whose exotic looks quickly attracted Mark Leonard. But I dont feel bad for the deceased.. Required fields are marked *. 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. As of summer 2022 the show has aired sixteen . [15], Prosecutors contended that the trio filled the house with natural gas and then used the spark from a microwave which could be set in advance to detonate it. Leonard got sick in March 2012. 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. She told him the attempt didnt work but that there would be another attempt. Prosecutors ended by asking Shirley if the Longworths or any of her other neighbors deserved what happened. Monserrate Shirley leaves court after learning her sentence. Its very difficult sentencing hearing weve been through for two days. Denise Robinson, the Marion County Prosecutor on the case, told the court she rarely asks for the maximum sentence. Most importantly, Shirleys testimony would further tip the scales against the Leonard brothers. He was working in Fishers on the night of the explosion. When we got in this case, we were asked to save her life, said defense attorney James Voyles. I didnt want it to affect the trial date, Robinson said. For one thing, the trial team deputy prosecutors Denise Robinson and Mark Hollingsworth, plus two junior deputies would have to wade through an entire subdivision-worth of evidence to build, arguably, the largest criminal prosecution in Indiana history. 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. Bob Leonard, Monserrate Shirley, Gary Thompson and Glenn Hults also face charges in connection to the explosion. "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. Shed said similar things in an interview with IMPD Det. The name comes from a restaurant that is on the run called theserie rossa which translates to the run of the wits. They claim that Leonard wanted the hit man to force the witness to call 9-1-1 and recant his statement before killing him. She asked that Mark and Bob switch it back out for the nicer version. On December 21, 2012, Monserrate Shirley, Mark Leonard, and his brother Bob Leonard were charged with 2 counts of felony murder and . Monserrate Shirley, Indianapolis Homeowner - AOL Real Estate Richmond Hill explosion: Where are they now? - indystar.com That presented a potential pitfall in the case, Robinson said. When she arrived at the bar, she found Mark and Bob in the white van at a nearby gas station. [3][4] Damage to homes in the neighborhood was estimated at $4 million. Monserrate Shirley, Mark Leonard: 'Killer Couples' Airs Richmond Hills I dont know why they did it. The Richmond Hill neighbors had been waiting long enough without a trial. Shirley's daughter went with them in Leonard's Cadillac. Its an interesting concept. 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. [26], In a case unrelated to the explosion charges, Mark Leonard and two other men were charged with conspiracy to commit insurance fraud. monserrate is a real-life cousin of Shirley, and its said that her daughter monserrate will be taking us on when we die.