towns among 150 Best Small Town in America, Citizens support Ind. The force of the blast shattered windows and ripped down garage doors at dozens of other homes in the neighborhood. "I have everybody telling me stuff that they said on the TV," she said. And I wanted to be able to tell them everything., TRANSCRIPT | The full testimony of Monserrate Shirley. She never got a call, though. [23] The plea deal involved Shirley pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit arson in exchange for testifying against the other suspects. PREVIOUS|Timeline of events|Gallery: The Richmond Hill Explosion|Where were you at 11:11 PM? [22], On January 16, 2015, Shirley agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors. After court adjourned for the day, Shircliff said he attacked her inconsistencies "to show that she can tell the truth as easily as she tells a lie, and it's hard for the jury to know the difference. "I feel like, you know, it would have been better off for me to be there [at the house when it exploded]," Shirley said. 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 got in the van with them, and Mark asked her to give Bob $40. Dont make that kind of joke, Shirley testified. 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). Shirley spent hours on the stand. You're a piece of [expletive]. Gary Thompson, who had helped with the first two unsuccessful attempts to blow up Monserrate Shirleys house, pleaded guilty on Dec. 2, 2016, to conspiracy to commit arson and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Monserrate Shirley, who had pleaded not guilty after she and two men were charged in late 2012, appeared before a Marion County judge in a courtroom filled with current and former residents of the . Marion County Superior Court Judge Sheila Carlisle sentenced Monserrate Shirley to spend the maximum sentence of 50 years in prison on Tuesday. Made and inspired by a love triangle, this was written by a girl from Italy. But didnt the jury need to hear from the residents? Snapped: Killer Couples - Wikipedia In court, Shirley testified Leonard had promised to show her how to make a lot of money. [14] In April 2015, a fifth man, Glenn Hults, was charged with conspiracy to commit arson. The family, he said, will never truly get closure. Shirley says he and Monserrate married on July 17, 1993. Homeowner Monserrate Shirley sentenced to 50 years for role in - WTTV JDK-8141210 : Very slow loading of JavaScript file with recent JDK 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. The evidence Robinson and Hollingsworth had was substantial. "Except her cat, the clothes on her back and a teddy bear she got when she was 1.". That hit man was later revealed to be an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. They agreed to say they'd been having trouble with the thermostat and smelling gas for a while. Indiana Neighborhood Explosion: Two Questioned in Connection to Blast Are they going to get bored with it?. Did you see her on TV a few days later? Monserrate Shirley was ordered to serve out her sentence at the Indiana Womens Prison in Indianapolis. He gave her $3,000 to use, and they lost it all. 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. Its a game that only you can play. She later pointed out she agreed to the plot under Mark Leonard's premise that it would be a small fire at just her home - not an explosion that would affect other people. Its also the name of the game of death in which our monserrate daughter will be taking us on. Man Gets Murder Conviction in Deadly Indiana House Blast Fraud Case Bob had been asking for his $10,000 payment before the explosion even happened. I was scared for my life and the life of my daughter., Forgive me for my poor choices in life, she continued. 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. Once again, she agreed to make the same three arrangements: the casino reservation, a babysitter for her daughterand boarding for Snowball. She was the nurse. Leonard started talking the next week about trying for a second time to burn down the home. Today, Snowball, a white Persian cat, is in the care of John Shirley, Monserrate's ex-husband. At one point you replaced the thermostat." Shirley's daughterwent with them in Leonard's Cadillac. This time, Leonard worked with Thompson instead of Thompson doing the work while Leonard stood next to him, watching and planning. Robinson has said she will argue for 50 when the time comes. No one, Shirley replied, crying.I WAS IN LOVE WITH HIM. We did what prosecutors are supposed to do. Required fields are marked *. This story is Chapter III of a three-part series. Leonard is charged with 53 counts of murder, arson and conspiracy. In court Wednesday, she said he turned on the gas, but never lit the fire. Shirley and her boyfriend were hoping to collect $300,000 in insurance . An offhand comment would change that. 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. 2023 CIRCLE CITY BROADCASTING I, LLC. And then there was the arrangement that when I picked up my daughter I would get to take some of my belongings. Shirley: "She wanted us to live in a bigger house. I cant give back what was taken from them on November 10. In addition to the thousands of pieces of physical evidence, they had more than 200 witnesses lined up to testify. Robinson told the residents what she could: That they didnt need Monserrate Shirley as a witness, but that she would help fill in blanks they hadnt been able to. Monserrate Shirley spent the entire day on the stand Wednesday, and the anticipation of her testimony was evident in courtroom attendance. Shirleys apology rang hollow to many Richmond Hill residents in the courtroom. The entire day she answered questions from attorneys, repeatedly crying. wishtv.com your home page, Business, Equity and Opportunities Podcast with Scott Sander. Authorities blamed a natural gas explosion inside the home of Monserrate Shirley, who was away at the time of the explosion. I always get the money.". Monserrate Shirley sentencing: 'She is the worst of the bunch' - WTHR Then there was the question of Leonards history. Prosecutors alleged Leonard was the mastermind behind the explosion, plotting with his. 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. [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. Shirley agreed to plead guilty to two counts conspiracy to commit arson and testify against the co-conspirators in exchange for having all other charges dropped. 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. The next morning, they went to Bob Leonard's mobile home. Bad food, non-first class flights drop Colts to middle-of-pack in player survey. Shirley: "I moved out in February of 2011. Among the "no" votes, inexplicably: political dancer Hiram Monserrate. Gary Thompson pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit arson and received a 30-year sentence, with 10 years suspended. Its a difficult case. They went to the casino and waited for the call that a fire had broken out, but again, the call never came. 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. Prosecutors told Judge Marnocha Tuesday they will likely rest their case next Wednesday or Thursday. For one: She had earned a reputation as a master liar, as Mark Leonards defense team would later call her. Holts invited Leonard and Shirley to his friend's house for a pool party in the Geist neighborhood. Every day I ask myself why I didnt stop this. When testimony moved to the night of the explosion that killed Jennifer and Dion Longworth, Monserrate Shirley had a difficult time staying composed. At the time of the explosion, Shirley says he was living in Noblesville. In Indianapolis, Search For Answers Continues After Massive - NPR [6] They had arranged for Shirley's 12-year-old daughter to stay with friends and had boarded their cat, Snowball, for the weekend. Her sister had lived in the same housing complex. "You face one, you get over one and you've got another one all the way until the end. I dont feel bad for Mr. Leonard, said Don Buxton, father of Jennifer Longworth, who was killed in the blast with her husband, Dion. Defense attorney Ted Minch on cross-examination: "You're not happy to be here today." . On top of his prior criminal convictions, at the time of his arrest, Mark Leonard was being sued civilly by multiple women who accused him of scamming them out of money through online dating sites. Mark started telling Shirley they needed to get their stories straight before police started asking questions. One year of his sentences wassuspended, and the rest was to be split between jail and work release. The problem was that none of that criminal history would be admissible at trial. Lisa Marie Presley's daughter Riley Keough wears a Graceland sweater as she . 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. He couldn't get a card to play with so she got a card for him and played on his behalf. "I mean, sometimes I wish I was there and I'd be dead, and now I wouldn't have to be asked so many questions.". Minch: "You testified about some things you lost in the explosion. I don't want anyone to get hurt," then started cooking dinner. Indiana sheriffs deputy dies after falling ill during training, Myles Colvin captivates Heritage Christian crowds, preps for Purdue. 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. I didnt give it any credibility. Mark Leonard, the man considered the mastermind behind the 2012 Richmond Hill neighborhood explosion that killed two people and wounded at least a dozen others, is dead. Woman agrees to testify against others in Indianapolis house explosion She even took some leave from work to stay with him longer than her paid vacation time allowed. 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. In addition to his roofing business, Mastercraft, Leonard also flipped cars on the side. Monserrate Shirley, Mark Leonard: 'Killer Couples' Airs Richmond Hills The next morning, they drove back and saw the house was still standing so they went on to Thompson's house where Leonard confronted him. Residents, particularly the younger ones, report experiencing continued psychological trauma from the incident. She told him the attempt didnt work but that there would be another attempt. He told her his friend Glenn Holts had done the same at his own house with help from Gary Thompson, who worked for Leonard at the time. A second home was reduced to rubble as well, and other houses were half-collapsed. He occasionally worked on those cars at Shirley's home so she saw he had a wide array of tools. Too little, too late, said Jennifer Longworths father, Don Buxton. "He'll do anything I ask," Mark said of his brother. The human toll is harder to estimate. "No one.". I got upset with her and sent her some derogatory texts. She told them she didn't want anything to do with them anymore. The men were reportedly in the home briefly and hurriedly left. I care about people. No one involved in this investigation or prosecution will forget the stories of this tragedy and the continuing fear and trauma that it caused to the survivors. The Richmond Hill neighbors had been waiting long enough without a trial. 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. The first attempt was supposed to be carried out by Gary Thompson, but it failed. Its quite obvious that monserrate is the source of the name in this case. ", Minch: "You said you talked to Ms. Shirley on the 11th. She found a house with a floorplan she liked." 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? At the trial I had firefighters crying on the stand. When the relationship first started, she said, "He was a nice guy. As fate would have it, it would be Carter, just a few weeks later, who would place Monserrate Shirley in handcuffs. But the majority supported us.. Should I have accepted that stipulation? On Monday, November 5, they changed out the thermostat for a "cheaper" model. "I want $300,000. "I was at one of my part-time jobs when I got a text from my daughter, which was very unusual. Mark Leonard drove her home that night and stayed with her for what the defense characterized as a romantic, sexual night. While we knew that Monserrate Shirley on her own would never have caused this crime, it couldnt have happened without her. "Shortly thereafter I moved some furniture into the apartment. Even years later, Robinson says she doesnt know why Black brought the hitman allegations up. 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. Shirley alleged that Hults initially came up with the idea. She took care of all three. She found a house with a floorplan she liked." 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/. Hed also been previously accused of insurance fraud in connection with a car accident. Yes, I didnt think it would be possible, Monserrate Shirley said.HUGE EXPLOSION. rosemary clooney george clooney relationship She would sit with him, eat and drink and occasionally play slot machines. "She lost everything," he said. I dont know why they did it. 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 in August to two life sentences, along with 75 years in prison. Shirley told her daughternot to come back to the house for any reason, though she didn't explain why not. Thats time served, and hes out. 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. A class C felony carries 2-8 years. Shirley claims Leonard coerced her involvement, testifying that he threatened her and her daughter. Its about not letting the person who was watching your game die ever have a say in your game. 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 Version table provides details related to the release that this issue/RFE will be addressed. They moved into a home they built in Richmond Hill toward the end of 2003. HOW TO SOLVE ERROR CODE PII_EMAIL_DE03C2D55A4B639F558D. ", Minch: "You've had problems over the years with the furnace and the water heater. He says he and Monserrate never boarded the cat when they were married. 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. monserrate is a real-life cousin of Shirley, and its said that her daughter monserrate will be taking us on when we die. John moved out in February 2010 and their divorce was finalized that summer. Shirley didn't hear anything more about a plot to start a fire that night, and nothing happened. 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 . Again, she said, "Because I was not able to tell him 'no'." And the water heater." 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. 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. Crime scene photos from the Richmond Hill explosion 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. She was 11 years old at that point. Robinson knew that. [31][32][33] Bob Leonard was convicted on all 51 counts, including murder and conspiracy to commit arson, on February 24, 2016. Ms. Shirley ultimately took responsibility for her actions by pleading guilty and provided important information during the investigation. SOUTH BEND, Ind. Im telling the truth and nothing but the truth was a phrase repeated by Monserrate Shirley throughout the day. He did come to the house one week before the first attempt.