The couple says their neighbor Bob Leonard was led away for questioning. Attorneys walked Shirley through a number of conversations she had with Mark Leonard from the time they met until the house exploded. 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. 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. [6] Prosecutors also allege that he offered the hit man a $5,000 bonus if he made the murder look like a suicide. To do that, the team moved 80 boxes of documents connected to the case to an office on the east side of Indianapolis. 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? The stove was electric. Prosecuting Mark Leonard presented with some challenges. And your daughter lost some things?" Residents, particularly the younger ones, report experiencing continued psychological trauma from the incident. Shirley says he was worried Brook's cat Snowball was in the house and might have been killed. Hults and his then-fiance babysat Shirley's daughter on the night of the explosion. Among the "no" votes, inexplicably: political dancer Hiram Monserrate. This story is Chapter III of a three-part series. 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. 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. She would then go to a southside bar to meet Mark before they left for the casino. I went into the breakroom and texted my ex about what happened. The Richmond Hill explosion took place on November 10, 2012, in the Richmond Hill subdivision in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. He was, however, eventually able to return to his hobby of umpiring softball. ", When they went to pick up Shirley's daughteron Sunday, Holts told Mark to "Get the [expletive] out of here. We've got a few more.". Your email address will not be published. PREVIOUS|Timeline of events|Gallery: The Richmond Hill Explosion|Where were you at 11:11 PM? 2012 explosion in Richmond Hill, Indianapolis, Indiana, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, "At least 2 killed, others injured in explosion, fire in Indianapolis neighborhood", "Family breaks ground on new home in Richmond Hill subdivision after Indianapolis home explosion", "36 homes critically damaged in explosion in south side neighborhood", "Homeowner at center of explosion feels lucky to be alive", "Authorities call Richmond Hill explosion a homicide case, seek details on white van", "Probable cause suggests pattern of fraud, details inconsistencies", "Richmond Hill suspect, friend face insurance fraud charges", "Affidavit: women say richmond hill blast suspect Mark Leonard has long history of scheming", "Shattered Subdivision Offers a Trail of Clues", "Life sentences without parole sought for Indianapolis explosion suspects", "4th person arrested in Indianapolis house explosion", "Fifth suspect charged in 2012 Indianapolis south side explosion", "Mark Leonard, Indy Blast suspect, pleads not guilty in murder plot", "Jim Voyles now representing Monserrate Shirley", "Home Explosion Case: Monserrate Shirley, Mark And Bob Leonard Due In Indianapolis Court", "Richmond Hill explosion: 3 trials for price of 1? This may help explain why this dish is beloved by patrons like myself. "That cannot be real. [29] He was sentenced to life in prison plus 75 years without parole on August 14, 2015. SOUTH BEND, Ind. She then got food for them both and went back to the room around midnight. She went to a bar on the south side of Indianapolis in November 2011 and they immediately noticed each other. We again offer our condolences to the families of Dion and Jennifer Longworth and to those who suffered injury and loss. Prosecutors ask if Shirley was asked by police to identify personal property following the explosion. 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. The topic came up again around July 4. Woman pleads guilty in deadly Indianapolis explosion - CBS News Im thankful for my trial team for sticking with me. Marion County Superior Court Judge Sheila Carlisle sentenced Monserrate Shirley to spend the maximum sentence of 50 years in prison on Tuesday. Monserrate Shirley, 49, would have to testify against former boyfriend Mark Leonard and his brother in the plea deal . So in the game of death, monserrate daughter is the Shirley of the game of death. She told him the attempt didnt work but that there would be another attempt. ", Minch: "You said you talked to Ms. Shirley on the 11th. The men were reportedly in the home briefly and hurriedly left. Ms. Shirley ultimately took responsibility for her actions by pleading guilty and provided important information during the investigation. She still qualifies as a practicing nurse. At least half a dozen marriages in the Richmond Hill neighborhood ended in divorce in the years immediately following the blast. For their families, the tree is one last connection to the loved ones they lost on Nov. 10, 2012. Shirley: "Yes. 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. "I am a nurse. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison. It was never no for an answer. He said that his daughter had mentioned that the furnace wasn't . The co-conspirators include Shirleys boyfriend at the time, Mark Leonard, and his brother, Bob Leonard Jr. Get caught up on the first two chapters here:Chapter I: The Night the Sky Caught Fire|Chapter II: The $4 Million Arson Plot. 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. Bob Leonard's son told investigators that several items were in the van that had been taken from the home, including photos and financial documents. Leonard and Shirley went to the casino on Saturday, October 27, expecting Shirley's best friend and neighbor to call when the house caught fire. 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. The next morning, they went to Bob Leonard's mobile home. She and her boyfriend, Mark Leonard, who also lived at the residence, told authorities they had left Friday night for a weekend at Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. She talked about being Catholic and said it was in God's hands, but still, they should be punished.". He was sentenced to 75 years in prison on the arson charges on top of two life sentences for the murder charges. Follow her on Twitter:@hollyvhays. She told them she didn't want anything to do with them anymore. monserrate is the name of the dish, as well as its . At the end of the day, we still miss her and him, Dion, as much as ever, Buxton said. Should I have accepted that stipulation? Woman tells of failed tries before deadly Indianapolis house explosion In addition to his roofing business, Mastercraft, Leonard also flipped cars on the side. Monserrate Shirley, 49, said she became distraught when neighbors telephoned her after the November 2012 explosion and told her that her home was destroyed. Mark. 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.. Robinson also couldnt tell the residents that Shirleys cooperation would mean charges against two more suspects: Gary Thompson and Glenn Hults. In another, she said Mark Leonard turned on the gas line and actually lit the fire during the second attempt. Prosecutors entered all three into evidence Tuesday. At the time her friends called her, Monserrate was at a casino with Mark Leonard. 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. Shirley: "Back in August (2011) she just stopped taking my phone calls and letting me talk to Brook. Thompson left after a few hours and Shirley didn't hear anything else before the first attempt that Saturday. When the relationship first started, she said, "He was a nice guy. Shirley and Leonard had gone on television on multiple occasions following the blast to state their innocence, and to ask for privacy. Richmond Hill trial: Monserrate Shirley testifies | wthr.com Monserrate Shirley spent the entire day on the stand Wednesday, and the anticipation of her testimony was evident in courtroom attendance. During the course of this lengthy process, we have sincerely appreciated the cooperation and patience of these families. The human toll is harder to estimate. Monserrate "Moncy" Shirley, a nurse, owned the home at the center of the explosion. She was the one who got her daughter and her cat out of the situation and left her neighbors in the situation. (WISH) Monserrate Shirley told jurors Wednesday she would do anything for Mark Leonard, because she was in love with him. Shirley had earlier cooperated in providing testimony against alleged co-conspirators but. 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. 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.

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