monserrate shirley daughter

One of the projects he took on was working on the gas line in the fireplace. The inmate and Leonard drew up a contract agreeing that Leonard would pay the inmate $15,000 when he was released, the affidavit said. And that, Im sure, will never change.. [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. 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. 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 was too involved. In her sentencing order, Judge Sheila Carlisle repeatedly stressed that Shirley could have stopped the plan at any time but didnt. Shirley told her daughternot to come back to the house for any reason, though she didn't explain why not. Leonard died around 9:15 a.m. Tuesday at an Indianapolis hospital,according to an Indiana Department of Correction spokesman. [6] He says he "was very surprised" to learn Snowball had been boarded on the night of the explosion. 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. 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. 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. -- John Shirley told jurors Tuesday that, while his relationship with his ex-wife Monserrate was severely damaged by the time he moved out, the gas appliances in their home were not. Shirley struck a plea deal with prosecutors and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. 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. The girlwas already out of the house while they cleared it of the sentimental items. It was unclear when the complaint was made and whether the utility company was alerted. He says he and Monserrate never boarded the cat when they were married. Prosecutors then proposed an unusual strategy involving one trial, but three separate juries, one for each defendant. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. [6] A friend of the couple reported that Mark Leonard had lost $10,000 at the casino approximately three weeks before the explosion. He told her to tell Holts, though, that they would be trying the fire again that night (Sunday night). ", Minch: "At no time did she ever say she was involved in the explosion?" They got to the room, but Mark wasn't feeling well so he stayed there while Shirley played slot machines for about an hour. By this time, Shirley's daughterhad noticed her portrait was no longer above the fireplace and asked Monserrate about it. The original posters source was a little bit of a weird little coincidence, but the name was still alive and well. 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.. Once they were alone, Leonard, Holts and Shirley started talking about the fire again while they sat around the pool drinking beer. [39] Glenn Hults received a three-year sentence.[40]. She found a house with a floorplan she liked." Shirley: "Yes. While Thompson checked the digital thermostat, Shirley heard him and Leonard say they could use it to trigger the fireplace as the source of the fire, but they never directly gave her any specifics on how they were going to do it. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison. 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. 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. 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. Prosecutors entered all three into evidence Tuesday. Mark and Bob stayed in the garage while they talked about what Bob's part would be, while Shirley stayed inside. 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. Their funeral was held earlier today. And the water heater." He was sentenced in August to two life sentences, along with 75 years in prison. 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. It was the last time she would be in her home before the explosion. As of summer 2022 the show has aired sixteen . And I wanted to be able to tell them everything., TRANSCRIPT | The full testimony of Monserrate Shirley. Its very difficult sentencing hearing weve been through for two days. [38], Gary Thompson pled guilty to conspiracy to commit arson and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Shirley met Mark Leonard. This has to be done, Shirley testified. The November 2012 blast claimed the lives of John and Jennifer Longworth and spawned an investigation that landed five people behind bars. 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. 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. [22], On January 16, 2015, Shirley agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors. 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. Officials did not release further information regarding his death. Bob Leonard said, "Well, you're in it. 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. Too little, too late, said Jennifer Longworths father, Don Buxton. Police became suspicious when they uncovered evidence that the couple had taken similar steps the previous weekend; the cat had been boarded and Shirley's daughter had been placed with a babysitter overnight before the couple went to the casino. Attorneys walked Shirley through a number of conversations she had with Mark Leonard from the time they met until the house exploded. [10] Included on the probable cause affidavit were complaints from several women claiming that Leonard scammed them out of thousands of dollars. Thirty-three homes were damaged so severely they were deemed unrecoverable, and had to be torn down to the foundation. 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. "They are currently in the process of recovering the appliances from destroyed homes to help determine the cause.". She was the nurse. . Leonard asked Holts to tell the story of his own fire, how easily he'd gotten the money and to re-assure Shirley everything would be alright if they did it at her house. The jury found 46-year-old Mark Leonard guilty of all counts against him, including murder and felony murder. She asked Mark and Bob what happened that made it be an explosion instead of a fire. "You can't even do a 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. 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. Defense attorneys tried to play that video for jurors Wednesday, but the judge wouldnt allow it. At least three of his possessions did survive, however: two golf bags, with clubs, and a driver he'd been gifted. 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 . While we knew that Monserrate Shirley on her own would never have caused this crime, it couldnt have happened without her. FORT WAYNE, Ind. 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. He did come to the house one week before the first attempt. [23] The plea deal involved Shirley pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit arson in exchange for testifying against the other suspects. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Yes, I didnt think it would be possible, Monserrate Shirley said.HUGE EXPLOSION. After he was done, the fireplace worked properly and they never smelled any gas inside the home because of it. 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.. Mark Leonard moved in with Monserrate Shirley about a month later. The explosion in the subdivision just south of the city on Saturday, Nov. 10, killed John and Jennifer Longworth. Monserrate Shirley, 51, was one of five people charged in the explosion that left two people dead. "It's like waking up to this bad dream," Shirley said, her voice cracking as tears flowed down her cheeks. Roughly a week afterward, Mark asked Shirley for $500. [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. Call 6 Investigator Rafael Sanchez and Senior Digital Correspondent Jordan Fischer will be in Fort Wayne covering the trial every day. Mark had called her asking which credit card he could buy the thermostat with, but she didn't see him actually switch out the thermostat for the new one, nor did he ever say who did it. [37] She is serving her sentence at Indiana Women's Prison in Indianapolis. In 2017, Leonard wasconvicted and received an additional 50-year sentencein a murder-for-hire scheme authorities say he concocted from jail after his arrest. No one else was within earshot, so far as she knew. In fact, they said that at the time she raised her insurance policy to $300,000, she was roughly $300,000 in debt (more than $200K between her two mortgages on top of the bankruptcy settlement left over from her divorce). The men were reportedly in the home briefly and hurriedly left. For her cooperation with the prosecutions of the Leonard brothers, and the information she provided that led to the convictions of Hults and Thompson, Monserrate Shirley was spared the possibility of life without parole. Leonard is charged with 53 counts of murder, arson and conspiracy. By the time wed got to trial, hed already been in jail for going on three years. She said Mark didn't actually want anyone to come to the house, he just wanted a trail they could point to after the fire so they could explain why they were in the hotel. One small job. "(Whoever is responsible will) have to pay for what they did to me and everybody else," Shirley said in the interview. While there had been some communications early on, we were not willing to offer Monserrate Shirley a significant deal for her cooperation, Robinson said. Shirley told jurors he lost a number of things in the explosion, including a collection of tennis rackets and a drafting table. and one-eighth, Zionsvilles Brian Mason will be Colts coordinator, Indy east side fire kills dog, injures multiple people, Record breaking weather week in central Indiana, Indiana state trooper hit, killed in the line of, New billboard in Fountain Square tackles antisemitism, Trooper killed on I-69, speeding driver arrested, Everything you need to know about the 2023 Academy, Congressman Baird calls for pause on toxic shipments, Congress works to tackle military spouse unemployment, Indy man gets 16 years after shooting wife in arm, Spencer man killed in rollover crash on I-70, 3 Ind. The co-conspirators include Shirleys boyfriend at the time, Mark Leonard, and his brother, Bob Leonard Jr. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. To this day, absolutely they had the right to do that. They laughed at her for asking, but it was switched back out. ", "Richmond Hill explosion suspects to get separate trials", "Attorneys: Change of venue likely in Monserrate Shirley case", "Richmond Hill suspect trial moved to South Bend", "Defendant in deadly Indiana explosion agrees to plea deal", "Richmond Hill trial: Informant says Mark Leonard wanted witness killed", "Home> U.S. Indianapolis House Explosion: Suspect Charged in Murder-for-Hire Plot", "Marion county prosecutor's office asks for life without parole sentences in richmond hill explosion", "Richmond Hill trial to focus on greed and desperation", "Mark Leonard convicted of murder in explosion scheme", "Mark Leonard gets life without parole for Richmond Hill explosion", "Richmond Hill explosion mastermind Mark Leonard dies", "Cause of death of Richmond Hill conspirator Mark Leonard determined", "Richmond Hill explosion culprit Mark Leonard dies at Indy hospital", "Leonard found guilty of all counts in Richmond Hill trial", "Indianapolis man get 2 life sentences in deadly house blast", "Psychologist Says Monserrate Shirley Was Abused as Child, Has 'Dependent Personality Disorder', "Monserrate Shirley sentenced to maximum 50 years in prison", "Gary Thompson sentenced in Richmond Hill explosion after pleading guilty to arson charge", "Glenn Hults sentenced to 3 years in deadly Richmond Hill blast", Affidavit of Probable Cause, Dec. 20, 2012, Affidavit of Probable Cause, April 14, 2015, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richmond_Hill_explosion&oldid=1133693717, November 2012 crimes in the United States, Articles with incomplete citations from March 2015, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 15 January 2023, at 02:18. It was a good feeling.. TRANSCRIPT | Opening statements in the trial of Mark Leonard. Monserrate Shirley, 49, would have to testify against former boyfriend Mark Leonard and his brother in the plea deal . [1] Thirty-three homes were damaged severely enough to require demolition. Its about remembering who you are. [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. I commend Det. "I want $300,000. I care about people. Shirley says he replaced the thermostat "so there were more options to heat the house during the day.". No one, Shirley replied, crying.I WAS IN LOVE WITH HIM. 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. She grabbed a few pictures, including the canvas portrait of her daughterat age 5 that hung above the fireplace. Shirley said she would come back immediately, but they told her there was no house to come back to. This time, Mark and Bob talked alone while Monserrate left to pick up her daughter. HS counselor at board meeting, Serial Indianapolis rapist pleads guilty to 9 counts, Mom speaks out after 2 kids killed by falling tree, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. "No one.". At about 11:10p.m., on November 10, 2012, a large explosion occurred in Richmond Hill, a subdivision on the southeast side of Indianapolis. Make We are sure to have a lot more weird coincidences in the next few days, but this one is pretty crazy. [2] Over sixty firefighters responded to the blaze. 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. Somebody knew that I was out of town. [28] Prosecutors expected to submit nearly 3,000 pieces of evidence, and potentially call up to 175 witnesses. 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. But she put an end to that in August 2011.". . The third weekends attempt was the one that killed the Longworths. Most importantly, Shirleys testimony would further tip the scales against the Leonard brothers. The blast killed two people and. [24], On March 28, 2015, Mark Leonard was charged with conspiring to murder the key witness against him, Mark Duckworth. An Indianapolis woman said she asked her then-boyfriend's half-brother what he had done when she learned the fire they planned to ignite using natural gas had Shirley: "She wanted us to live in a bigger house. 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. 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. 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. Shirley wasnt a suspect at the time, and the interview was a routine one. He said that his daughter had mentioned that the furnace wasn't working, and he wondered whether a gas leak ignited the blast. 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. "Shortly thereafter I moved some furniture into the apartment. "Everybody's pointing a finger at me like I did something wrong," Shirley said in a video posted on the Indianapolis Star newspaper's website. After her 12 hour shift, she planned to see her daughter at the Holts' house and change there. We did the right thing, for the right reason, and got the right result in the right way.. And then there was the arrangement that when I picked up my daughter I would get to take some of my belongings. Are they going to get bored with it?. She went to a bar on the south side of Indianapolis in November 2011 and they immediately noticed each other. Your email address will not be published. This story is Chapter III of a three-part series. Another woman reported that she had loaned him about $5,000 for a construction job, which he had yet to pay back. He gave her $3,000 to use, and they lost it all. Monserrate Shirley leaves court after learning her sentence. When we got in this case, we were asked to save her life, said defense attorney James Voyles. From confusion to conviction, Richmond Hill blast recapped. If that timeline holds, final jury instructions would be given Monday, July 13 then deliberation would begin. In a deposition before the trial, though, she reported saying, "I'm not doing this. It also didnt carry much weight for the families of Dion and Jennifer Longworth, who died in the blast. The two divorced on July 25, 2011. On November 19, it was announced that the investigation had become a criminal investigation. Should we not use all those witnesses? They had left town the night before, after Ms. Shirley's nursing shift at a local. Robinson says she didnt expect anything to change. When you come out and say, My client attempted to commit insurance fraud through a small fire and this just happened, he had no idea, what the jury doesnt realize, because Im not allowed to tell them, is attempted insurance fraud even if coupled with reckless homicide is a class C felony. Shirley said she has been reeling from the pain of people blaming her for the tragic event. 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. Saturday morning, they headed to the casino and Mark played a blackjack table, then they went to the bar and sat, waiting to get the phone call their home had caught fire. Monserrate "Moncy" Shirley, a nurse, owned the home at the center of the explosion. She moved to the United States when she was 25. "I was at one of my part-time jobs when I got a text from my daughter, which was very unusual. In addition to his roofing business, Mastercraft, Leonard also flipped cars on the side. Shirley: "No.". He faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted. Thats time served, and hes out. Although prosecutors didnt need their blessing to go ahead with the plea, Robinson said they felt it was important to tell the residents as much as they could. ", Holts then asked who would get the money if they went through with it and Mark said, "Of course, me. Shirley says they were his. ", When asked if the attacks on Shirley's credibility would damage the State's case, Deputy Prosecutor Denise Robinson said, "If you think about anybody who gives a number of statements, and you think about inconsistencies when you're asked questions and you have to answer the questions that you're asked [no more, no less]. On December 21, 2012, Monserrate Shirley, Mark Leonard, and his brother Bob Leonard were charged with 2 counts of felony murder and . Its about becoming who you were meant to be. The here, in this case, was the knowing murder of Dion and Jennifer Longworth.

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