. 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. She was inspired by the way Chef Alberto Marinovich put on this dish and it was a joy to serve. She has already been behind bars for four years. Richmond Hill explosion: 'It's the toughest thing I've ever done in my career', Richmond Hill explosion: 7 keys that solved the case, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Authorities blamed a natural gas explosion inside the home of Monserrate Shirley, who was away at the time of the explosion. Her house exploded on their third attempt of trying to claim insurance money. 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. And you said she was crying? They went to the casino and waited for the call that a fire had broken out, but again, the call never came. ", Minch: "You testified that you only used a babysitter maybe once a month, because your lifestyle with Ms. Shirley wasn't such that you went out every weekend?" News, information &. I tried to ignore Mark Leonards history as much as I could, Robinson said. Having Shirley as a witness came with its own pitfalls, though. 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. [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". They got to the room, but Mark wasn't feeling well so he stayed there while Shirley played slot machines for about an hour. I told them I dont even want to be a part of this, Shirley testified as telling the Leonards. 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. [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. Robinson says she didnt expect anything to change. 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/. 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. 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. During the course of this lengthy process, we have sincerely appreciated the cooperation and patience of these families. But in this case, Monserrate Shirley had already received leniency from the state when she entered into a plea agreement that dismissed a total of 50 charges, including murder. Of the dozens and dozens of homes damaged by the blast, 33 were affected so severely they had to be demolished. 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. Shirley had heard of Bob before, but had not met him before he came over Thursday, November 1. Before meeting Mark, Shirley had never been to a casino. The jury found 46-year-old Mark Leonard guilty of all counts against him, including murder and felony murder. Mark then asked Bob twice to "go get the part that we need." She found a house with a floorplan she liked." The Version table provides details related to the release that this issue/RFE will be addressed. 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. As his court date neared, the workload ramped up. 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. To this day, absolutely they had the right to do that. Officials did not release further information regarding his death. She never got a call, though. The blast killed two people and. Denise Robinson, the Marion County Prosecutor on the case, told the court she rarely asks for the maximum sentence. "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. 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. That hit man was later revealed to be an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. There have been days with only two people in the audience other than media, but there were more than 30 Wednesday. TRANSCRIPT | Opening statements in the trial of Mark Leonard. But I cant do that, and everybody knows you cant do that, but sometimes theres this perception that getting through the justice system will make things better. Jurors will later hear that the golf bags and clubs were found at Bob Leonard's home after the explosion. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. She transferred from her job in Michigan to the VA hospital in Indianapolis, where she worked for 17 years, focusing in the ICU. We knew we were taking a week of testimony from the residents to talk about what had happened to their houses, Robinson said. . 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. Should I have accepted that stipulation? He was sentenced in August to two life sentences, along with 75 years in prison. The sentence accounts for time served and good. Its been around since the late 80s, but Im sure well find more of it on our own site. "I moved out in February of 2011," he said. Shirley recalled a later conversation that she had with Bob and Mark Leonard, after the explosion. Shirley told her daughternot to come back to the house for any reason, though she didn't explain why not. Shortly thereafter I moved some furniture into the apartment. 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. 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. Among the "no" votes, inexplicably: political dancer Hiram Monserrate. He gave her $3,000 to use, and they lost it all. Download the RTV6 app to get the latest live blog posts as the proceedings unfold. Prosecutors said Leonard planned to pay a person he thought was a hit man $15,000, giving him a $5,000 bonus if a witness in the case called police to say he had lied about information he had given investigators. She met Mark Leonard at a bar on November 12, 2011. Shirley stated that her daughter had smelled gas during the week before the explosion. Dont make that kind of joke, Shirley testified. The most money she ever remembered seeing him lose on a single trip was $7,000. Monserrate Shirley said Mark Leonard was very, very mad., Mark Leonard said, Were going to do it again. He told her to tell Holts, though, that they would be trying the fire again that night (Sunday night). Monserrate Shirley and Mark leonard, profiled on the next "American Greed," staged a natural gas explosion to collect the insurance on their Indianapolis home. The co-conspirators include Shirleys boyfriend at the time, Mark Leonard, and his brother, Bob Leonard Jr. I was introduced to this once-a-year dish at a party and she was one of the first people to give it a shot. 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. [14] In April 2015, a fifth man, Glenn Hults, was charged with conspiracy to commit arson. 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. The defense team started their cross-examination by establishing Shirley's ability to make life-and-death decisions in high-pressure situations while a charge nurse in the ICU. The couple's steamy relationship lasted for about a month before they moved in together. 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. At the time her friends called her, Monserrate was at a casino with Mark Leonard. After her 12 hour shift, she planned to see her daughter at the Holts' house and change there. Sgt. [34][35], Monserrate Shirley pled guilty to conspiracy to commit arson. [5], Monserrate "Moncy" Shirley, a nurse, owned the home at the center of the explosion. One year of his sentences wassuspended, and the rest was to be split between jail and work release. 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. Mark and Bob stayed in the garage while they talked about what Bob's part would be, while Shirley stayed inside. He refused, though, and warned them, "You guys be careful, because I know someone who committed arson and got 75 years in prison. After a while, Mark came back in and said Bob had agreed to help for $10,000, but never specified what exactly Bob would be doing. I commend Det. Prosecutors alleged that the men conspired to submit an insurance claim for a stolen motorcycle. Her sister had lived in the same housing complex. Two of those alleged co-conspirators were arrested as a direct result of her cooperation: Gary Thompson and Glenn Holts. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. I know it caught us by surprise and we had to react to it.. She was crying and hysterical and said the house blew up.". Every day I ask myself why I didnt stop this. She talked about being Catholic and said it was in God's hands, but still, they should be punished.". Sometimes they would go during the week while her daughterwas at school and leave in enough time to pick her back up. I have morals.I love my patients and I would do anything for them. Holts invited Leonard and Shirley to his friend's house for a pool party in the Geist neighborhood. 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. 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. Lisa Marie Presley's daughter Riley Keough wears a Graceland sweater as she . [6] Her attorneys argued that she was trapped in an abusive relationship and was coerced by Mark Leonard into participating in the crime. Example video title will go here for this video. You were a mom. She will be 72 years old. A source who claimed to be in contact with the Shirley family told WISH-TV in Indianapolis that a family member had complained about smelling gas in the home at one time. We firmly believed that Gary Thompson played a role, but until she cooperated, we couldnt prove that, Robinson said. [39] Glenn Hults received a three-year sentence.[40]. The explosion in the subdivision just south of the city on Saturday, Nov. 10, killed John and Jennifer Longworth. But no other problems. John Shirley, 50, of Noblesville, told The Associated Press that his daughter sent him a text message last week complaining that the furnace in the home where she lives with her mother and her. In the game of death, monserrate daughter is the only way to be reunited with the game of life. FOLLOW|Rafael Sanchez on Twitter|Jordan Fischer on Twitter, RELATED LINKS |Richmond Hill Special Section|Mark Ray Leonard convicted on all counts. "Two innocent people died because of this!" We did the right thing, for the right reason, and got the right result in the right way.. "The State asked questions about [the interview] andthe judge said on the record that he saw no difference in her demeanor [on the video] than what she did today and that was our whole point: that she can tell a lie as easy as she tells the truth.". Neighbors, family testify in sentencing hearing of Monserrate Shirley, owner of the home. 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. Then there was the question of Leonards history. 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 crowd watched in grim silence as a Marion County judge entered not guilty pleas for Monserrate Shirley, her boyfriend Mark Leonard, and his brother, Bob Leonard. She came into the courtroom looking much different than she did the weekend of the explosion in 2012. Its because the game of death is the game of life itself. Prosecutors told Judge Marnocha Tuesday they will likely rest their case next Wednesday or Thursday. To do that, the team moved 80 boxes of documents connected to the case to an office on the east side of Indianapolis. I dont know why they did it. But didnt the jury need to hear from the residents? Prosecutors alleged Leonard was the mastermind behind the explosion, plotting with his. "[6] The witness also told investigators that Leonard talked about buying a Ferrari with the insurance money from the house. Its an interesting concept. Defense attorneys tried to play that video for jurors Wednesday, but the judge wouldnt allow it. 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. Shirley said she has been reeling from the pain of people blaming her for the tragic event. Leonard is the brother of Mark Leonard, who is dating Montserrate Shirley, who along with Mark Leonard, lives in the home . She, at first, struggled to identify her other neighbors. 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. He occasionally worked on those cars at Shirley's home so she saw he had a wide array of tools. The sentence accounts for time served and good. [9], Investigators discovered a number of allegations of insurance fraud and other scams by Leonard prior to the blast, particularly involving stolen or wrecked automobiles. Monserrate Shirley was given the house after her divorce. Its a difficult case. She asked Mark and Bob what happened that made it be an explosion instead of a fire. Monserrate Shirley spent the entire day on the stand Wednesday, and the anticipation of her testimony was evident in courtroom attendance. [6] A friend of the couple reported that Mark Leonard had lost $10,000 at the casino approximately three weeks before the explosion. 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." Shirley's daughter went with them in Leonard's Cadillac. Monserrate Shirley leaves court after learning her sentence. I see a con artist when I look at her., If she really is apologetic, then I accept the apology, said Dion Longworths father, John Longworth. 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 spent hours on the stand. 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. Once they were alone, Leonard, Holts and Shirley started talking about the fire again while they sat around the pool drinking beer. It was run by the daughter of a famous American actor who was very close to the owner. While Shirley said he lost a lot, he pointed out the toll was much greater on his then-13-year-old daughter Brook. In addition to the thousands of pieces of physical evidence, they had more than 200 witnesses lined up to testify. In court Wednesday, she said he turned on the gas, but never lit the fire. Monserrate Shirley entered a guilty plea in the case that started as an insurance scam in Richmond Hill in 2012. (WISH) Monserrate Shirley told jurors Wednesday she would do anything for Mark Leonard, because she was in love with him. Robinson also couldnt tell the residents that Shirleys cooperation would mean charges against two more suspects: Gary Thompson and Glenn Hults. John moved out in February 2010 and their divorce was finalized that summer. The shirley daughter is an Italian restaurant that takes more than 15 minutes to make you feel at home. Call 6 Investigator Rafael Sanchez and Senior Digital Correspondent Jordan Fischer will be in Fort Wayne covering the trial every day. 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. Hults and his then-fiance babysat Shirley's daughter on the night of the explosion. The group researched methods of how to destroy the home and made more than one attempt at doing so before succeeding, authorities said. Mark Leonard drove her home that night and stayed with her for what the defense characterized as a romantic, sexual night. Many people may remember Shirley giving an interview to the media, including WISH-TV, after the explosion. But Im not allowed to say that. The two divorced on July 25, 2011. The force of the blast shattered windows and ripped down garage doors at dozens of other homes in the neighborhood. Monserrate Shirley was ordered to serve out her sentence at the Indiana Womens Prison in Indianapolis. I was scared for my life and the life of my daughter., Forgive me for my poor choices in life, she continued.