monserrate shirley daughter

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. Call 6 Investigator Rafael Sanchez and Senior Digital Correspondent Jordan Fischer will be in Fort Wayne covering the trial every day. The two divorced on July 25, 2011. ", 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?" He was sentenced in August to two life sentences, along with 75 years in prison. On December 21, 2012, Monserrate Shirley, Mark Leonard, and his brother Bob Leonard were charged with 2 counts of felony murder and . Its about not letting the person who was watching your game die ever have a say in your game. And you said she was crying? She asked Mark not to try the house fire plan again. She went to a bar on the south side of Indianapolis in November 2011 and they immediately noticed each other. "Cases are made up of hurdles all the time," Robinson said Wednesday. The defense certainly offered to stipulate that 60 homes were damaged. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Im thankful for my trial team for sticking with me. 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. 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. Dont make that kind of joke, Shirley testified. 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 . The shirley daughter is an Italian restaurant that takes more than 15 minutes to make you feel at home. "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.". 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. The problem was that none of that criminal history would be admissible at trial. On multiple occasions Wednesday, Shirley said she didnt say no to Mark Leonard because she loved him. Thats time served, and hes out. In court, Shirley testified Leonard had promised to show her how to make a lot of money. Monserrate Shirley was given the house after her divorce. Except her cat, the clothes on her back and a teddy bear she got when she was 1. Minch: "Before that, you did have some problems with the pilot light on the furnace?" I had to know I could make this case based on the evidence I had.. 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 she wept while speaking publicly for the first time about the horrific incident. Indianapolis trio accused of blowing up their home to collect insurance "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.". And in each of those categories, you betrayed your trust.. This time, Mark and Bob talked alone while Monserrate left to pick up her daughter. Says Sen. Tom. They laughed at her for asking, but it was switched back out. I didnt give it any credibility. SOUTH BEND, Ind. At the trial I had firefighters crying on the stand. [6] She claimed to have been horrified at the Longworths' deaths, as well as the massive destruction wrought by the explosion. [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". 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. Glenn Hults, a friend of Leonard's who said he knew about the plot beforehand but didn't call police, was sentenced to three years. No one deserved what happened. 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. Of the dozens and dozens of homes damaged by the blast, 33 were affected so severely they had to be demolished. She owned the house. ", When prosecutors asked if she was serious about the 401K offer, Shirley said, "I would have given him anything because I was in love with him.". This time, Shirley's daughterwas at home, but she was upstairs. Shirley: "She wanted us to live in a bigger house. 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. Jordan Fischer is the senior digital reporter for RTV6. For one: She had earned a reputation as a master liar, as Mark Leonards defense team would later call her. I always get the money.". "He'll do anything I ask," Mark said of his brother. [22], On January 16, 2015, Shirley agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors. That becomes eight years when good time credit is applied. Prosecutors ask if Shirley was asked by police to identify personal property following the explosion. Its about your game being the only game that matters. Shirley says he was worried Brook's cat Snowball was in the house and might have been killed. Yes, I didnt think it would be possible, Monserrate Shirley said.HUGE EXPLOSION. He questioned her about the multiple boardings of her cat, Snowball, which he found odd. She explained that Snowball had anxiety. The first time Gary Thompson first came over to discuss starting a fire, she told him, "I'm ready, as long is this is a small 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. Its very difficult sentencing hearing weve been through for two days. You can't do anything," he said. She then got food for them both and went back to the room around midnight. Monserrate Shirley and her boyfriend, Mark Leonard, who lived in the home, along with Leonard's brother, Robert Leonard, were arrested Friday on 48 charges, including murder and arson. [6] Prosecutors also allege that he offered the hit man a $5,000 bonus if he made the murder look like a suicide. In her sentencing order, Judge Sheila Carlisle repeatedly stressed that Shirley could have stopped the plan at any time but didnt. He was going to bring Thompson to their house so she could say she was okay to move forward, too. 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. 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. She didnt know anyone died, she said. He says he "was very surprised" to learn Snowball had been boarded on the night of the explosion. He did come to the house one week before the first attempt. It was a restaurant that had the name of a famous Italian poet who died young, but the restaurant only lasted for a year. On November 19, it was announced that the investigation had become a criminal investigation. "Except her cat, the clothes on her back and a teddy bear she got when she was 1.". After speaking with detectives, they went to Mark's sister's home, where they spent the night. They agreed to say they'd been having trouble with the thermostat and smelling gas for a while. I tried to ignore Mark Leonards history as much as I could, Robinson said. IndyStar reporter Robert King contributed to this story. Monserrate Shirley, Mark Leonard: 'Killer Couples' Airs Richmond Hills [39] Glenn Hults received a three-year sentence.[40]. And the water heater." He faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted. [36] Shirley was sentenced to 50 years in prison, the maximum possible under her plea agreement, on December 20, 2016. Monserrate Shirley testified that Mark Leonard is the one who told her to increase the insurance on the contents of her house, and she also testified Mark Leonard brought up the idea of setting fire to her house for easy money. Ms. Shirley ultimately took responsibility for her actions by pleading guilty and provided important information during the investigation. INTERACTIVE MAP|Residents relive Richmond Hill explosion, ViewExplosion Damaged Homesin a larger map, Download the new and improved RTV6 app to get the latest news on the go and receive alerts to your phone, Sign up to have the latest news headlines delivered straight to your email inbox, Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, Indianapolis, IN Interactive Weather Radar, Full testimony: Monserrate Shirley takes the stand. Monserrate Shirley, 49, would have to testify against former boyfriend Mark Leonard and his brother in the plea deal . Lisa Marie Presley's daughter Riley Keough wears a Graceland sweater as she . And then there was the arrangement that when I picked up my daughter I would get to take some of my belongings. 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. The Retaking Of Richmond Hill - Indianapolis Monthly "That cannot be real. Robinson, all-too-aware of the limitations of the justice system after decades as a prosecutor, says she is just glad they were able to get some amount of justice for the victims. While Shirley said he lost a lot, he pointed out the toll was much greater on his then-13-year-old daughter Brook. Robert Leonard, who was convicted of murder and multiple felonies, was sentenced to life without parole. When she told him there was around $10,000-12,000 in it, he said that wasn't enough. Its quite obvious that monserrate is the source of the name in this case. She told her daughter a friend had taken it to put a new frame on it. [19] Judge Shelia Carlisle rejected the proposal, noting that no Indiana law authorizes the use of concurrent jury trials. ", Minch: "You said you talked to Ms. Shirley on the 11th. Monserrate Shirley spent the entire day on the stand Wednesday, and the anticipation of her testimony was evident in courtroom attendance. And then there was the arrangement that when I picked up my daughter I would get to take some of my belongings. Shirley: "She lost everything. It was a good feeling.. She even took some leave from work to stay with him longer than her paid vacation time allowed. 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. Robinson says she didnt expect anything to change. Shirley says they were his. Write For Us: Investigative Articles are Intriguing. In November 2014, Glenn Olvey who was trapped with his family in his collapsing house finally gave up on rebuilding his home in the neighborhood. Monserrate Shirley is lead into her sentencing hearing in December 2016. 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. It had three gas appliances - the water heater, the furnace and the fireplace. Aaron Carter. Mark and Bob stayed in the garage while they talked about what Bob's part would be, while Shirley stayed inside. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. 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. Shirley recalled a later conversation that she had with Bob and Mark Leonard, after the explosion. I know it caught us by surprise and we had to react to it.. Shirley said she recalled telling them two innocent people die out of this.THIS HAS TO BE DONE. This type of trial is unusual but not unheard of, and had been used in the trial of the Menendez brothers. Jeff Wager, the lead homicide investigator in the case, talks about the surveillance and arrests of Mark Leonard and Monserrate Shirley: It was at a meeting with prosecutors in early 2015 that Richmond Hill residents learned of the plea deal being worked out with their former neighbor, Monserrate Shirley. The truth is, I was scared.. [16][17] The alleged motive for the arson was to collect insurance money to ease financial strain. (Item updated.) Should we not use all those witnesses? I said, You guys are crazy, that my house is too big.. Will they get to the felony murder?. 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. Monserrate worked Friday, November 9. [7] Shirley told the police she never smelled any natural gas, but that her daughter had thought she did recently. The topic came up again around July 4. Call IndyStar reporter Holly Hays at (317) 444-6156. She was 11 years old at that point. Shirley says Monserrate got the house in the divorce. Mark started telling Shirley they needed to get their stories straight before police started asking questions. Gary Thompsonwas handed a 30-year prison sentence, 20 years executed, for his role in the murderous insurance fraud scheme. Leonard went to pick up Thompson in the white van witnesses in the neighborhood have previously testified seeing in Shirley's driveway. Shirley's next-door neighbors, John and Jennifer Longworth, died in the blast. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison. Defense counsel said the deposition version showed she was actually in favor of burning the house down, she just didn't want to get caught. Indianapolis blast: house owner, 2 others accused of deadly plot FAIL: New York Senate Says NO to Gay Marriage - Queerty Eventually, hed be asked to repeat her answer at her boyfriends murder trial. On Monday, November 5, they changed out the thermostat for a "cheaper" model. Mark was a handsome man with sex appeal and a lot of money, judging by his stash of cash and fast luxury cars. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. There's little remaining of Shirley's home (pictured at left) after Saturday's explosion. It ended in the deaths of Dion and Jennifer Longworth. I went into the breakroom and texted my ex about what happened. Sometimes they would go during the week while her daughterwas at school and leave in enough time to pick her back up. When she left that morning, her daughterand Snowball were still there (Mark was going to take them to school and the kennel). Man accused of murder in deadly house blast learns his fate - CBS News As his court date neared, the workload ramped up. [28] The defense said that what became the Richmond Hill explosion was only supposed to be a "stupid and selfish insurance fraud that went horribly wrong", adding, "Precautions were taken to ensure people weren't harmed." At the center of the case, Mark Leonard, a womanizer with gambling debts who preyed on divorcees, hatched an arson plot for money with his girlfriend, Monserrate Shirley. Having Shirley as a witness came with its own pitfalls, though. Mark then asked Bob twice to "go get the part that we need." The explosion leveled 8349 Fieldfare Way, the home at the center of the explosion, and severely damaged a number of other residences, including several (on either side) which were damaged by the ensuing fire. He eventually improved enough to return home, but Shirley had to continue caring for him for several months. 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. She found a house with a floorplan she liked." While still at the hotel, Mark asked her to call a heating & cooling company on Sunday, November 4, to see what they would charge to check on the heat because the house was too cold. But she put an end to that in August 2011.". "You face one, you get over one and you've got another one all the way until the end. In one case, she said the first attempt was supposed to be tied to gasoline not natural gas. "She lost everything," he said. But didnt the jury need to hear from the residents? Deputy Prosecutor DeniseRobinson has said she will argue for 50 when the time comes. After the first failure, Leonard decided he also wanted to bring in his half-brother, Bob. Indiana sheriffs deputy dies after falling ill during training, Myles Colvin captivates Heritage Christian crowds, preps for Purdue. The home of Monserrate Shirley was the center of the explosion that resulted in the deaths of next-door neighbors John "Dion" Longworth and his wife Jennifer (ne Buxton), the injuries of seven others, and $4 million in property damage. Richmond Hill trial: Monserrate Shirley testifies | wthr.com If that timeline holds, final jury instructions would be given Monday, July 13 then deliberation would begin. Shirley told jurors he lost a number of things in the explosion, including a collection of tennis rackets and a drafting table. According to Shirley, he said the house fire would happen, "even if I have to step in the living room and light up this house myself.". [12] Though the trio was eligible for the death penalty under Indiana law, prosecutors chose to pursue life sentences without parole because they believed a jury would be unlikely to impose the death penalty without any evidence that the suspects intended to cause the deaths. Leonard died around 9:15. Shirley testified Leonard asked to see the insurance policy on the home within a few weeks of moving in. Their challenge was to distill two-and-a-half years of research and investigation into a six week trial without losing the jury in the process. FORT WAYNE, Ind. There have been days with only two people in the audience other than media, but there were more than 30 Wednesday. Richmond Hill explosion - Wikipedia I told them I dont even want to be a part of this, Shirley testified as telling the Leonards. [6] They had arranged for Shirley's 12-year-old daughter to stay with friends and had boarded their cat, Snowball, for the weekend. The case was expected to be the largest and most expensive trial in Marion County history. Did you see her on TV a few days later? Hed also been previously accused of insurance fraud in connection with a car accident. "We had a lot of parties," the late. 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. According to Shirleys account, she was struggling to stay financially afloat when she met Leonard, and within a month of dating, he came up with the idea. At the time her friends called her, Monserrate was at a casino with Mark Leonard. He also told Bob to go get Gary Thompson. Monserrate Shirley sentencing: 'She is the worst of the bunch' - WTHR Glenn Hults, the final defendant to stand trial for the explosion, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge last month that may result in no additional jail time. Made and inspired by a love triangle, this was written by a girl from Italy. Shirley Temple's Children Remember Their Late Mother - Closer Weekly Shirley told her daughternot to come back to the house for any reason, though she didn't explain why not. 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. The jury found 46-year-old Mark Leonard guilty of all counts against him, including murder and felony murder. Download the RTV6 app to get the latest live blog posts as the proceedings unfold. 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. She was the one who got her daughter and her cat out of the situation and left her neighbors in the situation. "I mean, I'm totally devastated like my neighbors are.". They claim that Leonard wanted the hit man to force the witness to call 9-1-1 and recant his statement before killing him. FOLLOW|Rafael Sanchez on Twitter|Jordan Fischer on Twitter, RELATED LINKS |Richmond Hill Special Section|Mark Ray Leonard convicted on all counts. 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. The third weekends attempt was the one that killed the Longworths. 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. She was able to take that to the prosecutor and get a protective order against me. Woman pleads guilty in deadly Indianapolis explosion - CBS News Thompson returned to their home to plan their next attempt. So in the end there were a couple of people who were opposed to it, and I respected that.