monserrate shirley daughterkwwl reporter fired
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Mr. Monserrate Morales was born on January 7, 1955 in Puerto Rico. At least three of his possessions did survive, however: two golf bags, with clubs, and a driver he'd been gifted. Jordan Fischer is the senior digital reporter for RTV6. He was sentenced to 75 years in prison on the arson charges on top of two life sentences for the murder charges. . She asked Mark not to try the house fire plan again. 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. The next morning, they returned to Indianapolis and saw the house was again still standing so Mark called Bob and told him to meet at a nearby parking lot. Shirley struck a plea deal with prosecutors and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. This time, Shirley's daughterwas at home, but she was upstairs. The defense wrapped up a little more quickly than expected after Judge John Marnocha denied their request to play a video of Shirley's 2012 interview with the media. He says the log lighter worked fine when he lived there. Shirley, her boyfriend Mark Leonard, and three others were convicted and sentenced to prison on various charges, including felony murder for Leonard. After that, the fire wasn't mentioned again until the week before Halloween. 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. Its an interesting concept. Shirley says they were his. A class C felony carries 2-8 years. When she arrived at the bar, she found Mark and Bob in the white van at a nearby gas station. On Thursday, Shirley worked a 12 hour shift. I didn't do nothing wrong.". 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. Dont make that kind of joke, Shirley testified. 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 Their first trip together was to the Hollywood Casino roughly 3-4 months after they first met. To begin the day, Monserrate Shirley explained how she and Mark Leonard met. Shirley told her daughternot to come back to the house for any reason, though she didn't explain why not. 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." Minch: "You testified about some things you lost in the explosion. [27], Mark Leonard's trial began in June 2015. He said there wouldn't be a problem because it would be a small fire so no one would get hurt, and since she had a long history with the insurance company and no criminal record, they would get the money almost immediately. ", She said Mark told her, "It cannot be that bad.Don't worry about it. She now faces 20-50 years, though a judge has the right to suspend some, or all of that time. The defendants requested that the trials be moved over concerns they would not receive a fair trial in Central Indiana due to the high-profile media coverage received by the case. Call IndyStar reporter Holly Hays at (317) 444-6156. The topic came up again around July 4. And it wasn't the answer we were looking for. SOUTH BEND, Ind. She testified Wednesday she has a condition that prevents her tear ducts from actually producing tears. She said she did not tell officers at the time what happened because she was scared. How to fix the pii__email__cbd448bbd34c985e423c Error code? Leonard was at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility inSullivan County serving two life sentences for his role in the explosion that rocked the southeast-side neighborhood that destroyed five homes and damaged more than 80 others. While Shirley said he lost a lot, he pointed out the toll was much greater on his then-13-year-old daughter Brook. Shirley had earlier cooperated in providing testimony against alleged co-conspirators but. [6] A friend of the couple reported that Mark Leonard had lost $10,000 at the casino approximately three weeks before the explosion. 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. I went into the breakroom and texted my ex about what happened. A prosecuting attorney showed her a photo of the house that exploded and asked her who lived on either side of her. 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. Shirleys apology rang hollow to many Richmond Hill residents in the courtroom. Too little, too late, said Jennifer Longworths father, Don Buxton. There's little remaining of Shirley's home (pictured at left) after Saturday's explosion. An offhand comment would change that. On multiple occasions Wednesday, Shirley said she didnt say no to Mark Leonard because she loved him. It's also possible she will walk free if the judge sentences. The November 2012 blast claimed the lives of John and Jennifer Longworth and spawned an investigation that landed five people behind bars. The evidence Robinson and Hollingsworth had was substantial. I always get the money.". 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? Its a game that only you can play. She said that she hasn't been eating or sleeping well and that she has been taking Xanax to get what little sleep she can. Powerball winner sold in central Indiana! 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. Unresolved: Release in which this issue/RFE will be addressed. [30] He died on January 30, 2018, at an Indianapolis hospital, aged 48, of natural causes. The courtroom was crowded Monday as the proceedings began, as those who were hurt or lost their homes, plus the parents of Dion and Jennifer Longworth wait to learn Shirley's . 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. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. PREVIOUS|Timeline of events|Gallery: The Richmond Hill Explosion|Where were you at 11:11 PM? But ultimately I think we were able to accomplish what we needed to do for her.. 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. They laughed at her for asking, but it was switched back out. Monserrate Shirley was a divorced Puerto Rican mother whose exotic looks quickly attracted Mark Leonard. Most importantly, Shirleys testimony would further tip the scales against the Leonard brothers. -- 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. She will not learn her fate until after all four of her alleged co-conspirators has been tried. "Cases are made up of hurdles all the time," Robinson said Wednesday. "I was at one of my part-time jobs when I got a text from my daughter, which was very unusual. Deputy Prosecutor DeniseRobinson has said she will argue for 50 when the time comes. [16][17] The alleged motive for the arson was to collect insurance money to ease financial strain. "I don't understand it," Shircliff said of the judge's ruling. 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. She was crying and hysterical and said the house blew up.". Shirley: "Back in August (2011) she just stopped taking my phone calls and letting me talk to Brook. She agreed that's what happened, but insisted she only said what Mark told her to say. . "I mean, I'm totally devastated like my neighbors are.". This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Including journalists, it was closer to four dozen. Mark Leonards trial at the St. Joseph County Courthouse was eventful before it even started. ", Minch: "At no time did she ever say she was involved in the explosion?" 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. At least half a dozen marriages in the Richmond Hill neighborhood ended in divorce in the years immediately following the blast. After her 12 hour shift, she planned to see her daughter at the Holts' house and change there. In addition to his roofing business, Mastercraft, Leonard also flipped cars on the side. [6] 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. If that timeline holds, final jury instructions would be given Monday, July 13 then deliberation would begin. On December 21, 2012, Monserrate Shirley, Mark Leonard, and his brother Bob Leonard were charged with 2 counts of felony murder and . But didnt the jury need to hear from the residents? By this time, Shirley's daughterhad noticed her portrait was no longer above the fireplace and asked Monserrate about it. 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. 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. Among the "no" votes, inexplicably: political dancer Hiram Monserrate. Neighbors, family testify in sentencing hearing of Monserrate Shirley, owner of the home. 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. I thought it was crazy, but I went along with him. 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. Mark. They got to the room, but Mark wasn't feeling well so he stayed there while Shirley played slot machines for about an hour. "We had a lot of parties," the late. Heappears to have died of natural causes. He says he and Monserrate never boarded the cat when they were married. The blast killed two people and. This may help explain why this dish is beloved by patrons like myself. It was the last time she would be in her home before the explosion. Monserrate Shirley spent the entire day on the stand Wednesday, and the anticipation of her testimony was evident in courtroom attendance. The blast the product of an insurance fraud scheme killed two people and injured dozens of others. ", When they went to pick up Shirley's daughteron Sunday, Holts told Mark to "Get the [expletive] out of here. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. He was sentenced to two life sentences without parole, as well as 70 years from other charges, on March 18, 2016. While Leonard has been in slacks, a dress shirt and tie throughout the trial, Shirley walked into the courtroom in shackles and a prison jumpsuit. 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. At one point you replaced the thermostat." Shirley says he was working at Eli Lilly at the time, and Monserrate was working as an RN at the VA hospital. Mark Leonard drove her home that night and stayed with her for what the defense characterized as a romantic, sexual night. By December 2014, two years after the explosion in the Richmond Hill subdivision, prosecutors were preparing to go to trial without any cooperating witnesses. 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. Resolved: Release in which this issue/RFE has been resolved. She transferred from her job in Michigan to the VA hospital in Indianapolis, where she worked for 17 years, focusing in the ICU. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Shirley said she thought the fire plan was crazy, but went along with it anyway. Robinson says she didnt expect anything to change. At a routine pretrial hearing, deputy prosecutor Denise Robinson, not thinking much of it, told Monserrate Shirleys defense counsel that if their client wanted anything other than a trial seeking life without parole, they had better work something out by the end of January 2015. Its about your game being the only game that matters. Will they get to the felony murder?. The truth is, I was scared.. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. [6] They had arranged for Shirley's 12-year-old daughter to stay with friends and had boarded their cat, Snowball, for the weekend. . IndyStar reporter Robert King contributed to this story. PREVIOUS | Full testimony: Monserrate Shirley takes the stand. I said I think theres ($10,000) or $12,000 in there, and he said, That was not enough, I want $300,000, Shirley said. Estimates for the total scope of the damage caused by the explosion exceeded $4.5 million. 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. He refused, though, and warned them, "You guys be careful, because I know someone who committed arson and got 75 years in prison. Attorneys walked Shirley through a number of conversations she had with Mark Leonard from the time they met until the house exploded. 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. When she got home, Mark told her he and Bob had gone to the library to research other similar homes that had been set on fire without anyone getting hurt. It was never no for an answer. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He was sentenced in August to two life sentences, along with 75 years in prison. Prosecutors ask if Shirley was asked by police to identify personal property following the explosion. A second home was reduced to rubble as well, and other houses were half-collapsed. 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. They then worked to establish a pattern of poor decisions in her personal life and changing stories throughout the investigation. At the end of the day, we still miss her and him, Dion, as much as ever, Buxton said. This has to be done, Shirley testified. We again offer our condolences to the families of Dion and Jennifer Longworth and to those who suffered injury and loss. 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. Prosecutors contend that the motorcycle was disassembled in Shirley's garage. On Monday, November 5, they changed out the thermostat for a "cheaper" model. In an interview with former RTV6 reporter Stacia Matthews, Shirley suggested the explosion may have been an attempt on her life. It would have shortened the trial a week. He did come to the house one week before the first attempt. I dont know why they did it. Ultimately, she could end up serving 21 years if she maintains good behavior in prison. 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. She and her daughterwent to the hotel, where Mark later joined them. I was at one of my part-time jobs when I got a text from my daughter, which was very unusual. The Richmond Hill explosion took place on November 10, 2012, in the Richmond Hill subdivision in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Im thankful for my trial team for sticking with me. No one else was within earshot, so far as she knew. 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. But while he was living in the home, the only problem he had with its gas appliances the furnace, water heater and fireplace was that their pilot lights would sometimes go out when a draft blew in from an open garage door. And you said she was crying? If I could bring Dion and Jennifer back, I would do that in a heartbeat, she said. On the night of the explosion, Shirley said he was working a second job in Fishers. "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.". The third weekends attempt was the one that killed the Longworths. Many Git commands accept both tag and branch names, so creating this branch may cause unexpected behavior. 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. But these were good defense attorneys. 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. "Two innocent people died because of this!" 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. 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. Defense attorneys tried to play that video for jurors Wednesday, but the judge wouldnt allow it. We believed that he did, we had some very thin evidence that he did. Residents, particularly the younger ones, report experiencing continued psychological trauma from the incident. [14] In April 2015, a fifth man, Glenn Hults, was charged with conspiracy to commit arson. The couple's steamy relationship lasted for about a month before they moved in together. Its about not letting the person who was watching your game die ever have a say in your game. Mark Leonard was the first to go on trial. Once they were alone, Leonard, Holts and Shirley started talking about the fire again while they sat around the pool drinking beer. Shirley: "Yes. [6] She claimed to have been horrified at the Longworths' deaths, as well as the massive destruction wrought by the explosion. We firmly believed that Gary Thompson played a role, but until she cooperated, we couldnt prove that, Robinson said. I didnt give it any credibility. "I have everybody telling me stuff that they said on the TV," she said. [29] He was sentenced to life in prison plus 75 years without parole on August 14, 2015. Shirley says Monserrate's sister moved out of the neighborhood around the same time they moved in. She would sit with him, eat and drink and occasionally play slot machines. [11], Monserrate Shirley, Mark Leonard, and Bob Leonard were initially charged with two counts of murder and arson in the deaths of Dion and Jennifer Longworth. I care about people. We knew we were taking a week of testimony from the residents to talk about what had happened to their houses, Robinson said. Monserrate Shirley detailed the multiple attempts made to set the house on fire prior to the explosion that leveled the home. "Our investigators believe natural gas is involved," the Indianapolis Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. Leonard then tried to get Thompson to talk about what he did at Holts' home, but he refused, saying they shouldn't talk about it. Lisa Marie Presley's daughter Riley Keough wears a Graceland sweater as she . She continued handling some of Marion Countys most heinous crimes until January 2017, when her former boss, then-Elkhart County Prosecutor Curtis Hill, called her up and asked her to join him at the Indiana Statehouse, where he had just been elected attorney general. Glenn told me, Between Mark and Gary, theyre going to explode the whole neighborhood. I said, Dont play like that. Shirley met Mark Leonard. She asked that Mark and Bob switch it back out for the nicer version. At 11:11 p.m. on Nov. 10, 2012, a two-story home on the south side of Indianapolis exploded with the force of as much as 5 tons of TNT. FORT WAYNE, Ind. As of summer 2022 the show has aired sixteen . Monserrate Shirley entered a guilty plea in the case that started as an insurance scam in Richmond Hill in 2012. TRANSCRIPT | Opening statements in the trial of Mark Leonard. After he was done, the fireplace worked properly and they never smelled any gas inside the home because of it. After demands for a vote on the bill, we finally received one. Once again, she agreed to make the same three arrangements: the casino reservation, a babysitter for her daughterand boarding for Snowball. In court, Shirley testified Leonard had promised to show her how to make a lot of money. For their families, the tree is one last connection to the loved ones they lost on Nov. 10, 2012. Shirley is originally from Puerto Rico. And I understand it, because of their feelings about her. He gave her $3,000 to use, and they lost it all. Shirley says he and Monserrate married on July 17, 1993. [6] Prosecutors also allege that he offered the hit man a $5,000 bonus if he made the murder look like a suicide. 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.
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