They got to the room, but Mark wasn't feeling well so he stayed there while Shirley played slot machines for about an hour. Homeowner Monserrate Shirley sentenced to 50 years for role in - WTTV Shirley Temple's Children Remember Their Late Mother - Closer Weekly 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. Leonard died around 9:15 a.m. Tuesday at an Indianapolis hospital,according to an Indiana Department of Correction spokesman. She and her husband Gabriel Ferrer (son of Rosemary Clooney and Jos Ferrer, and a first cousin to George Clooney) had four children: Jordan Alexander Ferrer (born July 8, 1980), twin girls (Gabrielle Monserrate Ferrer & Dustin Boone Ferrer, born September 17, 1983), and Tessa Ferrer (born March 30, 1986). 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. Marion County Superior Court Judge Sheila Carlisle sentenced Monserrate Shirley to spend the maximum sentence of 50 years in prison on Tuesday. The problem was that none of that criminal history would be admissible at trial. Marion County Superior Court Judge Sheila Carlisle sentenced Monserrate Shirley to spend the maximum sentence of 50 years in prison on Tuesday. He did come to the house one week before the first attempt. 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. No one else was within earshot, so far as she knew. 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. Robinson could not tell them, for example, that Shirley would be facing a sentencing range of 20-50 years in prison. Most importantly, Shirleys testimony would further tip the scales against the Leonard brothers. Many of the women reported that they met him on dating sites and that he soon began asking them for money. Shirley said she has been reeling from the pain of people blaming her for the tragic event. At the time her friends called her, Monserrate was at a casino with Mark Leonard. A copy of her plea agreement was entered into evidence and handed out to each member of the jury. And I think when the motivation is that, what we have is a person who is the worst of the worst.. Shirley: "She wanted us to live in a bigger house. 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. I did my best. [24], On March 28, 2015, Mark Leonard was charged with conspiring to murder the key witness against him, Mark Duckworth. 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. She then spoke with another neighbor, who told her there had been an explosion. Neighbors seek max sentence in fatal home blast - USA TODAY Dion and Jennifer Longworth, two occupants in the house at 8355 Fieldfare Way, died in the explosion; seven others were injured. The case was expected to be the largest and most expensive trial in Marion County history. Mark Leonard was convicted in 2015 of two counts of murder as well as a litany of other charges, including multiple counts of arson and conspiracy to commit arson. After speaking with detectives, they went to Mark's sister's home, where they spent the night. Not until the following morning, when I went from this job to another job, did I get a text from a friend who thought it might be my house. Her house exploded on their third attempt of trying to claim insurance money. Leonard told him Shirley was ready and she agreed. But their arrests wereonly the beginning of years of work to put them behind bars for good. With good behavior, her earliest possible release date is Dec. 19, 2032. The host family had a lot of horses, so Shirley's daughter went to play with them under the supervision of Holts' girlfriend, Sharon, whose teen . The group researched methods of how to destroy the home and made more than one attempt at doing so before succeeding, authorities said. towns among 150 Best Small Town in America, Citizens support Ind. This is too risky." PREVIOUS | Full testimony: Monserrate Shirley takes the stand. Eventually, hed be asked to repeat her answer at her boyfriends murder trial. The couple's steamy relationship lasted for about a month before they moved in together. "I was at one of my part-time jobs when I got a text from my daughter, which was very unusual. [6] They had arranged for Shirley's 12-year-old daughter to stay with friends and had boarded their cat, Snowball, for the weekend. They moved into a home they built in Richmond Hill toward the end of 2003. An offhand comment would change that. Prosecutors contend that the motorcycle was disassembled in Shirley's garage. She talked about being Catholic and said it was in God's hands, but still, they should be punished.". The home was owned by his girlfriend at the time, Monserrate Shirley, who testified earlier this month that Bob. Its been around since the late 80s, but Im sure well find more of it on our own site. To do that, the team moved 80 boxes of documents connected to the case to an office on the east side of Indianapolis. When asked why she didn't take Leonard's hospitalization in March 2012 as an opportunity not to let him back into her home since she knew what he wanted to do by that point, she said she couldn't turn away a sick person. Robert Leonard, who was convicted of murder and multiple felonies, was sentenced to life without parole. [6] Investigators said personal insurance on the home had recently been increased to $300,000. Ms. Shirley ultimately took responsibility for her actions by pleading guilty and provided important information during the investigation. "They are currently in the process of recovering the appliances from destroyed homes to help determine the cause.". ", 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.". Until shed agreed and signed on the dotted line, there were things I could not tell them. While we knew that Monserrate Shirley on her own would never have caused this crime, it couldnt have happened without her. 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 [29] He was sentenced to life in prison plus 75 years without parole on August 14, 2015. The explosion in the subdivision just south of the city on Saturday, Nov. 10, killed John and Jennifer Longworth. It was never no for an answer. Resolved: Release in which this issue/RFE has been resolved. Leonard is the brother of Mark Leonard, who is dating Montserrate Shirley, who along with Mark Leonard, lives in the home . Prosecutors told Judge Marnocha Tuesday they will likely rest their case next Wednesday or Thursday. ProjectEuler/Program.cs at master gknicker/ProjectEuler At the trial I had firefighters crying on the stand. Once they were alone, Leonard, Holts and Shirley started talking about the fire again while they sat around the pool drinking beer. Thompson returned to their home to plan their next attempt. You're done.". The sentence accounts for time served and good time credit. 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. "We had a lot of parties," the late. She went to a bar on the south side of Indianapolis in November 2011 and they immediately noticed each other. Seven months later, on March 18, 2016, his brother Bob Leonard Jr. received his own sentence of life without parole in a courtroom in Fort Wayne, Indiana. 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. 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. I certainly might feel bad for his family. Sometimes they would go during the week while her daughterwas at school and leave in enough time to pick her back up. They then worked to establish a pattern of poor decisions in her personal life and changing stories throughout the investigation. Having Shirley as a witness came with its own pitfalls, though. She never got a call, though. Later that same day, an attorney asked Shirley if the Longworths deserved what happened to them. And I understand it, because of their feelings about her. Thompson arrived on Monday or Tuesday, October 22-23, while Shirley's daughter was at school. It was unclear when the complaint was made and whether the utility company was alerted. She told her daughter a friend had taken it to put a new frame on it. We did what prosecutors are supposed to do. Shirley says he was worried Brook's cat Snowball was in the house and might have been killed. How to fix the pii__email__cbd448bbd34c985e423c Error code? FAIL: New York Senate Says NO to Gay Marriage - Queerty She remained in the house as the sole owner until the explosion. [1] Thirty-three homes were damaged severely enough to require demolition. Download the RTV6 app to get the latest live blog posts as the proceedings unfold. She found a house with a floorplan she liked." Shirley testified in Fort Wayne at the trial of Bob Leonard, Jr. one of five people accused in the deadly 2012 Richmond Hill Explosion. In the game of death, monserrate daughter is the only way to be reunited with the game of life. The sentence accounts for time served and good. They started looking around the house at potential ways to start the fire. From confusion to conviction, Richmond Hill blast recapped. "Except her cat, the clothes on her back and a teddy bear she got when she was 1.". By this time, Shirley's daughterhad noticed her portrait was no longer above the fireplace and asked Monserrate about it. She will be 72 years old. But she put an end to that in August 2011.". Shirley would receive over $300,000 in insurance money for the replacement of the home as well as personal items. Shirley stated that her daughter had smelled gas during the week before the explosion. He was sentenced to two life sentences without parole, as well as 70 years from other charges, on March 18, 2016. This time, Leonard worked with Thompson instead of Thompson doing the work while Leonard stood next to him, watching and planning. The force of the blast shattered windows and ripped down garage doors at dozens of other homes in the neighborhood. Its a game that only you can play. I didnt want to do anything that would cause that trial date to be continued.. Iwas scared. And I look at all the opportunity she had where she could have gone for help and she never did.. 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. Psychologist Dr. Stephanie Callaway diagnosed her with dependent personality disorder, but stated under cross-examination that, while the diagnosis explains Shirley's actions, it does not absolve her of responsibility. Minch: "You testified about some things you lost in the explosion. To see the faces of the neighborhood people and the sense of relief and calmness when the verdicts came in was a good thing, Garza said. I thought it was crazy, but I went along with him. Including journalists, it was closer to four dozen. Shirley gave 12 interviews and statements between the explosion and Wednesday's testimony - some for law enforcement, others for attorneys and one for the media - and defense attorneys pointed out inconsistencies between some of those. She later found out her neighbors didnt make it. None of them had given any indication they were willing to take a plea under the terms prosecutors were offering. Although the jury would eventually hear testimony and an audio recording of Leonard talking to an undercover ATF agent posing as a hitman (and Leonard would eventually get an extra 50 years in prison for it), having that information before the trial even began would have been extremely prejudicial against him. She gave it to him, and he used it to pay Bob. They claim that Leonard wanted the hit man to force the witness to call 9-1-1 and recant his statement before killing him. When testimony moved to the night of the explosion that killed Jennifer and Dion Longworth, Monserrate Shirley had a difficult time staying composed. Snapped: Killer Couples - Wikipedia A class C felony carries 2-8 years. Shirley: "No.". "I have everybody telling me stuff that they said on the TV," she said. He eventually improved enough to return home, but Shirley had to continue caring for him for several months. The November 2012 blast claimed the lives of John and Jennifer Longworth and spawned an investigation that landed five people behind bars. "John Shirley, whose ex-wife Monserrate Shirley lives at the home with their 12 year-old-daughter, said he got a text from his daughter about a week-and-a-half ago telling him the heat. FORT WAYNE, Ind. I want everyone to know how sorry I am for this horrible tragedy, she said in court in front of Richmond Hill residents. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Richmond Hill explosion - Wikipedia Shirley: "She lost everything. IndyStar reporter Robert King contributed to this story. On multiple occasions Wednesday, Shirley said she didnt say no to Mark Leonard because she loved him. 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.. Except her cat, the clothes on her back and a teddy bear she got when she was 1. Monserrate Shirley, Mark Leonard: 'Killer Couples' Airs Richmond Hills Again, Monserrate agreed to do her same three preparations: a casino hotel reservation, a babysitter for her daughterand boarding for Snowball. And in each of those categories, you betrayed your trust.. 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. Shirley, her boyfriend Mark Leonard, and three others were convicted and sentenced to prison on various charges, including felony murder for Leonard. A second home was reduced to rubble as well, and other houses were half-collapsed. Thirty-three homes were damaged so severely they were deemed unrecoverable, and had to be torn down to the foundation. Attorneys walked Shirley through a number of conversations she had with Mark Leonard from the time they met until the house exploded. 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. Both the prosecution and defense attorneys asked Shirley if she thought Hults was joking. Indianapolis trio accused of blowing up their home to collect insurance They'd soon get a new roommate. 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. ", Minch: "You've had problems over the years with the furnace and the water heater. Homeowner Monserrate Shirley sentenced to 50 years in Richmond Hill Holts invited Leonard and Shirley to his friend's house for a pool party in the Geist neighborhood. ", Minch: "At no time did she ever say she was involved in the explosion?" Richmond Hill Explosion - indyencyclopedia.org 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. I had seen it used in a couple of games, but I never knew it was the name of a real person. [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. Shirley says he and Monserrate married on July 17, 1993. The name comes from a restaurant that is on the run called theserie rossa which translates to the run of the wits. [6] A friend of the couple reported that Mark Leonard had lost $10,000 at the casino approximately three weeks before the explosion. I dont wish them any hardship. I cant give back what was taken from them on November 10. 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. Shirley said she would come back immediately, but they told her there was no house to come back to. Leonard was being held at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facilitybut was transferred to the hospital several days ago. Denise Robinson, the Marion County Prosecutor on the case, told the court she rarely asks for the maximum sentence. She asked Mark not to try the house fire plan again. "Cases are made up of hurdles all the time," Robinson said Wednesday. Mark. You were a nurse. 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. Deputy Prosecutor DeniseRobinson has said she will argue for 50 when the time comes. At the end of the interview, Carter asked Shirley what should happen to the person responsible for the explosion. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Glenn Hults, the final defendant to stand trial for the explosion, Best athletic wear for kids joining baseball and, How to watch all the Oscar-nominated movies in style, Best smart home devices for older users, according, Bryce Young falls short: 5-10 . "That cannot be real. Thompson said he'd been pulled over by a cop so he couldn't get to the house. The stove was electric. [3][4] Damage to homes in the neighborhood was estimated at $4 million.