The Richmond Hill explosion took place on November 10, 2012, in the Richmond Hill subdivision in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. [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." HOW TO SOLVE ERROR CODE PII_EMAIL_DE03C2D55A4B639F558D. 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. 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. He says sometimes strong winds would blow out the pilot light when someone opened the garage door. "In order to pay a very large amount of child support, I was working a full-time job and two part-time jobs," he said. "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.". Shirley, her boyfriend Mark Leonard, and three others were convicted and sentenced to prison on various charges, including felony murder for Leonard. Shed said similar things in an interview with IMPD Det. Leonard got sick in March 2012. 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 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. ", She re-iterated that she offered him her retirement savings in place of burning the home. And your daughter lost some things?" A prosecuting attorney showed her a photo of the house that exploded and asked her who lived on either side of her. The couple's steamy relationship lasted for about a month before they moved in together. In court, Shirley testified Leonard had promised to show her how to make a lot of money. Its an interesting concept. I said OK, she said. 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 asked that Mark and Bob switch it back out for the nicer version. As his court date neared, the workload ramped up. Carter would testify that her emotions and demeanor seemed normal at the time, for someone whose house had just blown up. The defense certainly offered to stipulate that 60 homes were damaged. After the second failed attempt to burn the home, Monserrate Shirley said she went to the home of Glenn Hults to pick up her daughter. Bob Leonard said, "Well, you're in it. After speaking with detectives, they went to Mark's sister's home, where they spent the night. "I don't know what happened. He refused, though, and warned them, "You guys be careful, because I know someone who committed arson and got 75 years in prison. Shirley: "She wanted us to live in a bigger house. 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 agreed that's what happened, but insisted she only said what Mark told her to say. The November 2012 blast claimed the lives of John and Jennifer Longworth and spawned an investigation that landed five people behind bars. His sentencing is set for December 28, 2016 at 1 p.m. Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry issued the following statement: We respect the Courts decision ordering Monserrate Shirley to serve a fifty-year prison sentence for her participation in this senseless conspiracy. Your email address will not be published. She talked about being Catholic and said it was in God's hands, but still, they should be punished.". 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. Monserrate Shirley and Mark leonard, profiled on the next "American Greed," staged a natural gas explosion to collect the insurance on their Indianapolis home. Roughly a week afterward, Mark asked Shirley for $500. We believed that he did, we had some very thin evidence that he did. She would sit with him, eat and drink and occasionally play slot machines. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. Deputy Prosecutor DeniseRobinson has said she will argue for 50 when the time comes. She found a house with a floorplan she liked." Shirley: "No. Investigators quickly honed in on the home's owner, Monserrate Shirley, her boyfriend Mark Leonard and his brother, Bob Leonard Jr., as the primary suspects. Again, she said, "Because I was not able to tell him 'no'." Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. She went to a bar on the south side of Indianapolis in November 2011 and they immediately noticed each other. They should go to jail. FORT WAYNE, Ind. Among the "no" votes, inexplicably: political dancer Hiram Monserrate. In addition to the thousands of pieces of physical evidence, they had more than 200 witnesses lined up to testify. Robinson says she didnt expect anything to change. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Shirley: "Back in August (2011) she just stopped taking my phone calls and letting me talk to Brook. As Mark Leonards defense team would point out repeatedly throughout his trial, there was a chance, however small, that Shirleys cooperation could end with her walking free at the end. It wasnt the only curveball Black and Shircliff would throw at the prosecution. We knew we were taking a week of testimony from the residents to talk about what had happened to their houses, Robinson said. A tag already exists with the provided branch name. [39] Glenn Hults received a three-year sentence.[40]. BREAKING: By a vote of 24-38, New York's State Senate has voted against same-sex marriage legislation. At one point you replaced the thermostat." We have done that. You were a mom. [13] A fourth person, Gary Thompson, was charged in January 2015 on the same charges. She and her daughterwent to the hotel, where Mark later joined them. 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 . 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/. In addition to his roofing business, Mastercraft, Leonard also flipped cars on the side. She was too involved. Monserrate Shirley is lead into her sentencing hearing in December 2016. Required fields are marked *. Bob Leonard's son told investigators that several items were in the van that had been taken from the home, including photos and financial documents. This time, Mark and Bob talked alone while Monserrate left to pick up her daughter. 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. When a defense attorney comes out and says, My client didnt do anything at all, but you clearly can show they did, then usually its going to be an all-or-nothing verdict, Robinson said. I know it caught us by surprise and we had to react to it.. In the game of death, monserrate daughter is the only way to be reunited with the game of life. "Cases are made up of hurdles all the time," Robinson said Wednesday. Leonard told him Shirley was ready and she agreed. Including journalists, it was closer to four dozen. Their funeral was held earlier today. Made and inspired by a love triangle, this was written by a girl from Italy. It was a good feeling.. The girlwas already out of the house while they cleared it of the sentimental items. The two divorced on July 25, 2011. Mark Leonard moved in with Monserrate Shirley about a month later. The brothers were sentenced to terms of life without parole for spearheading the conspiracy. 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. By this time, Shirley's daughterhad noticed her portrait was no longer above the fireplace and asked Monserrate about it. [14] Shirley admitted raising the limit on her insurance coverage at Mark Leonard's urging, and only went along with the plot out of love for him. "That's not what you told me," she remembered saying to Mark. But their arrests wereonly the beginning of years of work to put them behind bars for good. Yes, I didnt think it would be possible, Monserrate Shirley said.HUGE EXPLOSION. The inmate and Leonard drew up a contract agreeing that Leonard would pay the inmate $15,000 when he was released, the affidavit said. The sentence accounts for time served and good. The home was owned by his girlfriend at the time, Monserrate Shirley, who testified earlier this month that Bob. [22], On January 16, 2015, Shirley agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors. Prosecutors contend that the motorcycle was disassembled in Shirley's garage. I got upset with her and sent her some derogatory texts. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. He eventually improved enough to return home, but Shirley had to continue caring for him for several months. In another, she said Mark Leonard turned on the gas line and actually lit the fire during the second attempt. She lived in the four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home with her daughter. Are they going to get bored with it?. The case was expected to be the largest and most expensive trial in Marion County history. 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. [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. There have been days with only two people in the audience other than media, but there were more than 30 Wednesday. Monserrate Shirley, 51, was one of five people charged in the explosion that left two people dead. 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. 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. 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 started looking around the house at potential ways to start the fire. It was run by the daughter of a famous American actor who was very close to the owner. [30] He died on January 30, 2018, at an Indianapolis hospital, aged 48, of natural causes. Hed also been previously accused of insurance fraud in connection with a car accident. The truth is, I was scared.. Shirley said after he and his wife's divorce was finalized in July 2011, the last time he was at the home at 8349 Fieldfare Way was August of that year. Im thankful for my trial team for sticking with me. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. 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. Your email address will not be published. Its about your game being the only game that matters. [18], Prosecutors initially sought to try the suspects together, but the defendants were granted the right to separate trials. Monserrate Shirley was ordered to serve out her sentence at the Indiana Womens Prison in Indianapolis. 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. One small job. ", She said Mark told her, "It cannot be that bad.Don't worry about it. 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. Monserrate Shirley spent the entire day on the stand Wednesday, and the anticipation of her testimony was evident in courtroom attendance. Jurors will later hear that the golf bags and clubs were found at Bob Leonard's home after the explosion. Mark started telling Shirley they needed to get their stories straight before police started asking questions. Shirley is originally from Puerto Rico. Monserrate Shirley leaves court after learning her sentence. She would then go to a southside bar to meet Mark before they left for the casino. Says Sen. Tom. Check those tickets! I always get the money.". Investigators have ruled out a natural gas leak from the home's underground pipelines, the Star reported, and they are now focusing on whether there may have been a leak from one of the gas appliances inside three homes that were obliterated in the explosion. Thompson returned to their home to plan their next attempt. Its about remembering who you are. "I mean, I'm totally devastated like my neighbors are.". [34][35], Monserrate Shirley pled guilty to conspiracy to commit arson. Later that same day, an attorney asked Shirley if the Longworths deserved what happened to them. Minch: "Before that, you did have some problems with the pilot light on the furnace?" I went into the breakroom and texted my ex about what happened. They said they didn't know. No one involved in this investigation or prosecution will forget the stories of this tragedy and the continuing fear and trauma that it caused to the survivors. I didnt want it to affect the trial date, Robinson said. IndyStar reporter Robert King contributed to this story. She was wearing a jail jumpsuit, was shackled and her hair had grown long, dark and curly.IM TELLING THE TRUTH. 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. She told him the attempt didnt work but that there would be another attempt. Before meeting Mark, Shirley had never been to a casino. Her earliest possible release date is December 19, 2037when she will be 72 years old. Shirley says he and Monserrate married on July 17, 1993. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. "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. Everything's under control.". After that, the fire wasn't mentioned again until the week before Halloween. She found a house with a floorplan she liked." Shirley: "She lost everything. [16][17] The alleged motive for the arson was to collect insurance money to ease financial strain. Both the prosecution and defense attorneys asked Shirley if she thought Hults was joking. I dont wish them any hardship. He did come to the house one week before the first attempt. 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. Shirley's next-door neighbors, John and Jennifer Longworth, died in the blast. Mark and Bob stayed in the garage while they talked about what Bob's part would be, while Shirley stayed inside. Lisa Marie Presley's daughter Riley Keough wears a Graceland sweater as she . Shirley told her daughternot to come back to the house for any reason, though she didn't explain why not. Indiana sheriffs deputy dies after falling ill during training, Myles Colvin captivates Heritage Christian crowds, preps for Purdue. Two of those alleged co-conspirators were arrested as a direct result of her cooperation: Gary Thompson and Glenn Holts. Shirley said she thought the fire plan was crazy, but went along with it anyway. They then worked to establish a pattern of poor decisions in her personal life and changing stories throughout the investigation. Ms. Shirley, 47, and Mark Leonard, 43, her boyfriend, were 100 miles away at a casino when their home blew up. When they arrived, Mark told her the fire would happen Saturday night so she needed to ask to keep their room a second night (Saturday night). Monserrate Shirley was a divorced Puerto Rican mother whose exotic looks quickly attracted Mark Leonard. They agreed to say they'd been having trouble with the thermostat and smelling gas for a while. He says the log lighter worked fine when he lived there. Bob Leonard, Monserrate Shirley, Gary Thompson and Glenn Hults also face charges in connection to the explosion. Estimates for the total scope of the damage caused by the explosion exceeded $4.5 million. As of summer 2022 the show has aired sixteen . 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. We are sure to have a lot more weird coincidences in the next few days, but this one is pretty crazy. Shirley and her boyfriend Mark Leonard were out of town for the weekend while her 12-year-old daughter stayed with friends. 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. Shirley may have been the prosecution's highest profile witness, but that doesn't mean they're done. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Shirley had heard of Bob before, but had not met him before he came over Thursday, November 1. Call IndyStar reporter Holly Hays at (317) 444-6156. This may help explain why this dish is beloved by patrons like myself. We firmly believed that Gary Thompson played a role, but until she cooperated, we couldnt prove that, Robinson said. He occasionally worked on those cars at Shirley's home so she saw he had a wide array of tools. The next morning, they went to Bob Leonard's mobile home. It ended in the deaths of Dion and Jennifer Longworth. And you said she was crying? While she was driving, Mark called to tell her to book a hotel room and to tell her daughter it was because the house was too cold to stay at. Shirley's daughterwent with them in Leonard's Cadillac. Shirley: "No.". But no other problems. 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. "Shortly thereafter I moved some furniture into the apartment. Monserrate "Moncy" Shirley, a nurse, owned the home at the center of the explosion. She asked Mark not to try the house fire plan again. . Dont make that kind of joke, Shirley testified. Its very difficult sentencing hearing weve been through for two days. Thirty-three homes were damaged so severely they were deemed unrecoverable, and had to be torn down to the foundation. 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. He said that his daughter had mentioned that the furnace wasn't . 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. Monserrate Shirley sentenced to 50 years in prison - YouTube Charged in the deadly Richmond Hill Fire RTV6 News brings you the best breaking news coverage in Indiana. In her sentencing order, Judge Sheila Carlisle repeatedly stressed that Shirley could have stopped the plan at any time but didnt. He said that his daughter had mentioned that the furnace wasn't working, and he wondered whether a gas leak ignited the blast. She and Mark then gassed up her car and drove to the casino. Its a difficult case. Leonard was being held at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facilitybut was transferred to the hospital several days ago. (WISH) Monserrate Shirley told jurors Wednesday she would do anything for Mark Leonard, because she was in love with him. It would have shortened the trial a week. When she arrived at the bar, she found Mark and Bob in the white van at a nearby gas station. [6] Investigators said personal insurance on the home had recently been increased to $300,000. Most importantly, Shirleys testimony would further tip the scales against the Leonard brothers. She has already been behind bars for four years. Much of Tuesdays testimony included accounts of Shirleys difficult childhood. She later pointed out she agreed to the plot under Mark Leonard's premise that it would be a small fire at just her home - not an explosion that would affect other people. [28] Prosecutors expected to submit nearly 3,000 pieces of evidence, and potentially call up to 175 witnesses. I dont know why they did it. 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. Resolved: Release in which this issue/RFE has been resolved. 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. By the time wed got to trial, hed already been in jail for going on three years. she said. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison. So there wasnt a great deal of pressure on us, or desire by us, to offer her anything.. 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. 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. (They were) my neighbors for a very long time since we built the house, Shirley said. She transferred from her job in Michigan to the VA hospital in Indianapolis, where she worked for 17 years, focusing in the ICU. To do that, the team moved 80 boxes of documents connected to the case to an office on the east side of Indianapolis. Ms. Shirley ultimately took responsibility for her actions by pleading guilty and provided important information during the investigation. She came into the courtroom looking much different than she did the weekend of the explosion in 2012. But a whole days-worth of potential jurors would end up tainted anyway not by media coverage, but by Leonards defense team. ", Minch: "At no time did she ever say she was involved in the explosion?" Leonard, his ex-girlfriend Monserrate Shirley, his half-brother Robert Leonard and Mark Leonards former employee blew up Shirleys home in the Richmond Hill subdivision to collect about $300,000 in insurance money to pay off the houses mortgage and Mark Leonards gambling and credit card debts. A second mortgage had been taken out on the home for $65,000 in addition to the original mortgage of $116,000. Shirley testified that friends called and told her there was a huge explosion. 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. Shirley said she recalled telling them two innocent people die out of this.THIS HAS TO BE DONE. And the game of death is the game of life itself. 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. Robinson could not tell them, for example, that Shirley would be facing a sentencing range of 20-50 years in prison. Download the RTV6 app to get the latest live blog posts as the proceedings unfold. Leonard died around 9:15 a.m. Tuesday at an Indianapolis hospital,according to an Indiana Department of Correction spokesman. Thats time served, and hes out. 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. 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. Mark Leonard, the man considered the mastermind behind the 2012 Richmond Hill neighborhood explosion that killed two peopleand wounded at least adozen others, is dead. [8], Prosecutors alleged that on the Friday before the explosion, Leonard and his brother Bob spoke with a neighbor who was a Citizens Energy employee, asking that person about the differences between natural gas and propane. They moved into a home they built in Richmond Hill toward the end of 2003. [23] The plea deal involved Shirley pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit arson in exchange for testifying against the other suspects. [37] She is serving her sentence at Indiana Women's Prison in Indianapolis. ", 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]. She got in the van with them, and Mark asked her to give Bob $40. Mr. Monserrate Morales was born on January 7, 1955 in Puerto Rico. Attorneys walked Shirley through a number of conversations she had with Mark Leonard from the time they met until the house exploded. Again, Monserrate agreed to do her same three preparations: a casino hotel reservation, a babysitter for her daughterand boarding for Snowball. [36] Shirley was sentenced to 50 years in prison, the maximum possible under her plea agreement, on December 20, 2016. ", Minch: "You said you talked to Ms. Shirley on the 11th. Leonard is the brother of Mark Leonard, who is dating Montserrate Shirley, who along with Mark Leonard, lives in the home . After her 12 hour shift, she planned to see her daughter at the Holts' house and change there. Prosecutors alleged that the men conspired to submit an insurance claim for a stolen motorcycle. The shirley daughter is an Italian restaurant that takes more than 15 minutes to make you feel at home. 2012 explosion in Richmond Hill, Indianapolis, Indiana, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, "At least 2 killed, others injured in explosion, fire in Indianapolis neighborhood", "Family breaks ground on new home in Richmond Hill subdivision after Indianapolis home explosion", "36 homes critically damaged in explosion in south side neighborhood", "Homeowner at center of explosion feels lucky to be alive", "Authorities call Richmond Hill explosion a homicide case, seek details on white van", "Probable cause suggests pattern of fraud, details inconsistencies", "Richmond Hill suspect, friend face insurance fraud charges", "Affidavit: women say richmond hill blast suspect Mark Leonard has long history of scheming", "Shattered Subdivision Offers a Trail of Clues", "Life sentences without parole sought for Indianapolis explosion suspects", "4th person arrested in Indianapolis house explosion", "Fifth suspect charged in 2012 Indianapolis south side explosion", "Mark Leonard, Indy Blast suspect, pleads not guilty in murder plot", "Jim Voyles now representing Monserrate Shirley", "Home Explosion Case: Monserrate Shirley, Mark And Bob Leonard Due In Indianapolis Court", "Richmond Hill explosion: 3 trials for price of 1? Shirley's daughter went with them in Leonard's Cadillac. [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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. So you do get concerned about, will they see the arsons? Shirley spent hours on the stand. "He'll do anything I ask," Mark said of his brother. 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. Shirley says he and Monserrate married on July 17, 1993. Every day I ask myself why I didnt stop this. 2023 CIRCLE CITY BROADCASTING I, LLC. Many of the women reported that they met him on dating sites and that he soon began asking them for money. 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. Marion County Superior Court Judge Sheila Carlisle sentenced Monserrate Shirley to spend the maximum sentence of 50 years in prison on Tuesday. Leonard died around 9:15. The cat, nicknamed Snowy, was a birthday gift for their daughter, he said, and "she misses him.". 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.