News

House explosion defendant due in court to change plea

Posted January 19, 2015 10:00 pm

The Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - One of three people charged in a deadly Indianapolis house explosion is set to appear in court to change her plea in the case.

Monserrate Shirley, the woman whose house exploded, killing a couple that lived next door and damaging more than 80 other homes in a south side subdivision, has a hearing Tuesday afternoon in Marion Superior Court in Indianapolis.

The Marion County Prosecutor's Office announced Friday it had struck a plea agreement with Shirley but so far no details of the deal have been released.

Shirley had pleaded not guilty to murder and arson charges in the November 2012 blast. Her then-boyfriend, Mark Leonard, and his brother, Bob Leonard, face the same charges. Prosecutors allege the trio rigged the explosion in a scheme to collect $300,000 in insurance.

Article Comments

Article Categories
Indiana News Region

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.