INDIANAPOLIS – Newly released search warrants in the Richmond Hill explosion case reveal detectives sought phone records and arrest warrants against two of their three eventual suspects within weeks of the blast.

The warrants were released by Judge Shelia Carlisle during a pretrial hearing of defendants Mark Leonard, Monserrate Shirley and Robert Leonard.

All three face life without parole if convicted in the Nov. 10 explosion that destroyed Shirley’s house, damaged dozens more and killed neighbors Dion and Jennifer Longworth.

On Nov. 30, investigators were granted search warrants for two Greenwood locations where Shirley and boyfriend Mark Leonard were living after the blast.

Detectives wanted tote bags, a briefcase, cardboard boxes of “family photos, jewelry, clothes, papers and miscellaneous personal items that could not be replaced.”

If recovered, such items would be indicative of arson as a motivation in the explosion at 8349 Fieldfare Way.

On Dec. 6, investigators sought a limited arrest warrant for Mark Leonard for the purpose of “obtaining a photograph, major case prints and buccal cell samples.”

A similar warrant had been sought the week before for his half-brother Robert Leonard.

Such warrants serve the purpose of seizing physical evidence from a suspect without formally charging that person with a crime.

In late November and early December, investigators sought records for several cell phones belonging to the suspects and their associates, including David Gill, a man questioned about his knowledge of the blast before Thanksgiving.

A neighbor identified Gill as a frequent visitor to the Shirley home and possibly one of the men spotted driving Leonard’s white cargo van the day of the explosion.

Gill was later arrested for his role in an alleged motorcycle insurance fraud with Mark Leonard.

Search warrants were also granted for computers and records pertaining to the induction of natural gas into the home.

Investigators believe that a valve on a gas-fed fireplace was disabled, filling the home with natural gas before it was detonated in a time-delayed explosion.

Detectives also received a search warrant for a maroon/burgundy 2000 Ford Taurus so that it might be searched for personal belongings of Shirley and Mark Leonard.

Judge Carlisle said she would defer to Judge Robert Altice, the original judge in the case, as to whether wiretapped and recorded conversations of the defendants would be revealed.

Those search warrants remain sealed.

A source tells Fox 59 News that the recordings are “very damaging” to the suspects, however, they portray the defendants bolstering each other’s morale and reminding one another to stick together and make sure their stories match when questioned by detectives.

INDIANAPOLIS – Judge Shelia Carlisle indicated during a pretrial hearing that the three defendants in the Richmond Hill case could go to trial as soon as June 2014.

Attorneys for defendant Mark Leonard have told the judge they may need an additional year to defend their client because of the complexity of the case and lack of physical evidence in hand.

“Well, this case, you’re looking at a potential, from the state’s perspective, 150 witnesses,” said Deputy Prosecutor Denise Robinson. “Boxes of discovery, so it’s a significant trial, there’s no doubt about it.”

Robinson has also filed a motion to reveal wiretap evidence investigators gathered against Leonard, his girlfriend Moncie Shirley and his half-brother Robert.

“A title 3 search warrant is a wiretap, basically, for lack of a better term,” said Robinson. “We can’t disclose it to the defense or talk about it without it being published.”

While Robinson can’t comment on the content of the recorded conversations, a source tells Fox 59 News that the tapes are “very damaging,” though they focus on attempts by the defendants to boost each others’ morale and make sure their stories match up when told to investigators.

Shirley’s attorney, James Voyles, told the court he may still file to separate his client’s case away from the Leonard brothers. Such a move could lead to a plea agreement with Shirley and a promise to testify against her co-defendants.

Robinson expects the trial to last up to seven weeks in front of a jury bused to Indianapolis from an outside county to hear evidence.

Neighbors from the Richmond Hill community who attended the hearing said they’re still healing and waiting for the case to work its way through the justice system.

“It just takes time,” said Abby Jackson. “God willing. I just pray for justice to be served.”

“I can look out my door now and I see a house being built,” said Roz Aldridge. “The siding was being put on today at Fieldfare and Tohees so that was good.”

The Leonards and Shirley are accused of conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, arson and murder for the explosion that leveled the Shirley home on Fieldfare Way last November 10th, killing Dion and Jennifer Longworth and damaging dozens of other homes.

They are all due back in court June 21.

“I’m just angry,” said Aldridge. “That’s okay. They look terrible in orange.”

INDIANAPOLIS – Families living in the Richmond Hill Subdivision on the southeast side of Indianapolis are beginning to rebuild after the massive explosion in November. The Cox family celebrated a big step Friday as crews dug them a basement.

“When the contractor texted me pictures of them digging this morning, I instantly felt like I drank 10 pots of coffee,” said Andrea Cox, who lived in the subdivision with her husband and two kids. “It’s almost like the sound of music.”

The Cox family is currently living in a rental apartment. Their home was demolished after the deadly explosion because it was structurally unsound.

“You see smiles, you see change, progress and growth, but there is still heartache. There is still loss,” said Cox. Jennifer and Dion Longworth died in the explosion.

The family also lost their dog the night a neighbor’s home was turned into a bomb, but the subdivision is coming back.

‪While some families have moved on and placed “for sale” signs in front of empty lots, other families are hopeful, determined and convinced that they still belong in Richmond Hill. ‬

“This is home. This neighborhood is a family to us,” said Cox.

The goal is to move into their new home in June or July.

Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry revealed a new charge against Richmond Hill blast suspect Mark Leonard in what he characterized as a murder-for-hire plot.

Leonard was charged with conspiracy to commit murder. A source informed Fox 59 of the development Wednesday, revealing that jail investigators intercepted phone calls from Leonard attempting to orchestrate the plot from jail.

During a Thursday morning news conference, Curry revealed that Leonard tried to arrange for the death of a witness in the explosion identified only as “M.D.” According to Curry, Leonard offered a hit man $15,000 to carry out the hit. Curry also said Leonard offered an additional $5,000 as a “bonus” for successful completion.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Leonard thought “that if M.D. was killed, (he) would have to be released shortly after M.D.’s death.”

Leonard drew up a map and provided information about M.D.’s neighbors and neighborhood. According to Curry, Leonard wanted M.D.’s death to look like a suicide. Leonard arranged the deal by making phone calls from the Marion County Jail. Curry said Leonard tried to orchestrate the plot through an inmate housed in the same cell block.

The hit man contact was an undercover investigator from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who confirmed the deal by recording phone calls. Investigators also recovered a document signed by Leonard confirming the payment of $15,000 upon his release from jail.

According to court documents, Leonard said M.D. “was a homebody with no friends…there won’t be nobody showing up or nothing.” The documents said “the best time (for the killing) would be the evening and advised there wouldn’t be kids, other people or dogs.” Leonard said going through the back door “would be best” to avoid arousing the suspicion of neighbors.

Leonard said to make the death “quick and quiet,” according to court documents. When asked by the hit man if he wanted a “souvenir” to confirm the killing, Leonard replied, “Yeah, I don’t need it, reading in the paper will be enough.”

Leonard said the murder “will get me out of here, dude” and advised that the fewer people who knew about the plot, the better. Investigators said the undercover agent asked Leonard about the plot several times, and Leonard affirmed that he wanted to go through with it.

Curry said he was unaware of any threats against other witnesses in the case.

Leonard already faces several charges in connection with the November 2012 explosion that killed Jennifer and Dion Longworth in the Richmond Hill neighborhood. Investigators said it was a plot to destroy a home and defraud an insurance company.

Leonard, his girlfriend and homeowner Moncy Shirley; and his half-brother Bob Leonard are charged with murder and arson in the case.

Investigators said the trio conspired with possibly one more person to blow up Shirley’s home on Fieldfare Way by opening up a gas valve on a fire place, filling the home with natural gas. Several hours later, a small metal tank placed inside a microwave oven set with a delayed timer exploded, setting off the explosion that destroyed the home and damaged dozens of others.

Just before Christmas, the Leonard brothers and Shirley were arrested and placed in the Marion County jail where they remain right now.

Shirley and the Leonard brothers are due back in court April 10, when the judge begins taking a look at a 2014 trial date.  Each defendant faces the prospect of life without parole if convicted.

INDIANAPOLIS – Fox59 News has learned that Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry will announce a murder-for-hire indictment against one of the suspects in the Richmond Hill blast. Curry is expected to announce an additional charge against Mark Leonard during a 10:30 a.m. news conference on Thursday.

Jennifer and Dion Longworth were killed in the explosion, which investigators say was a plot to destroy a home and defraud an insurance company. Now, according to a source, the potential for bloodshed did not end there.

Homeowner Moncy Shirley; her boyfriend, Mark Leonard; and his half-brother, Bob Leonard, already face charges of murder and arson.

Investigators said the trio conspired with possibly one more person to blow up Shirley’s home on Fieldfare Way by opening up a gas valve on a fire place, filling the home with natural gas. Several hours later, a small metal tank placed inside a microwave oven set with a delayed timer exploded, setting off the blast that destroyed the Shirley home and damaged the homes of dozens of neighbors.

Just before Christmas, the Leonard brothers and Shirley were arrested and placed in the Marion County jail where they remain right now.

A source tells Fox59 news that jail investigators intercepted phone calls from Mark Leonard attempting to orchestrate a murder for hire scheme against a witness in the case. The prosecutor is expected to announce the results of a grand jury investigation Thursday.

Shirley and the Leonard brothers are due back in court April 10,when the judge begins taking a look at a 2014 trial date.  Each defendant faces the prospect of life without parole if convicted.

Victims of the south side disaster are still trying to put their lives back together.  It has been nearly four months since that deadly explosion, and families have started to rebuild in the Richmond Hill neighborhood, but the rebuilding process is not going as smoothly as many had hoped.

The images of the explosion, and the impact they had on the Richmond Hill community is something Doris Jarnigan is still dealing with.

“It was a loss, but I am thankful that no more died from the incident and I am very sorry about that loss,” said Jarnigan.

Their house on Andrusia Lane was one of many damaged beyond repair, but it was important for her and her husband to rebuild.

“It is a great place to be,” said Jarnigan.  “I just like everything about it.  I am building the same home, only expanding it two feet.”

This week Doris got a call she did not see coming.

“It was a total shock,” said Jarnigan.

The home that was originally built in 2000 was too large too, two feet too large.  The house Doris and her husband were in the process of building was two feet larger, so this project has been brought to a screeching halt over four feet.

“I think it is extremely silly especially when you consider what we have gone through, how many vacant lots there are out here where people will not be returning,” said Jarnigan.  “Here we are, we want to return, we want to rebuild our home, and we can not even rebuild our home.”

All of the homes in the Richmond Hill neighborhood must have 65 percent variance, meaning, 65 percent of  the lot must be open space.  The houses can not take up more than 35 percent of the lot.  The extra four feet pushed the house over the limit, reducing the variance to 61 percent.  Jarnigan said she does not have a problem with the rule, she is upset because she said she is just now hearing about it.

“Something is wrong here, this is not fair, this is not right,” said Jarnigan.  “What is it going to take to get this corrected?  Pushing paper across a desk is not the answer.”

Jarnigan said she just wants to put her house back together, move in and move on.

“The explosion made me sad, this makes me angry,” said Jarnigan.

The Department of Code Enforcement said the variance is in place to protect property values. In a statement the Department said:

“Currently, their plans show that this zoning commitment will not be met which is why DCE is working with the contractor and other city agencies to find quick and lawful resolution.”

The Jarnigans must now get permission from the Department of Metropolitan Development to build their house the way they want to.  The process can’t move forward until that happens.

Moncy Shirley left the courtroom and headed back to the Marion County Jail in tears Wednesday afternoon.

She, along with suspects Mark Leonard and Bob Leonard, now face additional charges.

Prosecutors allege the three caused November’s deadly explosion in the Richmond Hill subdivision on the city’s south side.

Marion County Deputy Prosecutor Denise Robinson said what happened in the courtroom Wednesday was expected.

“The additional counts were added, the defendants had their initial hearings on the life without parol and we’re set to come back April 10 and get this case set for trial,” said Robinson.

All three suspects now face an additional charge of arson for damage to homes in the subdivision that were not demolished.

Shirley and Mark Leonard also face an additional charge of conspiracy to commit insurance fraud and Shirley alone faces an additional charge of insurance fraud.

Prosecutors believe Shirley filed an insurance claim two days after the explosion to collect money on her damaged home.

“Our allegation is that it goes with the intent to defraud the insurance company, that it’s part of the motive for this crime,” said Robinson.

The defendants are also requesting separate trials.

“It’s a lengthier process, certainly, that means bringing witnesses back, but legally speaking there are issues both ways, so we’ll be prepared to deal with them,” said Robinson.

Robinson said because of the sheer volume of the case– tens of thousands of documents and a crime scene that affected an entire neighborhood, she doesn’t believe the trial will begin anytime soon.

“I think it will be in to early 2014, although if defense council is ready, we’ll be ready, but I think realistically speaking we’re looking at an early 2014 date.”

Robinson said the suspects acted together and they should be tried together.

It will be at least a month before the judge makes a decision. The suspects will be back in court April 10. If convicted, the suspects face life in prison without parole.