INDIANAPOLIS -- Prosecutors have charged a homeowner, her boyfriend and his brother with murder after causing a massive house explosion last month that killed an Indianapolis couple and decimated their neighborhood.
Marion County prosecutor Terry Curry says Monserrate Shirley and the others were arrested Friday morning and charged with felony murder.
Shirley's attorney has said she and her boyfriend were away at a southern Indiana casino when the explosion happened Nov. 10 in the Richmond Hill subdivision on the city's far south side.
Authorities have said they believed the explosion was intentional and caused by natural gas.
The explosion killed Jennifer and John Longworth, who lived next door to Shirley's home. Five houses were destroyed and about 90 houses in the subdivision were damaged, costing an estimated $4.4 million.
"We have to acknowledge that we are helpless to alleviate the pain and anguish of such innocent victims and their families," Curry said. "However, what we as a public safety community can do and must do is devote our best efforts to see that justice is served on behalf of those victims. As with any matter filed by our office, we are absolutely committed to see that justice is done on behalf of all who have been victimized by the Richmond Hill explosion."
Authorities determined the home was filled with natural gas for six to eight hours prior to the explosion. Investigators believe a microwave, which can be set on a timer, was the source of ignition, stating it “exploded from the inside out.”
Curry also said that Shirley and Leonard attempted to cause damage to their home the weekend prior to the explosion but their attempt failed. Curry stated their actions the weekend before mirrored the actions taken the weekend of Nov. 10, including going to a casino for the night, boarding their pet cat and leaving their daughter at a babysitter’s house.
Associated Press and Fox 59
3 charged with murder in Indianapolis house explosion
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