Death penalty off the table for Indy house explosion suspects - WDRB 41 Louisville - News, Weather, Sports Community

Death penalty off the table for Indy house explosion suspects

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The death penalty is off the table for three people charged in a deadly Indianapolis house explosion.

The Prosecutor has decided instead to seek life sentences for Monserrate Shirley, her boyfriend, Mark Leonard, and his brother, Bob Leonard. They are charged with murder, arson and conspiracy charges for a blast that destroyed 33 houses and killed two people.

Investigators say in November they intentionally set a gas explosion in a home in hopes to collecting insurance money.

Prosecutors say they decided against seeking the death penalty because a jury is unlikely to choose that option.

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    Thanks to a grant from Norton Healthcare, this story and others are available in real-time closed captioning on WDRB.