Worst Neighbor Ever: How Monserrate ‘Moncy’ Shirley destroyed her neighbourhood, and what happened to her after the devastating explosion
A community was left devastated after a nurse got together with a con man
Netflix has done it again, and delivered another true crime series to make your eyeballs pop out from their sockets in the form of Worst Neighbor Ever.
The streamer has carved out a name for itself as a destination for gripping crime documentaries, with the recent Maternal Instinct and Should I Marry A Murderer? becoming huge talking points among those who tuned in.
Airing from July 1, the four-part Worst Neighbor Ever is the third instalment of Netflix's 'Worst Ever' franchise, following in the equally gripping footsteps of Worst Roommate Ever and Worst Ex Ever.
Lots of people have had disputes with their neighbours, but the documentary delves into some of the most horrifying and devastating behaviour carried out by what are definitely the most awful people you could be unlucky enough to live next-door to.
Episode 2 covers the case of Monserrate 'Moncy' Shirley, a nurse who managed to bring devastation to a quiet community with the help of her con man boyfriend. We look at what she did, and where she is now.
What did Moncy Shirley do to destroy her local community?
Monserrate 'Moncy' Shirley, a critical care nurse, moved into Richmond Hill, a quiet, residential area on the southeast side of Indianapolis, with her husband John and daughter Brooke.
Many locals living on the estate at the same time appear on the documentary to say what an incredible place it was to live and how happy they were there - the area attracted people of all ages, from young families to retirees.
Moncy was a big part of the very sociable neighbourhood, and she got on well with everyone who lived nearby. Newlyweds Jennifer and Dion also moved to the tight-knit community around the same time, and quickly slotted right in.
In 2009, Moncy surprised the friends she'd made in Richmond Hill by announcing she wanted to divorce John. When she later began dating, she lost a few friends who believed she was displaying "loose morals."
When she introduced her new partner, Mark Leonard to the neighbourhood in 2011, some people were disconcerted to notice he wore an ankle tag. Her former friends say that with the introduction of Mark, Moncy "changed."
It turns out Mark was a con man. A lady named Joann appears on the documentary to talk about the time she met Mark on a dating app, and they became a couple.
After showering her with attention and messages, he asked for some money for essential "work equipment." As soon as Joann handed over $10,000 Mark disappeared.
When she filed a complaint with the police, she was told three other women had made the same complaint about him.
On November 10, 2012, there was a huge explosion at Richmond Hill. Moncy's house was completely destroyed, but she was out with Mark at the time and her daughter was elsewhere being cared for by a babysitter.
There were 30 homes destroyed by the extent of the explosion, and many more damaged. Some people were trapped underneath fallen beams and needed to be cut buildings burning around them by firefighters.
Sadly, newlyweds Jennifer and Dion died - their bodies were so badly burned they could only be identified by dental records. Twelve others were left injured.
At first, the blast appeared to be an accidental gas explosion, with Moncy's house being the source.
However, investigators explain how when they searched what was left of her home, they began to get suspicious. They reveal that even after a big explosion, homeware items don't just evaporate - they would still expect to identify televisions, clothing and other big household items.
However, these weren't found, suggesting they'd been removed from the property ahead of the blast. It was also found the step-down valve had been removed from the property, which regulates the amount of gas coming into the home.
Alongside other irregularities, a suspicious cannister was also found inside what was left of a microwave that was believed to been deliberately placed there as a source of ignition.
An unknown white van was also seen at the property during the day of the explosion, thought be contain someone who could've programmed the device in the microwave to detonate.
Although Moncy and Mark had an alibi for the night of the blast, this soon fell apart under scrutiny, and it was found that Mark's brother, Bob had been asking around for information about gas explosions - his DNA was later found at the scene.
He was the person in the van who'd arrived to set the microwave timer. It was actually the third time the trio had attempted to blow up the house, after two failed attempts.
Eventually, Moncy, Mark and Bob's stories couldn't hold up to the investigators, who knew the explosion was intentional. It transpired they were doing it as part of an insurance scam in order to secure a big payout. All three were arrested.
Where is Monserrate 'Moncy' Shirley now?
Moncy Shirley pled guilty to conspiracy to commit arson, and was handed a 50 year sentence - she remains in prison.
She told jurors during her trial that she believed Mark and Bob were only going to start a "small fire" to collect $300,000 in insurance money. After the blast, she claims they they threatened her and her daughter.
She said, "Mark Leonard told me if I ever told anyone about this he would cut me into pieces and my daughter … and no one would ever find us," adding, "I was afraid! I didn't want anything to happen to my baby."
Mark Leonard was convicted of 53 counts, including murder and arson, and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences plus 75 years. However, he died of natural causes while behind bars in 2018.
Bob Leonard was convicted of 51 counts, including murder and arson, and sentenced to two life sentences without parole, plus 70 years.
Worst Neighbor Ever airs from July 1 on Netflix.
