Richmond Hill suspect in Allen Co. court this week
ALLEN COUNTY, Ind. (WISH) – Work continues Tuesday ahead of what could be the second trial in connection to the 2012 south side Indianapolis explosion.
Bob Leonard, the half-brother of Mark Leonard, heads to court in Allen County Tuesday morning.
Bob Leonard’s trial was moved to Allen County because of pretrial publicity. It is set for January.
His half-brother Mark Leonard was convicted and sentenced to two life terms plus an additional 75 years for his role in the deadly explosion. Leonard has recently appealed the sentence.
A judge has set three days aside this week for attorneys to discuss a dozen pretrial motions both the state and the defense have filed before Bob’s trial.
Some motions from the defense include a motion to exclude what they call “gruesome” crime scene photos and videos, a motion to sequester the jury, and another to have his trial broken into different segments.
Later this week, defense attorneys will also argue a motion to exclude statements Bob made back in November of 2012.
Bob Leonard is facing the same charges his half-brother Mark faces in St. Joseph County Superior Court: more than 50 charges, including murder, arson, and conspiracy to commit arson.
Prosecutors say Leonard helped his half- brother Mark blow up Mark’s ex-girlfriend’s home in a plot to collect insurance money.
Five people were charged in connection to the case, including Mark Leonard’s ex-girlfriend Monserrate Shirley, Gary Thompson, and Glenn Hults.
Shirley has taken a plea deal in the case and agreed to testify at the trials of the others, if they go to trial.
The 2012 explosion killed Dion and Jennifer Longworth and damaged or destroyed nearly 80 homes.
