Blast suspect faces additional charges

A man involved in the November blast in an Indianapolis neighborhood now faces an additional charge of conspiracy to commit murder after a phone call with an undercover federal agent revealed plans to hire a hit man to kill a key witness in the case.

Mark Leonard, who already faced charges for murder and arson because of the Nov. 10 explosion, allegedly solicited help from a fellow inmate at the Marion County Jail to find a hit man to kill the witness, The Associated Press reported Thursday.

According to the report, the inmate agreed to help, and the two discussed the location of the witness’ residence and composed a contract indicating Leonard would “pay a $15,000 kill fee on his release.”

Leonard also offered a $5,000 bonus for the kill if the hit man could both persuade the witness to call 911 to recant his statements and make the death appear to be a suicide, according to the report.

Although it is unclear how federal agents became involved, a federal agent posing as a hit man called Leonard and, despite signs in the jail informing inmates that phone calls were recorded, Leonard elaborated on his plans for the contract killing, according to the report.

The undercover agent asked Leonard if he was certain about wanting to go through with the killing, and Leonard said he was. Leonard also revealed he didn’t want the witness to suffer because “that takes too much time,” according to the report.

Leonard and his girlfriend Monserrate Shirley, as well as his brother Bob Leonard, are currently booked at the Marion County Jail for their alleged involvement in the explosion, which killed elementary school teacher Jennifer Longsworth, 36, and her husband John and led to the destruction of 33 homes in the Richmond Hill
subdivision.

All face life in prison without parole if convicted of the existing murder and arson charges, according to the report.
 
— Kirsten Clark