Indianapolis Explosion: Gambling Debts, Natural Gas and Stupidity… a Bad Combination for Everyone

by Scott Creighton (H/T JB)

Six weeks ago on a Saturday night, the quiet middle class neighborhood of Richmond Hills in Indianapolis was rocked by an explosion that killed two people and damaged 46 homes. The residence at the epicenter of the blast was not occupied. The mother and her boyfriend were out gambling at a local casino and the daughter was staying with friends. Even the cat was safe and sound being boarded for the weekend.

A reader alerted me to a local news story about the case this morning. There have been three arrests made in connection with the explosion; the divorced mother, her boyfriend and his brother. If crystal meth had it’s own suburbia poster-boys competition, this trio would be serious contenders.

Indianapolis Explosion Ruled Homicide – “There is a search for truth and there is a search for justice,”

by Scott Creighton (H/T Krae and Brad)

Investigators are focusing on the home of John and his ex-wife Monserrate Shirley which was next door to the home in which 34-year-old John Dion Longworth and 36-year-old Jennifer Longworth were killed in the explosion. The Longworth home was destroyed, leveled in fact, when the Shirley home apparently exploded due to a build-up of natural gas which now seems like someone’s misguided and amateurish attempt to “cash out” of the mortgage.

“Authorities launched a homicide investigation Monday into the house explosion that killed a young couple and left numerous homes uninhabitable in an Indianapolis neighborhood.” Chicago Trib

John lives in Texas but the ex-wife and her boyfriend still live in the home they tried to sell a while back but then took off the market. The entire family was out that night as well as the family cat.

Note to Amateurs: It’s pretty obvious when you board the pets. Make the hard choice or do the hard time. Your call…

Indianapolis Explosion: Home Sale Fails, No One Home that Night, “broken furnace” Texts… ಠ_ಠ

by Scott Creighton

According to developments, it looks like the Indianapolis explosion has some very suspicious seeming roots.

The home (the one on the left) is owned by a divorced couple, John and Monserrate Shirley. They divorced and put the home up for sale over a year ago but it failed to sell so they took it off the market in March of this year. (click on image for larger view)

Apparently John claims there had been a problem with the furnace in the home which he claims caused the inhabitants, his former wife, their daughter and his ex’s boyfriend, to go stay in a hotel as of a week and a half ago.

Indianapolis Explosion Impact Crater Found

by Scott Creighton

UPDATE: Bomb “ruled out” according to DHS and area congressman:

But a congressman who represents the Indianapolis neighborhood says investigators have ruled out a bomb or a meth lab.

U.S. Rep. Andre Carson said he had received that report from Homeland Security officials during a tour of the devastated middle-class subdivision.” CBS 7pm

Massive Explosion takes out 2 Homes, Leave 17 Others Uninhabitable

by Scott Creighton

UPDATE 5: (H/T Brian) Fox News has confirmed what our reader here Brian reported earlier. Dion and Jennifer Longworth of 8355 Fieldfare Way died in the explosion. Theirs was one of two homes completely leveled. In the photo I included below, theirs is the home on the right.

Indianapolis Explosion Impact Crater Found