Indiana

Indy house explosion: Bob Leonard trial opening statements scheduled for Thursday

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — The trial of a 57-year-old man accused of conspiring with his half brother to blow up an Indianapolis home as part of an insurance fraud scheme is expected to last weeks.

Opening statements are scheduled Thursday in Fort Wayne in the trial of Bob Leonard. He faces the same 53 charges that his brother, Mark Leonard, was convicted of last summer. Those charges include two counts of murder, arson and conspiracy.

Prosecutors allege Bob Leonard took part in a plot involving four others to collect $300,000 in insurance money by using natural gas to start a house fire. Neighbors Jennifer and John “Dion” Longworth were killed and more than 80 homes were damages or destroyed by the blast.

The trial was moved to Fort Wayne because of media attention.

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