Simeonette Mapes-Crupi always dreamed of a fairytale life. The New York City teacher, a lifelong Disney fan, seemed to have found it when she married fellow teacher Jonathan Crupi. Together, they worked at one of Brooklyn’s toughest schools, known for their kindness and dedication to students. “I used to tell people I couldn’t buy a better son-in-law,” Simeonette’s mom, Theresa Mapes, recalled on Dateline: Secrets Uncovered. “That’s how good he was.”
But on July 5, 2012, the fairytale shattered. Simeonette, just 29 years old, was found stabbed to death in the entryway of her Staten Island home, lying in a pool of blood. The brutal crime stunned her community and revealed a dark double life hiding beneath her husband’s charming exterior.
To her students, she was “Mommy Mapes,” the teacher who sang Disney songs during lessons and raised money so kids could afford prom dresses. Her husband, Jonathan, was also well-liked. “He was funny, he would do cartoon voices,” one student told Dateline. “He was just like a little big kid.”
Jonathan told police he left their townhouse around 7:30 that morning to run errands. He said he bought theater tickets for their anniversary, stopped by school for supplies, shopped for sneakers, and got his car inspected. He claimed he went to Home Depot but turned back after not reaching Simeonette, only to find her dead when he got home.
“There’s blood all over,” he cried in his 911 call. “Oh, my God. She’s in a giant puddle of blood”, reported Oxygen. Detectives soon realized the scene didn’t make sense. The house was ransacked, but valuables like jewelry and credit cards were untouched. Drawers were dumped out, and a sliding glass door in the back was left slightly open. The attack was clearly personal.
“The amount of stab wounds was excessive,” Detective Michael Burdick said. “You’ve got somebody who was very angry.” Simeonette’s mother publicly vowed justice. “I will find you. I will get you. You will pay,” she said.
Months passed without answers, until detectives discovered something in Simeonette’s phone. A number saved simply as “woman” led investigators to an escort known as “Ms. Pumpkin.” She admitted she’d been in a relationship with Jonathan for years—and had met him the same day his wife was killed. Her DNA was also found on the back door of the Crupi home.
Phone and surveillance records later revealed that Jonathan wasn’t where he claimed to be that morning. A search of his computer showed he’d been visiting escort and porn sites, spending large amounts of money. Investigators believed Simeonette had discovered his affairs and planned to leave him. “She was leaving, and she promised me she was gonna leave,” Theresa said. “She was done.”
Detectives later learned Jonathan had lied about earning his master’s degree, a requirement for NYC teachers. His job was in jeopardy, his secret life exposed, and his marriage collapsing. Prosecutors argued that when Simeonette confronted him, he snapped.
Forensic evidence confirmed Simeonette was killed before 7:30 a.m., while Jonathan was still home. A search of his computer also uncovered chilling searches like “how to slit a throat” and “how to clean up a crime scene.”
Jonathan Crupi was arrested in November 2012, convicted of second-degree murder three years later, and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.