The case of Jonathan Levin’s murder shocked New York City, uncovering a tale of violence and enigma.
The docudrama “Murder In The Big Apple: No Good Deed” by Investigation Discovery depicts the events surrounding Jonathan Levin’s murder.
He was a popular high school educator in New York City.
The incident occurred in May 1997 when Levin was tortured and murdered in his Columbus Avenue apartment.
The case attracted considerable attention due to his father’s prominence.
Let’s explore the inquiry and the subsequent capture of the perpetrator.
The demise of Jonathan Levin
Jonathan M. Levin entered the world on May 6, 1966, in Manhasset, New York.
He was born to Carol Needleman Levin and Gerald M. Levin, a highly influential figure who had once held the esteemed position of CEO at Time Warner.
After his parents’ separation in 1970, Jonathan lived in Manhasset with his mother and siblings.
Jonathan pursued higher education, earning degrees in English and psychology from Trinity College in Hartford in 1988.
Following his studies, he worked for a travel insurance company before discovering his passion for teaching.
Colleagues and friends described Jonathan as a devoted teacher who engaged his students through innovative methods, such as incorporating rap into his poetry lessons.
In spite of his father’s influence, Jonathan opted for a modest lifestyle.
He lived in a small one-bedroom apartment on Columbus Avenue, surrounded by piles of magazines and simple wicker furniture.
In addition, he often looked after his underprivileged students, taking them to Yankees games and occasionally treating them to meals at local restaurants.
Jonathan’s desire to carve out his own identity, separate from being solely known as his father’s son, was evident in his interactions with others.
The Jonathan Levis homicide
Concerns arose among Jonathan’s colleagues when he missed various appointments since May 31, 1997.
Alarmed by his absence, they alerted the authorities after finding his apartment door locked.
Upon entering the apartment with the help of a neighbor who had an emergency key, the police made a grim discovery.
Inside the residence, they found Jonathan’s decomposed body, a distressing sign that he had tragically died several days earlier.
On June 2, 1997, the lifeless body of Jonathan Levin shocked the community.
He was found fully clothed and bound with duct tape, having been shot and stabbed to death.
Investigation and apprehensions
Preliminary findings indicated that Jonathan knew his assailant, as there were no signs of forced entry.
The discovery of a blood-stained knife and a fingerprint on a roll of duct tape provided crucial evidence in the Jonathan Levin murder case.
Surprisingly, the police found an $800 withdrawal from Jonathan’s bank account on May 30, which raised suspicions about the killer’s motive.
The investigation took a significant turn when a message from an individual named Corey Arthur was found on Jonathan’s answering machine.
This led the police to suspect Corey’s involvement.
Despite initial difficulties in identifying Corey, a breakthrough occurred when his fingerprints matched those found at the crime scene.
Corey Devon Arthur, a 19-year-old with a history of drug-related offenses, became the primary suspect.
Further investigation revealed a potential accomplice, Montoun Hart, who was implicated in a handwritten confession provided by Montoun himself.
According to the confession, Corey and Montoun planned to rob Jonathan after learning about his influential and wealthy father.
Reportedly, Corey tortured Jonathan to obtain his debit card code and subsequently shot him to prevent identification.
Where is Corey now?
One week after Jonathan Levin’s murder, his grandmother in New York, the NYPD’s tactical unit successfully apprehended him.
While Montoun faced charges of second-degree murder and robbery, Corey faced more severe charges of first-degree murder and robbery.
Throughout the trial, Corey professed his innocence, claiming that he and Jonathan had been ambushed by two unidentified attackers.
Despite the prosecution’s presentation of 70 witnesses, they succeeded in convincing the jury.
A sympathetic jury saved Montoun Hart from going to jail over the sensational slaying of Jonathan Levin, acquitting Hart of torturing, stabbing and shooting the high school English teacher in a murder that shocked the city. https://t.co/8pyx9SNK99 pic.twitter.com/ztGMXaCKSW
— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) November 17, 2020
This led to Corey’s conviction for second-degree murder and first-degree robbery.
Currently, he is serving his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Otisville, with a tentative release date in February 2024.
In contrast, Montoun was acquitted of the crime and subsequently arrested in 2020 for his involvement in a gun trafficking ring.
Man arrested in Brooklyn gun trafficking bust was acquitted in 1997 #murder of beloved Bronx schoolteacher Jonathan Levin https://t.co/4V7LoTAlXa
— MissCrayon 🌊🇺🇸 (@moughthere) November 17, 2020
