Murder in the Big Apple: How did Bronx teacher Jonathan Levin die?

In early June 1997, a 31-year-old Bronx high school teacher, Jonathan Levin, was found dead in his apartment in New York City's Upper West Side. The crime scene suggested that Levin, the son of a former Time Warner chairman, was tortured before being murdered.

Detectives were able to place Levin's former student Corey Arthur who had called to set up a meeting on May 30. An unexpected tip led them to his accomplice Montoun Hart, who confessed that they hoped to rob the teacher and that Arthur tortured and shot him. Meanwhile, Arthur claimed that two men ambushed them and murdered the victim while they were in his apartment.

Murder in the Big Apple on ID chronicles Jonathan Levin's murder case in an episode titled No Good Deed. The synopsis of the episode reads:

"Educator Jonathan Levin chooses to teach at a tough Bronx high school after growing up in middle-class Long Island; when Levin fails to show up at school, police find him dead at home, setting off a rumor."

The episode previously aired on the channel this Thursday, June 15, 2023.

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Jonathan Levin was found tortured, stabbed, and fatally shot in his apartment in a botched robbery incident

Jonathan Levin was the son of the former CEO of Time Warner, Gerald Levin, and a Trinity College graduate. He initially worked for a travel insurance company before landing a teaching job at the William Howard Taft High School in the Bronx in 1995. He resided in a one-bedroom apartment at 205 Columbus Avenue and was loved and respected by most of his students.

On May 31, 1997, Levin missed multiple appointments, which made his colleagues and girlfriend Cleo Tejada worry about his well-being. They tried to unsuccessfully inquire about his whereabouts from neighbors before calling 911. They eventually got the teacher's apartment door open on June 2.

Inside the apartment, they found Levin lying face-down with his hands and feet tied up with duct tape. There were no signs of a forced entry which indicated that the victim was familiar with the killer/s. His dog was found locked inside a room.

Cuts found on Levin's torso and neck suggested that he was tortured before being fatally shot behind his ear. Medical examiners claimed he was stabbed in the chest after he had died.

Authorities collected a blood-stained knife and a fingerprint from the roll of duct tape as two key pieces of evidence from the crime scene. They also found Levin's wallet, which still had the credit cards, but all his debit cards were missing.

Reports mention that, as per Jonathan Levin's bank records, the stolen cards were used at an ATM to withdraw $800 on the evening of May 30, which confirmed the time of the attack and the murder.

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One of Jonathan Levin's former students was implicated in the murder using a fingerprint from the crime scene

Detectives made a breakthrough in Jonathan Levin's case after finding a message from his former student Corey Arthur in his answering machine. Arthur had called him on May 30 to set up a meeting. The fingerprint was then uploaded to the national database, which further implicated Arthur.

Soon after, detectives were tipped by an ex-girlfriend who offered key information. The tip led them to Arthur's possible accomplice, Montoun Hart, who confessed after his arrest.

Hart claimed he tagged along with Arthur to rob Levin after learning about his influential and wealthy family background. As per his confessions, Arthur was the one who tortured and fatally shot the 31-year-old victim until he handed them the debit cards.

A week after the murder, Corey Arthur was arrested from his grandmother's house and charged with first-degree murder. Meanwhile, his accomplice was charged with second-degree murder and robbery.

During his 1998 trial, Arthur alleged that he and Hart were at Levin's apartment when two intruders ambushed them, attacked the teacher, and fled the scene after murdering and robbing him.

Arthur never named the perpetrators and was found guilty of second-degree murder and first-degree robbery, receiving a 25-year prison term. Montoun Hart was acquitted of the charges against him.

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Learn more about Jonatha Levin's killing on ID's Murder in the Big Apple.