An Edina woman who briefly became an online spectacle as the “tarantula tosser” has now been found guilty in a real courtroom, not just the court of public opinion. A Hennepin County jury on Friday convicted Marisa Simonetti on harassment, domestic assault and disorderly conduct charges stemming from a June 2024 confrontation in which authorities say a live tarantula was tossed at an Airbnb guest. Sentencing is set for May 1 at 8:30 a.m.
Jury verdict and evidence
According to KARE 11, prosecutors showed jurors video and presented testimony that they argued captured Simonetti dumping a live tarantula and throwing other objects down a stairwell toward a woman below. The panel returned guilty verdicts on all three counts. Prosecutors told the jury the incident was no prank, saying the target of the outburst experienced real fear.
How the episode unfolded
Video of the June 21, 2024, confrontation shows Simonetti blasting loud music, yelling and sending items, including a live spider, down a flight of stairs while the alleged victim, Jacklyn Vasquez, filmed the chaos and called 911, according to the Star Tribune. Vasquez later told reporters the experience was “deeply disturbing and deeply distressing,” even though she was not physically injured. The bizarre mix of politics, short-term renting and arachnids quickly went viral, and Simonetti leaned into the sudden fame, selling “tarantula tosser” merchandise and doing media interviews.
Arrest, location and fallout
Simonetti was arrested at a home on the 5000 block of Interlachen Boulevard and spent the weekend in custody, local reporting showed. The clash also stirred up questions about who actually had the right to rent out the property and whether the booking followed city rules. What started as a rental dispute soon spilled into courtrooms, overlapping with civil filings and derailing political ambitions.
Suit and political damage
Simonetti responded with a $28 million lawsuit that names Vasquez, Hennepin County, the city of Edina and several officers, alleging that the accusations and prosecution wrecked her political career, Law & Crime reported. The complaint accuses the guest of extortion and claims law enforcement and prosecutors violated Simonetti’s rights. Simonetti has denied wrongdoing and cast the episode as her attempt to remove someone she has called a squatter. The civil case is still moving forward even as the criminal side nears sentencing.
Short‑term rental rules and local context
Edina’s public guidance says short‑term rentals through platforms like Airbnb and VRBO are not allowed for non‑owner occupants, and that most rentals by non‑owners must run at least 30 consecutive days, according to the city. That policy has loomed in the background of the case because reporting indicates Simonetti may not have owned the house where the dispute unfolded. That detail has fueled questions about who actually controlled the space and what legal options each side had. Local coverage and court documents have repeatedly circled back to those issues to explain how a tenant‑landlord style disagreement escalated into both criminal charges and a blockbuster civil suit.
What the conviction could mean
Under Minnesota law, domestic‑assault and related fifth‑degree assault offenses can be charged as misdemeanors or gross misdemeanors, depending on prior convictions and other factors. A gross misdemeanor can carry up to 364 days in jail and a fine of up to $3,000, and a domestic‑assault conviction can trigger a temporary ban on possessing firearms under state statutes. Those rules will frame what options the judge has when sentencing Simonetti and what collateral consequences she might face. Defense attorneys note that judges frequently factor in the absence of physical injury and a defendant’s record when deciding punishment.
With sentencing scheduled for May 1 at 8:30 a.m., the guilty verdict closes one chapter of a saga that started as a rental quarrel and morphed into viral infamy, criminal prosecution and high‑stakes civil litigation. Simonetti has maintained she will keep fighting the allegations against her, and the $28 million lawsuit remains active while she awaits her sentence.
