US Senate Candidate Found Guilty in Bizarre Home Alone-Inspired Tarantula Incident
Marisa Simonetti, a 32-year-old independent candidate for the US Senate in Minnesota, has been convicted on misdemeanor charges stemming from a highly unusual incident where she threw a live tarantula down her basement stairs. The conviction, handed down on Friday, includes counts of domestic assault, harassment, and disorderly conduct, all related to the 2024 event that Simonetti openly admitted was inspired by the classic 1990 film Home Alone.
Movie-Inspired Mayhem Leads to Legal Consequences
Simonetti told NBC News that she drew direct inspiration from Home Alone, starring Macaulay Culkin, in which the child protagonist releases a tarantula that crawls across a burglar's face. "I’m not a physically violent person, and I watched the movie Home Alone growing up, and I was like, you know what, this is such a strange situation," Simonetti explained. "If I’m scared or hurt, I try and make jokes. And I was so scared, I was just like, I didn’t know what to do, and so, yeah, I got the spider."
The incident was captured on video by a laptop left recording at the base of the stairs, which showed Simonetti blasting Christian music while screaming, banging pots and pans, and unleashing the spider. Responding officers found a chaotic scene on the stairs, including pins, tacks, nails, the live tarantula, terrarium contents, and small toys, reminiscent of traps from the movie.
Dispute Over Basement Stay Escalates into Tarantula Tactic
The conflict began when Jackie Vasquez, a 32-year-old attorney, moved into Simonetti's basement through an Airbnb arrangement. Simonetti claimed she canceled the reservation after a couple of weeks due to Vasquez sending lengthy texts and shouting on late-night calls, alleging that Vasquez was squatting and had barricaded herself in. In contrast, Vasquez insisted she had paid $1,500 to stay there and "desperately wanted" to leave but felt trapped in a hostile environment.
Tensions peaked after an argument over a door allegedly closing on Simonetti's arm, with Vasquez claiming it was unintentional during a trespassing warning. Police were called three times that day, and Simonetti stated she resorted to the tarantula after "the police didn’t help." She later described her actions as humorous, calling herself a "silly goose," and argued that her "unhinged" behavior successfully forced Vasquez out.
Legal Fallout and Political Repercussions
Following the incident, Simonetti was arrested but released without bond, and Vasquez moved out. Representing herself in court after parting with her lawyer, Simonetti was found guilty, attributing the loss to a lack of understanding of court procedures. This is not her first legal issue; in 2023, she faced fraud allegations for an $80,000 credit card bill on her ex-fiancé's account, which was later dropped after a settlement.
Politically, the conviction has drawn criticism, with Randy Sutter, chair for the 3rd Congressional District Republicans, stating Simonetti "has only served to embarrass the Republican Party." Interestingly, Vasquez was also a political candidate at the time, running unsuccessfully as a Republican for Hennepin County Commissioner during the 2024 ordeal.
As Simonetti continues her Senate campaign, this bizarre case highlights the intersection of personal disputes and public life, with a movie-inspired prank leading to real-world legal and electoral consequences.
