Jennifer Crumbley biography: 13 things about Oxford, Michigan woman

Jennifer Lynn Sawdon Crumbley is an American woman from Oxford, Michigan, United States. Aside from Oxford, she has lived in other parts of Michigan including Clarkston, Lake Orion, Traverse City and Waterford.

Crumbley and her husband James Robert Crumbley are the first parents charged in a mass school shooting in U.S. While married to him, she had an affair with a married firefighter named Brian Meloche, who she met in high school.

James and Jennifer’s son Ethan Crumbley went to Oxford High School in Oxford. She was working in marketing for a real estate company in Clarkston when she and James were called into the school at 10:00 a.m. on November 30, 2021 for a meeting with teachers about Ethan’s behavior.

At 12:50 p.m., using James’ Sig Sauer 9mm handgun, Ethan fired 30 rounds at the school, emptying two 15-round magazines, killing four students namely Madisyn Baldwin, 17, Justin Shilling, 17, Tate Myre, 16, and Hana St. Juliana, 14, and injuring seven other students and one female teacher, then 47. Minutes later, Oakland County Sheriff‘s deputies arrested Ethan.

Upon hearing the news about the shooting, Jennifer sent a text message to Andrew Smith, the chief executive officer of the company that employed her. She wrote, “I need my job. Please don’t judge me for what my son did.”

On December 1, 2021, the company removed Jennifer’s staff bio from its website. That day, she and James attended Ethan’s arraignment via video before Judge Nancy T. Carniak.

Jennifer has also lived in different parts of Washington, USA including Issaquah and Renton and in different parts of Florida, USA including Jacksonville, Fort Myers and West Palm Beach. Here are 13 more things about her:

1. In 1996, she graduated from Clarkston High School in Clarkston. She earned her associate’s degree in business management and marketing from Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City.
2. In 1998, she started working as a realtor.
3. In 2003, she was charged in Duval County, Florida with passing a worthless check, driving with a suspended license and failure to appear in court. In the same year, James’ first wife gave birth to Eli Crumbley.
4. In 2004, she was cited on a charge of letting animals run at large in Lee County, Florida.
5. In 2005, she and James were arrested in Duval County, Florida for driving under the influence. In 2006, she gave birth to their son Ethan Crumbley.
6. In August 2015, she and James bought a house in Oxford. From Florida, they moved to Oxford with Eli and Ethan. Both Eli and Ethan attended Oxford High School in Oxford. In March 2021, Eli moved out and went back to Florida.
7. On November 11, 2016, she wrote a blog post in which she explained why she decided to vote for Donald Trump although his beliefs often conflicted with her values. Talking directly to him, she wrote in part, “As a female and a Realtor, thank you for allowing my right to bear arms. Allowing me to be protected if I show a home to someone with bad intentions. Thank you for respecting that Amendment.”
8. On March 17, 2021, while she was riding her horse, Ethan sent her a series of text messages including “Some wierd s–t just happens and now I’m scared”.
9. On November 30, 2021, she pleaded not guilty to four counts of involuntary manslaughter. On December 2, 2021, she and James were seen driving a black 2021 Kia Seltos. On December 3, 2021, they were each charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter.
10. Represented by Shannon Smith and Mariell Lehman, she and James were found hiding in a commercial building in Detroit, Michigan on December 4, 2021. That day, she and James both pleaded not guilty to four counts of involuntary manslaughter and Rochester Hills District Court Judge Julie Nicholson set bail at $500,000 each for the couple.
11. On February 8, 2022, she and James appeared in court in Rochester Hills, Michigan for a preliminary examination on involuntary manslaughter charges. On February 24, 2022, Nicholson ordered her and James to stand trial on involuntary manslaughter charges.
12. In November 2023, she turned 45. On December 8, 2023, Ethan was sentenced to life in prison.
13. On February 6, 2024, she was found guilty of four counts of involuntary manslaughter. On April 9, 2024, she and James were were sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison.