A 17-year-old student from Wisconsin, Nikita Casap, has been charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide in connection with the deaths of his mother, Tatiana Casap, and his stepfather, Donald Mayer. The bodies of the couple were discovered in an advanced state of decomposition in late February after a welfare check was conducted on their home.
According to authorities, Casap shot and killed his parents on February 11, 2025, leaving their bodies to decompose inside their home. The grisly discovery was made on February 28, when welfare officers, concerned after Casap missed two weeks of school, found the couple’s remains.
Prosecutors claim that Casap fled the scene after the killings, abandoning his parents’ bodies, and took off with their vehicle. He traveled across multiple states including Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Colorado, before being apprehended in northwest Kansas on March 1, 2025. Authorities found a Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum firearm in his vehicle, matching the gun recently purchased by his stepfather.
Investigators also discovered Telegram messages from Casap, in which he discussed fleeing the country and possibly living in Ukraine after the murders. The young suspect allegedly planned to take his parents’ car, passports, and family dog with him.
Casap is facing multiple charges, including identity theft for financial gain, theft of a vehicle, and hiding a corpse. He is currently being held on a $1 million bond. A criminal trial is expected to follow, and the case has shocked the local community, given the gruesome nature of the crime and Casap’s previously perfect school attendance.
