A Wisconsin teenager accused of murdering his mother and stepfather to steal funds for a planned assassination of President Donald Trump secured two life prison sentences for himself on Thursday.
Nikita Casap, 18, pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree intentional homicide during a hearing in Waukesha County Circuit Court. The plea deal, accepted by Judge Ralph Ramirez, relates to the fatal shootings of his mother, Tatiana Casap, and his stepfather, Donald Mayer, last year, according to the Associated Press.
In exchange for the guilty pleas, prosecutors agreed to drop seven additional charges, including theft and hiding a corpse. However, the homicide convictions carry mandatory life sentences. Casap’s future now rests with Judge Ramirez, who will decide at a March 5 sentencing hearing whether the teen will ever be eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 20 years.
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Casap appeared visibly shaken in the courtroom, trembling at the defense table as the judge questioned him. When asked if he understood the consequences of the deal and if he had indeed shot his parents, he replied simply, “Yes, your honor.”
District Attorney Lesli Boese made her intentions clear following the hearing, telling reporters she plans to urge the judge to deny any possibility of parole. Describing Casap as a “danger to the community,” Boese argued that mandatory life sentences are the only appropriate punishment and expressed doubt regarding his potential for rehabilitation.
According to criminal complaints, the murders took place on or around Feb. 11 at the family’s home in the village of Waukesha. Investigators say Casap lived in the house with the decomposing bodies for weeks before fleeing the state. He reportedly drove his stepfather’s SUV, taking the family dog, passports, jewelry, and $14,000 in cash. Law enforcement eventually caught up with him on Feb. 28 during a traffic stop in Kansas.
While the state charges focused on the double homicide, federal authorities have outlined a disturbing political motive. A federal search warrant alleges Casap penned a manifesto calling for the assassination of President Trump and the overthrow of the U.S. government. The warrant states that killing his parents was a strategic move “to obtain the financial means and autonomy necessary” to execute that plan.
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Federal officials claim Casap had purchased a drone and explosives and communicated his intentions to others, including a Russian speaker.
Detectives recovered messages from Casap’s phone dating back to January 2025, where he inquired about fleeing the country. In one exchange, he asked how long he would need to hide before moving to Ukraine.
“So while in Ukraine, I’ll be able to live a normal life?” Casap wrote in another message cited in the complaint. “Even if it’s found out I did it?”
Casap’s defense attorney, Joseph Rifelj, declined to comment to reporters after the hearing.
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