A 17-year-old Wisconsin teenager, Nikita Casap, was apprehended in Kansas on February 28, following allegations of murdering his mother and stepfather. The victims, Tatiana Casap, 35, and Donald Mayer, 51, were found dead in their home weeks after their suspected murder on or around February 11. The police believe that Casap lived with the bodies for several days before absconding in the family car.
The police were alerted to the situation on February 28 when Casap’s school contacted the Waukesha police to conduct a welfare check after the teenager had been absent for two weeks. Upon arrival, the police discovered a horrific scene. The house was filled with the smell of decay, and a body covered with a blanket was found in the hallway. The body was later identified as Tatiana Casap, who had suffered four gunshot wounds.
In the home office, the police discovered Mayer’s body, which had a visible wound on the back of his head. The body was concealed under blankets and pillows. The family dog and Mayer’s car were also missing.
The police investigation traced Casap’s movements using phone records, security footage, and financial transactions made with his parents’ credit cards. Casap was found to have used his parents’ cards in Waukesha from February 12 to February 23. He also responded to texts on his stepfather’s phone, creating the illusion that Mayer was still alive.
Security footage from February 16 to February 22 showed Casap entering the rooms where his parents’ bodies were located. He was seen lighting candles near his mother’s body and photographing his stepfather. A witness told the police that Casap had confessed his plans to kill his parents and himself.
After Casap’s arrest in Kansas, the police downloaded the contents of his phone. A witness revealed that Casap had been communicating with a man in Russia. Casap and his mother were originally from Moldova. Conversations on his phone indicated plans to escape to Ukraine.
Casap’s phone also contained a message sent on February 8, just days before the alleged murders, about receiving money for headphones to protect from the sound of a .357 Magnum gunshot. Casap’s bail was set at $1 million during his court appearance on March 27. His next court date is scheduled for April 9.