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Wisconsin Teen Sentenced to Life for Parents’ Murder in Plot to Kill Trump
A Wisconsin teenager who murdered his parents to finance a plot to assassinate former President Donald Trump was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole on Thursday, bringing closure to a case that shocked the Waukesha community.
Nikita Casap, 18, received two consecutive life sentences from Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Ralph Ramirez, who described the crimes as “horrific” and “inexplicable.” The sentencing followed Casap’s guilty plea in January to two counts of first-degree intentional homicide for killing his mother, Tatiana Casap, and stepfather, Donald Mayer, in February 2025.
“I choose to find he’s not eligible for extended release because I do not know when and if and whether a profound and significant change can occur,” Judge Ramirez said during the sentencing hearing, expressing uncertainty about Casap’s potential for rehabilitation.
According to prosecutors, Casap fatally shot his parents in their Waukesha home around February 11, 2025, then lived with their decomposing bodies for approximately two weeks. He eventually fled across the country in his stepfather’s SUV, taking $14,000 in cash, jewelry, passports, a gun, and the family dog before being apprehended during a traffic stop in Kansas after four days on the run.
Federal authorities revealed that Casap’s murders were part of a larger, more disturbing plan. Investigators discovered he had written a manifesto calling for Trump’s assassination and had been communicating with others about overthrowing the U.S. government. The killing of his parents, authorities alleged, was primarily motivated by his need for financial resources and independence to execute his political plot.
“The killing of his parents appeared to be an effort to obtain the financial means and autonomy necessary to carrying out his plan,” stated a federal search warrant.
District Attorney Lesli Boese detailed Casap’s radicalization during the court proceedings. She explained that Casap and his mother had immigrated to the United States from the Republic of Moldova when he was in elementary school. As he grew older, Boese said, Casap became increasingly obsessed with “disturbing websites” and researched serial killers and school shootings.
According to Boese, Casap’s plan, developed in late 2024, initially involved targeting Trump with an AK-47 rifle attached to a drone. He later modified his scheme to drop explosives on Trump from a drone before escaping by ship to Ukraine, where he intended to hide for a decade. Casap reportedly told FBI agents he was indifferent to how many bystanders might be harmed during the assassination attempt.
In his pursuit of this plan, Casap was scammed out of $8,700 in bitcoin—money taken from his stepfather’s account—by individuals who falsely promised to provide him with a drone and explosives. “He walked right into it,” Boese noted.
Digital evidence recovered from Casap’s phone revealed messages from January 2025 in which he inquired about hiding before being relocated to Ukraine. In one message, he asked: “So while in Ukraine, I’ll be able to live a normal life? Even if it’s found out I did it?”
Defense attorney Paul Rifelj requested parole eligibility after 20 years, arguing that his client deserved an opportunity for redemption. Rifelj explained that Casap’s radical turn was triggered by news of an incident in Germany in December 2024, when a doctor drove into a Christmas market in Magdeburg. This event apparently sparked Casap’s desire to “change the world by killing a politician.”
Rifelj suggested that online contacts had manipulated Casap by convincing him he was part of a larger military strategy, offering direction when he was becoming socially isolated. “Children are more than their worst deeds,” the defense attorney argued.
Visibly trembling during the proceedings, Casap delivered an emotional statement to the court. He expressed love for his mother, saying he had always been concerned for her safety, even in mundane situations like reaching for items on high shelves. While acknowledging a less close relationship with his stepfather, Casap said Mayer had nonetheless treated him as a son.
“I thought I was part of a revolution,” Casap said through tears. “I thought I was part of a war. I told myself bad things had to happen.”
The case has raised concerns about online radicalization of young people and the potential for political violence, particularly as the country approaches another presidential election cycle. It also highlights the challenges law enforcement faces in identifying threats before they materialize into violence.
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4 Comments
This is a heartbreaking story. No matter the reason, murdering one’s own parents is an unthinkable crime. I’m glad the perpetrator was brought to justice, even if the outcome is a grim one. My condolences go out to the victim’s loved ones.
Wow, this is just shocking. I can’t believe someone would do something so horrific. The loss of life is tragic, and the family must be devastated. Hopefully justice has been served, even if it can’t undo the damage done. A sad day all around.
What a disturbing and senseless crime. To kill one’s own parents in cold blood to fund a failed assassination attempt is beyond comprehension. The judge was right to sentence this individual to life without parole – public safety must be the top priority here.
This is a tragic case. I can’t imagine the pain the victim’s family must be going through. Regardless of the motive, murder is never the answer. I hope the perpetrator gets the help and rehabilitation he needs, even if he faces life in prison.