A Wisconsin teen has been charged with murdering his mother and stepfather, and is accused of living with their “rotting corpses” for two weeks, according to prosecutors.
Nikita Casap, 17, appeared in court on March 27 in Waukesha, Wis., where he faced multiple charges, including first-degree intentional homicide in the deaths of his mother, Tatiana Casap, 35, and his stepfather, Donald Mayer, 51.
Casap’s body was found on Feb. 20 after Mayer’s mother called the sheriff’s office and asked for a welfare check. A resource officer from the teen’s school also requested a welfare check after he was absent for two weeks following “perfect” attendance, according to the 14-page criminal complaint.
When officers arrived, Casap’s body was found in a state of decay with gunshot wounds, according to a statement from the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department.
The boy’s mother was found in a hallway covered with blankets and a towel, according to authorities.
“The female was wearing a jacket and had towels over her legs and a blanket over her body. Her face was blackened from decomposition with dried blood on the floor around her,” police stated in the complaint.
On Feb. 28, police executed a search warrant and found Casap’s stepfather in a first-floor office, covered by a pile of clothing.
Casap was found on Feb. 28 after he ran a stop sign while allegedly driving Mayer’s car with the family dog inside. He also had Mayer’s firearm with him, according to the complaint.
“Officers observed in plain view a gun on the passenger side floorboard that was later determined to be a Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum firearm,” the complaint said.
Casap, who does not have a driver’s licence, was also found with jewelry, laptops and other valuable items in the vehicle.
Casap was initially charged March 3 with operating a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent and theft of moveable property.
On March 27, he was charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide, two counts of hiding a corpse, theft of property over $10,000 and two counts of misappropriating ID to obtain money, the sheriff’s department said in a press release.
“First-degree intentional homicide; the highest counts that we have, quite frankly, in our country,” Waukesha Circuit Court Judge Ralph Ramirez said, according to NBC affiliate KGNS News.
Police said they found a camera memory card containing video of Casap lighting candles in the office where Mayer’s body was found, and they allege that he recorded the corpse about a week after he was killed.
“The camera is turned facing a chair and Detective Seitz heard presumably the defendant state, “So, you can see him there. I can literally see the f—ing rotten body there,’” according to the complaint.
Officers also said that they found messages on Casap’s cellphone to a Russian citizen discussing plans to escape to Ukraine through the Telegram app.
“He has been speaking with someone in Russian about moving to Ukraine after committing these crimes, so the state is concerned that he is a flight risk if he is ever released,” prosecutor Brooke Schultz said during Casap’s hearing.
In the complaint, officers said Casap and the person he was messaging on the app “were planning to overthrow the U.S. government and assassinate President Trump.”
“How long will I need to hide before I will be moved to Ukraine? One to two months?” Casap wrote to the unknown individual, according to the complaint.
“So while in Ukraine, I’ll be able to live a normal life? Even if when it’s found out I did it?” Casap wrote in another message.
Casap could face life in prison if convicted. His bail was set to $1 million. His preliminary hearing is set for April 9.