MADISON, Wis. — Nikita Casap, an 18-year-old accused of killing his parents to fund an assassination scheme against Donald Trump, is scheduled to agree to a plea deal during a court hearing on Thursday.
The plea deal will be discussed in Waukesha County Circuit Court. Casap is facing serious charges, including two counts of homicide, two counts of concealing a corpse, and theft. A trial against him was initially set for March 2.
Details of the plea deal are currently not available. A spokesperson for Casap's public defender noted that legal ethics rules limit comments on outstanding cases. Inquiries directed at the Waukesha County District Attorney's Office about the plea were not answered.
Based on a criminal complaint, it is believed that Casap shot his mother, Tatiana Casap, and his stepfather, Donald Mayer, at their residence approximately on February 11. Following the alleged crimes, Casap reportedly lived with their bodies for weeks before ultimately fleeing the state in his stepfather’s vehicle, accompanied by $14,000 in cash, jewelry, firearms, and the family dog. He was later apprehended during a traffic stop in Kansas on February 28.
Authorities claim Casap had been plotting to assassinate Trump, which included the purchase of drones and explosives, along with reaching out to others regarding the execution of his plan. Allegedly, Casap's communications indicated he intended to engage in violent action against the U.S. government.
“The killing of his parents appeared to be an effort to obtain the financial means and autonomy necessary to carrying out his plan,” noted the search warrant.
Casap’s cellphone apparently contained messages from January 2025, in which he inquired about his ability to live normally in Ukraine post-assassination. An unidentified respondent communicated with him in Russian, with the content of that conversation remaining unclarified in the complaint.
