12th August 2025
Case Background:
A Pennsylvania man named Nicholas Kassotis was arrested and charged for the killing of his wife Mindi Kassotis, he was extradited from Lancaster County to Georgia to stand trial. The prosecution and the defense presented their theory of the case in the trial and a few witnesses took the stand and we shall be going through key parts of their testimony.
Case Info
Courthouse: Liberty County, Georgia
Charges:
- Malice Murder – Guilty
- Felony Murder – Guilty
- Aggrevated Assault – Guilty
- Concealing The Death Of Another – Guilty
- Possession Of A Knife During Felony – Guilty
- Possession Of A Tool during a Crime – Guilty
- Removal Of Body Parts – Guilty
- Tampering With Evidence – Guilty
- Verdict Rendered: 14th August 2025
Judge: Charles Rose Jr.
Prosecutor: ADA Laurie Baio, ADA Billy Joe Nelson
Defense Attorneys: Douglas Weinstein
The Deceased: Mindi Kassotis
Today’s Witnesses:
- Witness #25 – Chris Czaplak – Friend of Nicholas
- Witness #26 – Angela Wynn – Mindi’s Best Friend
- Witness #27 – Joseph West – Attorney
- Witness #28 – Cameron Nelson – Nicks Friend
- Witness #29 – Heather Thomas – Nicks First Wife
- Witness #21 – Tracy Sands back on the stand – Lead Investigator
Witness #25 – Chris Czaplak – Friend of Nicholas
Direct Exam
- He testifies to knowing Nicholas Kassotis after meeting him in the navy as a JAG whilst Nicholas was also a JAG in 2009. He says that he was his friend of Nick and discussed cases and trial strategy with him.
- He testifies to hearing from Nick on a new phone number and email in July 2022 and explained that Mindi and Nicholas to get his name changed and that she was pregnant. Says that his biological parents turned out to be not his real parents and told him that he was receiving alerts.
- He testifies to receiving a message from Nick Kassotis on 23rd March 2023 that Mindi had passed away.
- He testifies that he was told that Nicholas was involved in a cyber start-up company.
- He testifies to contacting the tipline in the article and told them all that happened.
Cross Exam
- Defense asks about the linkedin request under Nicholas Starke, not Nicholas Kassotis
No redirect exam
Witness #26 – Angela Wynn – Mindi’s Best Friend
Direct Exam
- She testifies to meeting Nicholas when Mindi was dating Nick in Virginia
- She says that she was told that Nicholas was working for Microsoft on a big money deal that could change their fortune.
- She testified that they were on the run because it had something to do with his parents and their lives being in danger. She said that Mindi told her she was pregnant but never disclosed a due date.
- She testified that Nicholas didnt even ask her regarding funeral arrangements after she died.
Cross Exam
- The defence highlighted that Nicholas was crying and saying to her that he wishes he would have protected her more and she said he did.
No recross exam
Witness #27 – Joseph West – Attorney
Direct Exam
- He testifies to being retired from Gibson and Dunn where he is a chairperson and has shared equity. He says he is based in Virginia.
- He testifies to knowing Mindi Meven who he says worked for him for a number of years as a legal assistant. He believed she started working for him on 2008
- He testifies that Mindi got married after she left and said it was Nicholas Kassotis. Says he had met Nick once in the office.
- He testifies that there was an email sent to him on 19th December 2022 and called the number that Nick had given him. He says that Nick told him Mindi had passed away. He says that Mindi became septic at the hospital and died of an infection.
- This undermines Nick’s case as he says that he was told Mindi died of a stroke and heart problems.[My Thoughts]
No cross exam
Witness #28 – Cameron Nelson – Nicks Friend
Direct Exam
- She testifies to serving in the navy as a nurse for 24 years including reserves. Her and Nick met in the naval justice group in 2009. She says that Nick took the deployment for her so that she could focus on her cancer treatment.
- She says that she knows Nick’s first wife Heather when Nick and her were dating. She said that Nick told her that Heather was cheating on Nick and Nick was desperate to have children.
- She testifies to also knowing Mindi and witnessing their marriage
- She testifies that Nick retired from the navy in 2017 and says that he had an interest in cyberlaw. She also was told about Microsoft.
- She testifies that her and Nick had communicated on signal at some point. She says that she never set the messages to disappear on Signal but Nick had set it so she still has it.
- She testifies that Heather had made threats to him and told her that he reported the break ins to the Charlottesville police.
- She testifies that he had financial help from her to Nick in 2018 and says that she gave him a 2k loan when she asked.
- She testifies to providing assistance to Nick, her dog and Mindi to help Nick and his family out. She gave him a credit card which he charged over the amount of 198k+ and he had made no payments, he was cut off.
- She testifies that her and Nick kept in touch despite them not seeing her since 2019 Charlottesville. He says that he had told her he was going to change his name to Starke due to his parents being called that and says that he was adopted and learnt of who his real parents are.
- On June 8th 2022, Nicholas had told her via signal that Mindi was pregnant. Exhibit 2.34
- Exhibit 2.36 On October 29th 2022, Jim indicated that Mindi was going to hospital as she was sickly
- She testifies that Nick would not have been eligible for Tri Care.
- She testifies to more messages she had from Nick; On 1st November 2022, she read a message from about Mindi beginning to get sick
- She testifies that 1 December 2022, Nick messaged her that Mindi had passed away.
- She testifies that on 5th December 2022, Nick told her it was a stroke that had caused Mindi’s death.
- 11th December 2022, he says that he had Mindi’s ashes back from the crematorium.
- 28th March 2023, he messages that his car had exploded and the other phone had died in a fire.
Cross Exam
- 1st November 2022, Nick messaged that he was packing and she testifies that Nick had moved often and she is actively trying to recover money from Nick by retaining a law firm to pursue it.
No redirect exam
Witness #29 – Heather Thomas – Nicks First Wife
Direct Exam
- She testifies to being married to Nick from 2009 to 2015 after meeting on eHarmony. They quickly married.
- She testifies that they had a dog name Rusty during their relationship that belonged to her.
- She testifies to having a medical condition that prevented her from getting pregnant.
- She testifies that it was mutual but she was the one that wanted the divorce. She says she was the one to move out after the separation was final.
- She testifies that the Divorce was granted in 15th October 2015.
- She testifies to meeting Mindi by happenstance but doesnt really know her.
- She testifies that he was ordered to pay her 1.5 million as part of the divorce order.
- She testifies that they continued communicating even after the divorce. She says that he mentioned in having an interest in working in cyber security.
- She testifies that he was ordered to pay 1.5 million 90k in interest and 10k in fees. That there was a hearing on 4th January 2019 that he was not complying.
- She testifies that Nick had admitted that he had 32 million that his wife Mindi was holding onto the funds and not allow him to access it.
- Says the name reminded her of the name from Game of thrones.
- She testifies that Nick had seen her pregnant and she was uncomfortable despite the congratulations.
Cross Exam
- She testifies that she got married on 16th October 2015 and they had met in June 2015.
- She testifies that he had agreed to pay 1.5 million she also said she was given statements that she pursued to Bank of America regarding it saying there was no such sum
- This testimony helps the defence with the Jim McIntyre theory where Nick had supposedly agreed to money he was expecting as the statements may have been given by Jim. [My Thoughts]
- She testifies that she had said to the GBI that Mindi was living with them but she corrected them immediately
No redirect exam
Witness #21 – Tracy Sands back on the stand – Lead Investigator
Direct Exam
- He testifies to his credentials and experience and says that he received a call at 6:30pm to go to the scene. He says he arrived at the location at 8pm on 2nd December 2022. He says there was a yellow tape crime scene setup
- He says he saw her Torso, she was decapitated with her legs and arms missing.
- Testifies that the coroner determined she had died on 2nd December 2022 and explained that this does not mean the actual time of death just that she was found then
- He testifies that that Detective James Frost had processed the right leg that was found on the 3rd December 2022.
- He testifies to eliminating over 50 leads. He says they couldnt determine her when he was on the scene and still couldnt identify her from her dental records even with her crown.
- Jim’s vehicle is seen going the hunting club at 11:16:15 and leaving at 12:00:10 on the 29th November 2022. He says he did see a white male as the driver but couldnt determine who.
- He testifies to speaking to Betsy 2nd May 2023 and says she believed he was deceased based on email. They believed that she had died on 1st December 2022.
- He testifies that Nicholas had said that Rusty had gotten sick on the rug in the air bnb, he also says he had went through the bank records.
- He testifies to the purchases made on his account from an excel spreadsheet.
- He testifies that the vehicle had been washed on the 29th November 2022.
- He testifies that Nicholas had a license issued in Georgia July 26th 2022 for Nicholas Kassotis. He says there were alterations to this license as the image has been changed.
- He testifies that there was a name change in Delaware in 13th January 2023.
- He testifies to Nicholas changing his name to St Louis county court on January 4th 2023
- He testifies to records of Nicholas for his change of name citing crime was the reason specifically, a victim of abuse and it was accompanied by a police report.
- This is helping the defence because if you are living in fear, this would be the advice likely given for the name change. [My Thoughts]
- He testifies that Nicholas had said he is a resident in Missouri and a victim of Domestic Violence This was filed on 4th Jan 2023, he says there is no judgement of money against him.
- He testifies that he did not find birthing locations in the area that Nicholas had described.
- He testifies that they obtained records from Cure Insurance for the vehicle fire. Images where shown of the vehicle, this does not seem like arson car fires. The front of the vehicle is in so is the bottom of the vehicle.
- He testifies to not being able to locate a knife inside the vehicle.
- He testifies that there were no payments from Jim McIntyre or Apis Limited but it was paid for Nick Kassotis.
- He testifies to there being a 300k deposit in June. He says the short story was sold to SONY for 300k under a different name and Nicholas received proceeds from it.
- He testifies that title was my mother in law was killing me.
- He testifies to looking for Jim McIntyre and there were many people with that name including a dentist but no record of treating either of them.
- He testifies to there being no lawsuits that Nick brought for the wife’s death and said he implied he was alone when he spread the ashes.
Cross Exam
- Defense highlights that there was no DNA left on the scene and highlight the portion where his DNA was on the scene, he asks what the value of misleading was.
- The defense highlights the lack of testings as well as Mindi’s DNA on the futon. Testifies that there was no comparison of Nick’s DNA with the futon.
- He testifies he didnt see a report about testing on Mindi’s finger nails.
- He testifies there were no FBI records when he searched regarding Jim reporting to the FBI about his life being in danger. He testifies that the camera was searched in May 2023. He testifies that Jim appeared in the hospital and thats why he searched this specific Jim McIntyre.
- He testifies that he didnt subpoena Amazon for their sales records
- He testifies that they didnt find the deer kit he purchased.
- He testifies to Agent James speaking to Frank in December 2022.
Redirect Exam
- He testifies they found no medications for pregnancy
- He testifies that the camera Nick had didnt record nor was it in operation.
Recross Exam
- He says that he isnt aware of any power tools purchased by Nicholas Kassotis.
Court adjourned for the day!
Hope you are now caught up with the substance of what happened in court on Day 6.
Thanks for reading xo
Sources:
Trial Footage, Available on Youtube via @TheTrialChannel_ , Youtube playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLq-6my_qlf9vhXw9gMoqIo3Fv4xMbs1W&si=MzCUlpWmKdK6mrjn
All court filings pertaining to the trial courtesy of @Happily_Angry_Lawyer aka Jim Robichaud, Available online, PDFs: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15yaqe8kwjoNnIq2dfFCD0Bi1vqP_4hb7
