Steven Kraft; Nicholas Orsini.Photo:Facebook; U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York
Facebook; U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York
A husband and wife are charged in connection with the killing of the woman’s ex-husband who disappeared after dropping off his kids in 2020.
Jamie, 36, and Nicholas Orsini, 35, were charged Thursday with conspiracy and carjacking resulting in the 2020 death of Steven Kraft, a former U.S. Marine and father of two.
“A little over three years ago, Nicholas and Jamie Orsini allegedly plotted to and did kill Jamie’s ex-husband, Steven Kraft,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a press release. “Their alleged scheme was sophisticated – it involved burner phones, stealing and dumping Kraft’s car, and, ultimately, disposing of Kraft’s body. In doing so, the Orsinis denied Kraft’s family – including Kraft’s children with Jamie – the dignity of having a proper burial.”
Kraft, a 34-year-old deli worker, vanished after dropping off his two daughters at the couple’s Beacon, N.Y., home on April 28.
According to a federal complaint, prosecutors allege that the couple began plotting the killing two days before Kraft’s disappearance, buying a 10x100 foot paint tarp, duct tape, a Tyvek suit and boots from a Home Depot in Fishkill, N.Y.
Surveillance footage purportedly showing Nicholas Orsini in a Newburgh gas station after he allegedly carjacked his wife’s ex-husband Steven Kraft on April 28, 2020.U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York
They also allegedly did a “dry run” for how they would dispose of Kraft’s 1999 Toyota Camry and bought a burner phone from a Walmart, according to the federal complaint.
On the day of the alleged murder, Kraft picked up his daughters from the Orsini’s home around 4 p.m. and went to a Sonic restaurant for two bacon cheeseburger combo meals in Newburgh. The couple allegedly followed them to the Sonic – ordered a children’s burger with bacon, small fries, an apple juice box and a quarter pounder with cheese –turned on their burner phone before following Kraft back to their Beacon home.
detectives found “a patterned, blue bandana, latex gloves, and a LeviÂs stadium baseball cap identical to the ones worn at the Sunoco gas station” at the Orsinis new home in Amsterdam.U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York
Kraft didn’t show up to work the next day and “was never seen again,” the complaint said.
He returned home just before 10 p.m.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
After the murder, the couple allegedly bought a new burner phone, made numerous trips to Amsterdam, NY, and purchased two 31-gallon galvanized steel round trash cans, a coarse stainless-steel rod, an angle grinder with grinding wheel, three 32-ounce bottles of odorless charcoal lighter fluid, two charcoal grates, an axe, a flame lighter and 16 bundles of firewood from Home Depot.
Investigators later found surveillance footage from the gas station that allegedly showed Nicholas wearing a Jets sweatshirt, a patterned blue bandana and a Levi’s stadium baseball cap. The patterned blue bandana was later allegedly discovered at the couple’s home. Investigators also found a photo of Nicholas wearing a similar Jets sweatshirt from Jamie’s Google account.
On May 4, Kraft’s Camry was discovered in Newburgh. His body has never been found. It’s unclear if they have entered pleas or retained attorneys.
source: people.com
