Suvechha Sarkar
On a cold December day in 2022, the woods near Riceboro, Georgia, became the center of a shocking mystery when partial remains of 40-year-old Mindi Ruth Kassotis were discovered. Investigators soon discovered that her husband, Nicholas James Kassotis, AKA Nick, was responsible for her untimely demise. CBS’ ’48 Hours: The Woman Who Died Twice’ focuses on the intensive investigation and minute details that led officials to the actual killer. It also features interviews with her longtime friends, Nick’s ex-wife, and officials who worked tirelessly to bring the truth to light.
Nick Kassotis Claimed Mindi Passed Away Five Months Before Her Remains Were Found
Nicholas James Kassotis, also known as Nick, was born in 1982 to Wayne and Linda Kassotis. After completing his higher education, he joined the US Navy as an officer in the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps. After serving as a military lawyer and prosecutor, he reportedly claimed to have worked as a General Counsel at a cybersecurity startup, which remained unverified. Sometime around the mid-2010s, he crossed paths with Mindi Ruth Mebane, and they soon began dating. Ultimately, on October 9, 2016, they tied the knot at Morven Park in Leesburg, Virginia. By 2022, Mindi and Nick were living in Savannah, Georgia. According to reports, things took a dark turn when, on December 1, 2022, Nick claimed to Mindi’s loved ones that she had passed away from a stroke, allegedly during a hospital visit.
As per court records, Nick claimed that he was not allowed to see Mindi after she passed away and allegedly collected the urn containing her ashes from another man after she was cremated. However, everything changed when authorities discovered the partial remains of a woman on December 2, 2022, at a hunting club just outside of Savannah, in Riceboro, Georgia. On the following day, more of her remains were uncovered at that same hunting club. Reports state that authorities believed the remains were placed at the location on November 27, 2022. DNA testing reportedly revealed that those were Mindi’s remains on May 12, 2023. According to reports, detectives initially questioned Mindi’s family members, who informed them about Nick’s claims that Mindi had died in a hospital five months prior, while she was allegedly pregnant.
As per official records, Mindi’s family members further informed the officials that Nick and Mindi often relocated because he claimed that a man named Jim McIntyre, who worked for the FBI, had allegedly warned him that his and Mindi’s lives were in danger. Investigative reports suggest that when authorities searched the CCTV footage dating back to November 29, 2022, of the area where Mindi’s remains were found, they discovered that it captured a dark Ford Explorer, matching the one that Nick had purchased in 2022. Additionally, the search of his cell phone tower location pinged along the area where Mindi’s remains were disposed of, as per reports. According to police records, officials also learned that Nick was married once before Mindi, and although that marriage ended around 2015, he didn’t pay the $1.5 million settlement he was ordered to.
Nick Kassotis’ Arrest Brought Forth Information About a False Widowhood
Official reports state that in April 2023, Nick married for the third time, after Mindi, to Samantha Kolesnik. He was ultimately arrested on May 12, 2023, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and was extradited to Georgia. Nick was charged with a total of 12 counts, including one count each of felony murder, malice murder, concealing death, aggravated assault, possession of a knife during a felony, removal of body parts from the scene of a crime, tampering with evidence, and five counts of possession of a tool during a crime. Official records state that following his arrest, Samantha contacted the detectives and informed them that she first connected with Nick around September 2022.
In her statements, Samantha reportedly stated that Nick assumed the false name of Nicholas Stark and claimed that he had lost his wife and their unborn child due to medical complications two years prior. According to police records, when she found out that he had multiple wives and Mindi was still alive when they connected, she annulled her and Nick’s marriage on the grounds of fraud. As investigators dug deeper, they discovered that Nick’s purchase history showed he had bought several items in August and November of 2022, including folding razors, latex gloves, gorilla glue, a digging shovel, and a knife set, according to court records. Reports suggest that a knife blade found at the scene was also similar to the one Nick had purchased.
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Nick Kassotis is Incarcerated at a Georgia Prison Facility Today
The jury trial of Nick finally began in August 2025. During the trial, the prosecution presented several pieces of evidence to the court, such as his cell phone data, purchase history, and car data. They also presented several witnesses, including Mindi’s mother, Betsy Mebane, and Nick’s ex-wife, Samantha Kolesnik. Court records state that the prosecution argued that Nick was the only person who had access to Mindi in the timeframe they believed she was killed. On the other hand, the defense claimed he didn’t kill Mindi. They reportedly insisted that the man named Jim had control over Nick and Mindi’s lives.
The defense contended that the prosecution relied heavily on circumstantial evidence. Ultimately, on August 14, 2025, the jury found Nick guilty of all 12 counts against him. On that same day, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murder and a combined 25-year term for the remaining charges, to be served consecutively. Following the judgment, the defense filed an appeal, claiming jury bias based on the presentation of graphic evidence and the alleged lack of direct evidence tying Nick to the crime. However, the current reports do not mention further progress regarding the motion. As of writing, Nick is serving his sentence at the Autry State Prison in Pelham, Georgia.
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