Investigators Use Genetic Genealogy to ID 2022 Remains, Arrest Husband

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Victim Mindi Mebane Kassotis. Credit: GBI

Nicholas James Kassotis, aka Nicholas Killian James Stark, age 40, was arrested on Friday, May 12, 2023, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  He was arrested in connection to the death of his wife, Mindi Mebane Kassotis.  

GBI agents assigned to this investigation sought the FBI’s assistance with genealogy DNA. The FBI used a lab specializing in this advanced testing and received results that furthered the investigation. The GBI interviewed family members and obtained DNA swabs for comparison to the profile. Mindi was identified on May 11, 2023. Her husband was arrested for her murder one day later. 

On Dec. 2, 2022, partial remains of a then-unidentified white female were discovered by hunters in the woods of the Portal Hunting Club in Riceboro, Georgia. Additional remains were discovered within a three-mile radius on the hunting club property in Liberty County, as well as McIntosh County. Further testing determined that the remains were placed in the area on or around Nov. 27, 2022.

Mindi was 40 years old at the time she was found in Riceboro, GA. The Kassotis’ were living in Savannah at the time of Mindi’s murder. 

Nicholas Kassotis is being charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, tampering with evidence, and removal of body parts from scene of death or dismemberment. He is being held at the Lancaster County Prison awaiting extradition to Georgia. 

Republished courtesy of GBI. 

 

 

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