HINESVILLE, Ga. (Court TV) — Nicholas Kassotis‘ ex-wife took the stand in his murder trial and detailed a web of lies and deceit so deep that she said she never even knew his full name or that he had been married twice previously.
Samantha Kolesnik testified against her ex-husband, Nicholas Kassotis, on Aug. 8, 2025. (Court TV)
Samantha Kolesnik told the court she first connected with Kassotis, who used the name Nicholas Stark, in September 2022 through Twitter when he messaged her saying he had purchased all four of her horror fiction books. Kassotis told her that he was an unpublished short fiction writer.
What began as casual online conversations evolved into an emotional relationship by November 2022, leading to phone calls and eventually meeting in person in December of that year.
Kolesnik testified that Kassotis claimed to be a widower who had lost his wife and unborn child two years prior due to blood pressure complications and an undiagnosed heart condition.
Prosecutors allege that during this same period, Kassotis had actually murdered his real wife, Mindi Kassotis, 40. Hunters discovered Mindi’s dismembered remains, scattered across multiple locations within a three-mile radius in Georgia in December 2022.
Kassotis allegedly told Kolesnik he was working on a big merger that required him to travel between Georgia, Missouri, and Delaware. He claimed his company was setting him up with housing in Delaware while he worked on an acquisition. The relationship progressed quickly. In November 2022, when Kolesnik had a flat tire, Kassotis paid approximately $600 for four new tires and two new headlight bulbs. When Kolesnik expressed concern about the extravagant gesture, Kassotis apologized, saying he was “out of practice” after grieving for two years.
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By February 2023, the couple was engaged, and they married in April 2023. On their marriage application, Kassotis claimed this was his second marriage, stating his previous marriage had ended on December 1, 2020. Kassotis also filled out the application using the last name Stark.
Nicholas Kassotis stands in court during his murder trial on Aug. 8, 2025. (Court TV)
Prior to the wedding, the couple made plans to purchase a home together, with Kassotis claiming he would handle the finances. They found a house, and Kassotis allegedly made an offer that was accepted, with a closing date set for March 20, 2023. On the morning of the scheduled closing, Kassotis left to get a check for $850,000 but never returned home. Instead, Kolesnik received alarming text messages claiming he had been in a car accident.
When she finally saw him, “He looked a little burned. Half an eyebrow,” she testified. She took him to the hospital, where he was admitted. The house purchase was never completed, with Kassotis claiming the $850,000 check had burned in the alleged car fire.
Kolesnik later learned from Georgia Bureau of Investigation Agent Tracy Sands that Kassotis had multiple wives, including a first wife and a second wife before her. She immediately cooperated with investigators, providing messages and photographs of Kassotis’s belongings. She also successfully petitioned for an annulment of their marriage on the basis of fraud.
Kassotis, a former naval officer who once served as a JAG, was arrested in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on May 12, 2023, one day after Mindi’s remains were positively identified through genealogy DNA.
This story was reported by Grace Wong and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
