GA - Riceboro, WhtFemale, discovered in woods of the Portal Hunting Club, homicide, 2 Dec 2022 - Mindi Mebane Kassotis *husband arrested*

[BrownRice]

I’m trying to determine if she was ever reported missing by family/friends and haven’t made it that far, but one of the first results after googling her name is their marriage announcement from 2016. Eerie to read it now, of course, but it appears they both were very educated and accomplished and seemed to have a promising future. Also found it interesting they both had many family members in the wedding party and mentioned in the write-up, so it’s strange to me that it took so long for Mindi’s remains to be identified… and that there is nothing about her being missing for six months on the first page of google results of her name. Very bizarre.

Mebane/Kassotis wedding

Mindi Ruth Mebane and Nicholas James Kassotis married Oct. 9 at Morven Park in Leesburg, Va.

www.sentinelsource.com

I found that interesting as well. Even if he texted relatives on her phone initially, she was missing during the holidays and you’d think at some point relatives would get suspicious. Maybe he made up an elaborate story. Very sad. Wonder what happened. Also curious about his other name.

 

[kccorona]

I found that interesting as well. Even if he texted relatives on her phone initially, she was missing during the holidays and you’d think at some point relatives would get suspicious. Maybe he made up an elaborate story. Very sad. Wonder what happened. Also curious about his other name.

Yes, exactly- I had the same thought about all of the time elapsed between when police say her body was placed there (after November 18th) and this last week when identification was made. That's a heck of a lot of holidays and time passed for someone who seemingly has a lot of family relatively close to GA. Of course- a lot can happen in seven years of one's life, and relationships can change from close to no-contact, so it's impossible to say at this point if anyone in Mindi's family knew she was missing. I do just find it so bizarre there is virtually NO information available about Mindi missing at any point. I will be very interested to see what else is going on here.

 

[MrsWatson]

Ex-Navy officer, 40, charged with murder of wife, 40,found dismembered

Nicholas James Kassotis, 40, has been arrested and charged with the November 2022 murder of Mindi Mebane Kassotis, 40, whose dismembered body was discovered in Georgia woods.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Mindi and Nicholas had been married for six years and lived together in Savannah. The motive for her murder is not known.

Mindi, who hails from New Orleans, was a writer and owned a business while her husband served in the U.S. Navy's Judge Advocate General Corps.

Currently, Kassotis is in custody at the Lancaster County Prison but the plan is to extradite him back to Georgia to face the charges.

 

[m00c0w]

New information about the Georgia man arrested in Lancaster

He was arrested right here in the Susquehanna Valley.

www.wgal.com

Photo of him in the newscast.

 

[fred&edna]

Radaris

NICHOLAS KASSOTIS RESUMES AND CV​

Location:
Washington, DC
Industry:
Law Practice
Work history:
US Navy - Region Legal Service Office: Europe, Africa, Southwest AsiaLegal Advisor and Prosecutor since Jun 2011
US Navy - Norfolk, VALegal Assistance and Defense Attorney, Naval Legal Service Office: Mid-Atlantic Mar 2008 - Jun 2011
United States Forces- Iraq - Baghdad, IraqOfficer in Charge, Detainee Legal Operations Center Dec 2009 - Jun 2010
US Navy - USNS Comfort (T-AH20) (Deployed)Staff Judge Advocate, Amphibious Squadron Six Mar 2009 - Aug 2009
United States Attorney's Office - Boston, MALegal Intern Mar 2007 - May 2007
Massachusetts Attorney General's OfficeLegal Intern Sep 2006 - Dec 2006
Suffolk County District Attorney's Office - Boston, MALegal Intern Sep 2005 - May 2006
Education:
Naval War CollegeMaster of Arts (M.A.), National Security and Strategic Studies 2010 - 2015
Northeastern University School of LawJD 2004 - 2007
Boston UniversityB.A., Political Science (International Relations con.), Classical Studies (Classical Civilization con.) 2000 - 2004
Skills:
Administrative Law, Litigation, Fiscal Law, Defense, Trials, Cyber Security Law, Legal Assistance, Military Law, Data Protection Law, Legal Writing, Government, Commercial Litigation, Fiscal Policy, Military Justice, Privacy Law, International Law, National Security Law, Civil Litigation, Legal Research, Military Experience, Regulatory Law, Legal Compliance, Policy, Criminal Law, Attorney, Criminal Prosecution, C++, National Security, Military, Security Clearance, Criminal Justice, Criminal Litigation, Courts, Appeals, Operational Law
Certifications:
Admitted To the Virginia Bar In June 2016
License 670581
Admitted To the Massachusetts Bar In December 2007

Nicholas Kassotis Phone Number, Address, Age, Contact Info, Public Records ᐈ Radaris

Find Nicholas Kassotis's contact information, phone numbers, home addresses, age, background check, white pages, resumes and CV, photos and videos, skilled experts, arrest records, social media profiles, places of employment, news, publications and related names

radaris.com

 

[fred&edna]

I wonder what happened to his Navy career back in 2019?? I assume he changed his name after his wife's death?? I wonder what his occupation has been since 2019? Interesting that no close friends pushed to speak with Mindi... or maybe they did but weren't suspicious. Everything about this case and the husband are very, very strange. I definitely hope we learn more!

 

[fred&edna]

I did see a news report from 2016 where Lt. Cmdr. Nicholas Kassotis was mentioned regarding the case of Maj. Jason Brezler. This isn't related to Mindi's death exactly but I found it slightly interesting. Of note, Kassotis recommended Brezler be discharged and that's what happened. However, Brezler fought and won years later. I'm including a link to a August 2019 article for anyone who might be interested.

Marine Who Warned Of Insider Threat Should Remain In The Corps, Military Board Says

 

[m00c0w]

Yes, exactly- I had the same thought about all of the time elapsed between when police say her body was placed there (after November 18th) and this last week when identification was made. That's a heck of a lot of holidays and time passed for someone who seemingly has a lot of family relatively close to GA. Of course- a lot can happen in seven years of one's life, and relationships can change from close to no-contact, so it's impossible to say at this point if anyone in Mindi's family knew she was missing. I do just find it so bizarre there is virtually NO information available about Mindi missing at any point. I will be very interested to see what else is going on here.

Family has made a fundraiser on a popular website. I won’t link it directly because I’m not sure how posting sites like that works here (I don’t want to make it seem like I’m soliciting for donations), but it’s easily findable if you just search for her name. This is what they had to say:

We learned just a week ago yesterday, that Mindi Mebane Kassotis (daughter, sister, aunt, niece and friend), was heinously murdered. She was an unidentified “Jane Doe” for over five months. Thankfully the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, with help from the FBI, Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, and others worked relentlessly on her case, and were able to identify her remains last week. Her husband (Nick Kassotis) has been arrested In Pennsylvania for her murder and will soon be extradited back to Georgia to answer for this crime. The Coroner’s Office is ready to release her body, but we were told a funeral home has to be involved, and there are other complications with this.

We know without a doubt that Mindi is in Heaven. Thank you to everyone for your prayers, your kind thoughts, memories, and pictures. Mindi, rest in peace, you will not be forgotten!

The Family of Mindi Mebane Kassotis

 

[ch_13]

Radaris

NICHOLAS KASSOTIS RESUMES AND CV​

[...]
Boston UniversityB.A., Political Science (International Relations con.), Classical Studies (Classical Civilization con.) 2000 - 2004

On the Boston U. student newspaper website there's an article from a "Nick Kassotis" from the class of 2004, arguing that the "Death Penalty Deters Murder". The irony here is tragic.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

So do we know why he has gone by a different name yet, or any circumstances, like when? There's often a benign reason, but I'd like to know.

 

[cvaldez1975]

found nothing on socials for either

 

[fred&edna]

I just discovered that Mindi was not his first wife. He married someone else in 2009.

 

[cvaldez1975]

I just discovered that Mindi was not his first wife. He married someone else in 2009.

they married at 34 so im not really surprised.

 

[fred&edna]

they married at 34 so im not really surprised.

I'm not surprised by the marriage but maybe I'm surprised the first wife lived through it.

Another side note, it appears his father was in law enforcement for quite awhile.

 

[ch_13]

It's puzzling to me. He's an attorney and was a Lt. Commander in the Judge Advocate General's office in a fairly senior role. I would expect for him to have entered private practice after leaving the Navy in 2019. At one point he was a registered attorney in MA and VA, but this website marks him as retired. No LinkedIn or other evidence of a current job. Usually people with that kind of pedigree don't just fall off the map.

And surely a lawyer with his experience must have realized that as soon as Mindi's body was found they'd be able to trace her through her DNA.

 

[fred&edna]

It's puzzling to me. He's an attorney and was a Lt. Commander in the Judge Advocate General's office in a fairly senior role. I would expect for him to have entered private practice after leaving the Navy in 2019. At one point he was a registered attorney in MA and VA, but this website marks him as retired. No LinkedIn or other evidence of a current job. Usually people with that kind of pedigree don't just fall off the map.

And surely a lawyer with his experience must have realized that as soon as Mindi's body was found they'd be able to trace her through her DNA.

Did he retire or was he discharged ?? Why does the US Navy refer to it as a "separation"... is that typical terminology?

Did he have some sort of mental break?

Nothing seems to make sense.

 

[m00c0w]

It's puzzling to me. He's an attorney and was a Lt. Commander in the Judge Advocate General's office in a fairly senior role. I would expect for him to have entered private practice after leaving the Navy in 2019. At one point he was a registered attorney in MA and VA, but this website marks him as retired. No LinkedIn or other evidence of a current job. Usually people with that kind of pedigree don't just fall off the map.

And surely a lawyer with his experience must have realized that as soon as Mindi's body was found they'd be able to trace her through her DNA.

IMO he just wanted it to take long enough to identify the body for him to be able to disappear and start a new life with a new identity. The entire thing is incredibly messed up. I feel like this will definitely be a case of the truth being way stranger than fiction.

 

[ch_13]

Did he retire or was he discharged ?? Why does the US Navy refer to it as a "separation"... is that typical terminology?

My understanding is that a discharge means that your military service is complete and you won't be recalled, while a separation means that you are a member of the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) and could be recalled, even though this would only ever happen in a national emergency / time of war. For the most part it's a technical difference and doesn't imply anything about whether the vet is in good standing.

I did see a news report from 2016 where Lt. Cmdr. Nicholas Kassotis was mentioned regarding the case of Maj. Jason Brezler. This isn't related to Mindi's death exactly but I found it slightly interesting. Of note, Kassotis recommended Brezler be discharged and that's what happened. However, Brezler fought and won years later. I'm including a link to a August 2019 article for anyone who might be interested.

Marine Who Warned Of Insider Threat Should Remain In The Corps, Military Board Says

I think there was a lot of publicity in military circles around Brezler's fight to get reinstated. I wonder if that contributed to NK's leaving. Also, he had been a Lt. Commander for five years, and I believe the general expectation is that you should be promoted to Commander within six years. He may have realized that his military career was dead in the water.

 

[m00c0w]

Substack profile for Nicholas KJ Stark, who lives in Lancaster, is a veteran and lawyer, and hasn’t posted anything since May 11:

Stark Raving Mad | KJ Stark | Substack

Name is covered in this post: On Beginnings and this note: KJ Stark on Substack

Lancaster is from this note (check the sign in the background):

KJ Stark on Substack

Watched a guy carving a shark out of a block of wood with a chainsaw and thought it looked cool. In progress and then finished.

substack.com

May 11 was the day before he was arrested. He was posting almost every day before this. There’s a lot to unpack in his posts and notes…

 

[multipleregression]

Substack profile for Nicholas KJ Stark, who lives in Lancaster, is a veteran and lawyer, and hasn’t posted anything since May 11:

Stark Raving Mad | KJ Stark | Substack

Name is covered in this post: On Beginnings and this note: KJ Stark on Substack

Lancaster is from this note (check the sign in the background):

KJ Stark on Substack

Watched a guy carving a shark out of a block of wood with a chainsaw and thought it looked cool. In progress and then finished.

substack.com

May 11 was the day before he was arrested. He was posting almost every day before this. There’s a lot to unpack in his posts and notes…

Looks like he had the rights to one of his short stories acquired by Sony (written under old pseudonym Nick Moorefox, referenced in the Substack account and article from Deadline linked below).

Sony’s 3000 Pictures Acquires Film Rights To ‘I Think My Mother-In-Law Is Trying To Kill Me’; Jessica Knoll To Adapt Reddit Short Story & Executive Produce