BEACON, N.Y. — A federal jury on Friday found Jamie and Nicholas Orsini guilty of carjacking resulting in death and conspiracy to commit carjacking, following the murder of Jamie Orsini’s ex-husband, Steven Kraft, in 2020. The verdict came after a two-week trial in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, presided over by Judge Philip M. Halpern.
Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the conviction and commended the work of law enforcement in the case. “With its verdict, the jury has now held Kraft’s ex-wife—Jamie Orsini—and her husband—Nicholas Orsini—responsible for that murder and subsequent cover-up,” Williams said in a statement. “For more than four years, Kraft’s family has waited for justice. Their wait is now over.”
The Orsinis were accused of planning Kraft’s murder in April 2020 in Beacon, N.Y., after he dropped off his daughters at the couple’s home. According to court documents, the Orsinis conducted “dry runs” to rehearse their plan and used burner phones to avoid detection. Kraft’s body has never been recovered.
After the murder, Nicholas Orsini drove Kraft’s car to Newburgh, N.Y., leaving it in a high-crime neighborhood. The couple then disposed of evidence, including purchasing large tarps and creating incinerators to destroy physical traces of the crime.
Authorities have said that the Orsinis’ efforts to mislead investigators, including Jamie Orsini’s texts feigning concern for Kraft’s whereabouts, ultimately unraveled as law enforcement continued their investigation.