Orsini Couple Sentenced to Life for Murder of Ex-Husband

A couple, Jamie and Nicholas Orsini, has been sentenced to life in prison for their roles in the murder of Jamie's ex-husband, Steven Kraft. The sentencing took place on August 11 and 13, with U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern pronouncing the sentences.

The couple was convicted by a federal jury in September 2024 of carjacking resulting in death and conspiracy to commit carjacking. The charges stem from the disappearance of Kraft, who was last seen on April 28, 2020, after dropping off his daughters at the Orsinis' home.

Prosecutors used GPS technology, cellphone data, and video surveillance footage to piece together the events leading up to Kraft's disappearance. They found that Nicholas Orsini had purchased items from Home Depot, including a tarp, duct tape, and firewood, which could have been used to burn or dismember a body.

The investigation revealed that Nicholas Orsini drove Kraft's car across the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge on April 28, parking it in Newburgh before walking to a Sunoco station to call a taxi. Jamie Orsini sent a text to Kraft's phone on April 29, asking about their children's report cards, to create the impression she did not know he was dead.