On the evening of April 28, 2020, Steven Kraft, a 34-year-old man, was last seen alive in Beacon, New York. A devoted father of three daughters, his life was centered around his children, for whom he worked long hours at multiple jobs. That Tuesday, around 7:00 PM, he arrived at the home of his ex-wife, Jamie Orsini, for a scheduled custody exchange, dropping off their two shared daughters. This routine act would tragically be his last known activity. When Steven, a man described as punctual and reliable in all matters concerning his children, failed to appear for work the following day, concerns began to grow among those who knew him.
The initial mystery deepened when Steven’s vehicle, a distinctive 1999 blue Toyota Camry with beige-colored replacement doors, was discovered. On May 1, 2020, the car was found unoccupied on a street in the city of Newburgh, several miles from where he was last seen.
It had multiple parking tickets, suggesting it had been left there for some time. The location of the car was part of a deliberate attempt to mislead investigators and create a false narrative that something may have happened to him after traveling to Newburgh.
As the investigation progressed, a sinister plot came to light. Authorities revealed that Steven was murdered inside his ex-wife's home shortly after dropping off his children. His ex-wife, Jamie Orsini, and her new husband, Nicholas Orsini, had spent time carefully planning the murder and an elaborate cover-up. Their preparations included purchasing a large tarp, a full-body coverall, and a burner phone. They also conducted 'dry runs' to practice moving his vehicle without being detected. After the murder, Nicholas Orsini drove Steven's car to Newburgh, abandoned it in what prosecutors called a high-crime area, disposed of Steven's cellphone, and used the burner phone to call a taxi back to Beacon, all to create a misleading trail for law enforcement to follow.
Following a two-week trial in 2024, both Jamie and Nicholas Orsini were found guilty of carjacking resulting in death and conspiracy to commit carjacking. They were subsequently sentenced to life in federal prison. Despite the convictions that brought a measure of justice, the case remains heartbreakingly unresolved in one crucial aspect, as Steven Kraft's body has never been found. The investigation revealed that what began as a missing person case was actually a premeditated murder orchestrated by the mother of his children and her husband, who went to great lengths to conceal their crime. Federal authorities continue to seek information that might lead to the recovery of his remains.Last Seen: Apr 28, 2020
