Nicole Kasinskas, 37, of Nashua, was released from prison 22 years after taking part in a plan to murder her mother, Jeanne Dominico. Courtesy photo

NASHUA – Nicole Kasinskas, 37, of Nashua, was released from prison 13 years early after Superior Court Judge Charles Temple rendered a decision on March 24 to suspend the remainder of her 35-year sentence for the 2003 murder of her mother, Jeanne Dominico.

Temple said this was only the second time that he has suspended a prison sentence since taking the bench in December 2013.

When Kasinskas was 16 years old, she told her mother that she wanted to move to Willimantic, Conn. to live with her 18-year-old boyfriend, William Sullivan. However, Dominico refused to let that happen.

According to court documents, Kasinskas and Sullivan became enraged by Dominico’s opposition and soon developed a plan to kill her. Their intention was to make the incident look like a home invasion. They also created false alibis about where they were at the time of the murder.

On Aug. 6, 2003, Sullivan entered Dominico’s home on Dumaine Avenue. He then proceeded to pummel her with a baseball bat and stab her 40 times. While the attack was taking place, Kasinskas kept watch in Sullivan’s car at a nearby 7-Eleven on Amherst Street.

That evening, Kasinskas returned home, stepped over her mother’s lifeless body, and began sopping up the blood. A short time later, she and Sullivan were taken to the Nashua Police Department and confessed to being involved with the murder.

During the trial, Kasinskas agreed to testify against Sullivan. He was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder as well as conspiracy to murder and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. In September 2005, Kasinskas pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was initially sentenced to 40 years behind bars.

During her incarceration, Kasinskas received her Graduate Equivalency and Associate’s degrees. As a result, her sentence was reduced by five years.

While in court last month, Attorney Emily Peterson, counsel for Kasinskas, said her client has assumed “full accountability” for her mother’s death.

During a follow up interview, she said Kasinskas took it upon herself to convince Temple to suspend her sentence.

“Nicole demonstrated to the court that she has reflected on every aspect of her crime and taken responsibility for her role,” said Peterson.

She also said the prosecution did not object to Kasinskas’ Motion to Suspend. However, she is scheduled to go before the Parole Board in November.

“Nicole will still have to go through the normal parole process which includes preparing a release plan,” said Peterson.