"My beautiful mother is gone from this world," the woman's daughter wrote in a grieving Facebook post.
Trigger Warning: This article contains themes of domestic abuse that some readers may find distressing.
The husband of a Pennsylvania woman who has been missing for two months now has been charged with her murder, authorities said, reported People. Stephen Capaldi, 57, of Sellersville, is accused of strangling his wife, 55-year-old Elizabeth "Beth" Capaldi. He then dismembered her body in their home and disposed of her remains across the Greater Philadelphia area, Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub said during a Dec. 15 press conference.
The ruthless man has been charged with third-degree murder, possession of an instrument of crime, tampering with evidence, obstruction of justice, and abuse of a corpse, Weintraub said. Elizabeth was reported missing by a family member on Oct. 12, just two days after she was last seen at the home she shared with her husband. The woman's cell phone, keys, and car were found in the residence, while her wallet and $13,000 in cash were gone, according to the D.A.
Husband Charged with Killing Elizabeth Capaldi of Sellersville, DA Announces https://t.co/FJ4lZcZhu7
— Bucks County District Attorney's Office (@BucksDa) December 15, 2022
Stephen was immediately taken into custody for questioning before the grand jury. Authorities believe that he killed his wife on the morning of October 10 while she was asleep in her bed, he strangled her and used a pillow to smother her. He then moved his wife's body from the master bedroom to a back bedroom and then down to the basement, where he dismembered her and disposed of her remains following that.
Authorities also believe that he disposed of some of her remains in an apartment complex dumpster in Landsdale, Montgomery County borough, and buried the rest along the Delaware River in Tinicum Township, Delaware County. Investigators have not found the rest of Elizabeth's remains.
The couple's daughter Emma Capaldi, confirmed her mother's death in an emotional Facebook post. "My beautiful mother is gone from this world," she wrote, alongside a collage of photos and a video. "She made me who I am. She touched so many people. The video at the end makes me smile every time I watch it." The family also set up a GoFundMe page to help Emma with any additional expenses that she might have to bear as a result of this sudden loss.
Though the motive of the crime is not clear, Stephen initially claimed that a week before her disappearance, his wife had admitted to having an affair and that he "was interested" in the disclosure but never questioned her. But according to the grand jury report, the jury did not believe that Elizabeth was having an affair.
Authorities later discovered that Stephen allegedly had an affair with a woman which was going on for nearly six months. This was an accusation supported by much evidence like phone recordings and messages. Police also found several searches on his phone, "how to get away with murder," "how to vanish and never be found," and "can a polygraph be skewed," the report states. Stephen is currently being held at the Bucks County Correctional Facility without bail.
References:
https://people.com/crime/beth-capaldi-allegedly-murdered-by-husband/
https://www.gofundme.com/f/sbmbv3-emma-capaldi-tragedy?qid=c5f54973bcc09c3c194e3abaeba9b739
https://bucks.crimewatchpa.com/sites/default/files/29567/post/2022/12/capaldi_grand_jury_report.pdf
Cover Image Source: GoFundMe
