Stephen Capaldi, 57, of Sellersville.
The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office has announced third-degree murder charge against the husband of a missing Sellersville woman whose remains were found at the Philadelphia International Airport Friday afternoon.
Stephen Capaldi, 57, of Sellersville, has been charged with third-degree murder in the death of his wife, Elizabeth “Beth” Capaldi, as part of a plea agreement with Bucks County prosecutors. Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said Capaldi intends to plead guilty to the charge, with a pending sentence of 20-to-40 years in state prison.
Capaldi is currently remanded to the Bucks County Correctional Facility without bail. Weintraub said the victim’s family was consulted and is accepting of the agreement.
“In order to bring Beth Capaldi home, we had to make a bargain,” said Weintraub.
During a press conference Thursday afternoon, Weintraub provided some details of the alleged killing, saying Stephen allegedly strangled or smothered Elizabeth to death in a bedroom in their home, before moving her body into the basement, where it was dismembered.
Stephen then dumped Elizabeth’s remains at various locations across the region, including the dumpster of an apartment complex in Lansdale Borough, investigators said.
Weintraub said the apparent motive for the killing was that Stephen was allegedly having an affair with another woman, and the investigation is continuing.
“We are convinced that Stephen Capaldi is solely responsible for his wife’s murder,” Weintraub said.
Elizabeth “Beth” Capaldi was last seen during the morning hours of Oct. 10, and she was subsequently reported missing by her daughter, Emma, on Oct. 12. During a late-October press conference addressing Capaldi’s disappearance, Weintraub indicated that Stephen had been the last person to see Elizabeth on Oct. 10, however he could not provide a reason when asked why Stephen hadn’t reported her missing.
At the time, Elizabeth was said to have left home with only her wallet, leaving behind her phone, keys, and vehicle.
“It’s just been my experience that people don’t go missing unless they intend to go missing, there was a horrific accident, or there was some terrible foul play," Weintraub said, during the October press conference.
In the weeks that followed, area residents and volunteers organized multiple searches across the region, in the hopes of finding Capaldi or clues about her disappearance. However, those efforts led to no further developments in the case.
Then, late Thursday night, sources observed two police vehicles outside of the Capaldi home along the 200 block of High Street in Sellersville. The following morning, North Penn Now confirmed that Stephen Capaldi had been taken into custody, and a growing police presence was observed outside of the home.
Following up on North Penn Now’s initial report, CBS3’s Joe Holden broke the news Friday afternoon that multiple law enforcement agencies were observed conducting a search in the area of the Philadelphia International Airport with a man in an orange jumpsuit — later determined to be Stephen Capaldi. Approximately 30 minutes later, personnel from the Medical Examiners Office arrived at the search area after investigators reportedly located human remains.
Though investigators did not confirm the remains belonged to Elizabeth until Thursday’s press conference, her daughter, Emma, posted a series of images and a video indicating her mother was dead several days prior.
“My beautiful mother is gone from this world. She made me who I am,” said Emma Capaldi, in the post. “She touched so many people.”
A fundraiser was subsequently launched to assist Emma, who now must face life with her mother gone and her father in jail awaiting court proceedings. To donate to the fundraiser, click here.
This story will be updated.
See also:
Fundraiser Launched for Daughter of Missing Sellersville Woman
Heavy Police Presence Gathers at Home of Missing Sellersville Woman, Husband Taken into Custody
Bucks County DA Offers Update on Missing Sellersville Woman
Police Seek Assistance in Locating Missing Sellersville Woman
