A two-month investigation into the disappearance of Sellersville resident Elizabeth “Beth” Capaldi has ended with the arrest of her husband. The Bucks County District Attorney’s office says Stephen Capaldi murdered his wife while she slept in their bed during the early morning hours of Oct. 10, 2022. Beth Capaldi was reported missing to police two days later, triggering a large-scale search by local residents and police. (Credit: Bucks County District Attorney’s Office/Crimewatch)
An upper Bucks County man is charged with third-degree murder, abuse of a corpse and other offenses for allegedly strangling and smothering his wife to death while she slept in their Sellersville borough home in October.
The Bucks County District Attorney’s office Thursday announced the charges against 57-year-old Stephen Capaldi of 254 High Street, who in addition to murdering her is accused of dismembering his wife’s body in an effort to conceal evidence of his alleged crime.
District Attorney Matt Weintraub said the two-month investigation by county detectives into the disappearance of 55-year-old Elizabeth “Beth” Capaldi was both intense and emotional for investigators and her family members.
“I’ve spoken with Beth Capaldi’s family,” Weintraub said during a news conference Thursday. “I explained the principles and goals I focused on in my negotiations with the defendant,” the first of which was to find her “alive, if possible.”
When it became apparent that Beth Capaldi would not be found alive, Weintraub said this news was relayed to her family, who were “devastated” by it.
“I am so sorry that this was not possible,” adding that his goal then became “to bring her back to her family, and to bring her killer to justice.”
According to the timeline provided by the DA’s office in a post about the case on their Crimewatch site, the investigation into Capaldi’s disappearance began Oct. 12, when her daughter contacted Perkasie Police to report her missing.
Prosecutors say the investigation later revealed that Capaldi was murdered two days earlier, in the early morning hours of Oct. 10, while she was asleep in bed. That was when Stephen Capaldi told police he had last seen his wife, the news release said, although he never reported her missing to police.
Fifty-seven year-old Stephen Capaldi of Sellersville has been charged with murdering his wife, Elizabeth “Beth” Capaldi, 55, in the couple’s High Street home in October, the Bucks County District Attorney’s office announced Thursday. Capaldi is also charged with abuse of a corpse for allegedly dismembering his wife’s body after strangling and smothering her to death.
In addition to strangling her, investigators say Stephen Capaldi used a pillow to smother his wife in their bedroom. He then allegedly moved her body to a back bedroom and then to the basement, where police say he dismembered her before disposing of her remains.
The news release did not specify whether any of Beth Capaldi’s remains have been recovered, but Weintraub said his office is continuing to work toward his stated goal of returning her to her family.
In the wake of her disappearance, the DA’s office issued a plea for information into Beth Capaldi’s whereabouts, and members of the Sellersville community mobilized, fanning out in search parties and holding candlelight vigils to help support her loved ones.
The search for 55-year-old Elizabeth “Beth” Capaldi–who went missing in mid-October–came to a sad end this week, with the arrest of her husband. Authorities in Bucks County say 57-year-old Stephen Capaldi strangled and smothered his wife in their bed Oct. 10 before dismembering and disposing of her body. (FILE PHOTO)
While volunteers worked to locate the missing woman, prosecuters say Stephen Capaldi was trying to conceal evidence of his alleged crime by lying to investigators, who they said uncovered proof that he “purchased items to carry out the disposal of his wife’s body.”
In addition to third-degree murder and abuse of a corpse, Stephen Capaldi is also charged with possessing an instrument of crime, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and obstructing the administration of law.
He is currently being held at the Bucks County Correctional Facility without bail.
In addition to the Bucks County Detectives and the Perkasie Police Department, the case was investigated with assistance from a number of other law enforcement agencies, including the Upper Saucon Township Police Department and the FBI.
In the Crimewatch post, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office thanked the Borough of Sellersville, Home Depot Asset Protection and the community for their assistance with the search for Beth Capaldi.
Note: All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This story was compiled using information from the Bucks County District Attorney’s office.
