The Disappearance of Elizabeth Capaldi

Name: Elizabeth Capaldi
Nickname: Beth
Age: 55 years old
Last seen: October 10, 2022
Location: Sellersville, Pennsylvania
Status: Found deceased on December 9, 2022

Case Information

55-year-old Elizabeth Capaldi was last seen in Sellersville, Pennsylvania on October 10, 2022. She disappeared from the home she shared with her husband.

Background

At the time of her disappearance, Elizabeth Capaldi was living with her husband, Stephen Capaldi, in the quiet town of Sellersville, Pennsylvania. She worked from home and was not known to travel out of the area unless she was running errands or out with family members.

Disappearance

On October 10, 2022, Capaldi was last seen by her husband in the early morning hours at their home near the intersection of High & East Church Streets in Sellersville, Pennsylvania.

Elizabeth Capaldi never returned home after that day and hasn’t been heard from since.

On October 12, 2022, Elizabeth’s adult daughter filed a missing person’s report with the Bucks County Detectives when she couldn’t contact her.

Investigation

Elizabeth Capaldi’s vehicle, keys, and cellphone were left behind at home. Her wallet and a few other personal items were missing.

According to NamUS, her husband says $13,000 in cash is missing from their home.

According to her family, Elizabeth mainly stayed at home or in the Sellersville area and was not known to travel out of town alone.

Human Remains Recovered, Husband Taken Into Custody

On December 9, 2022, investigators recovered human remains in a wooded area near the Philadelphia International Airport, where police had been searching for clues in Elizabeth’s disappearance.

Multiple agencies had been searching in the area when a man in an orange jumpsuit arrived on the scene, as well as a medical examiner.

Records show that Elizabeth’s husband Steven was taken into the Bucks County Correctional Facility on Thursday, though the charges have yet to be made public. He is reportedly cooperating with investigators, and led them to the remains the following day.

BREAKING: Law enforcement sources in Bucks and Delaware counties confirm to me the husband of missing Sellersville woman, Beth Capaldi, has been taken into custody. @CBSPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/AavAT9J8gJ

— Joe Holden (@JoeHoldenCBS3) December 9, 2022

Husband Charged With Elizabeth’s Murder

On December 15, 2022, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office announced that Stephen Capaldi had been charged with the murder of Elizabeth.

He appeared before a grand jury on December 8, and led authorities to her partial remains the following day. The discovery came after he struck a deal with prosecutors for a reduced sentence after agreeing to show investigators where her body was.

He’s been charged with third degree murder, possessing an instrument of crime, tampering with evidence, obstructing the administration of law, and abuse of a corpse.

According to the DA’s Office, Stephen Capaldi killed his wife on the morning of October 10, 2022, by strangling her and smothering her with a pillow while she was asleep in their bed. He dismembered her the next day, and disposed of her body on October 12.
 
They believe Stephen disposed of some of her remains in an apartment complex dumpster in Lansdale, and buried the rest along the Delaware River in Tinicum Township. The rest of her remains have not been found.
 
Prosecutors expect Stephen to plead guilty, and under the agreement he could be sentenced to 20 – 40 years in prison. According to the DA’s office, part of the motive could have been an affair Stephen was having.

Husband Pleads Guilty, Will Spend 22 – 44 Years in Prison

On April 11, 2023, Steven Capaldi pleaded guilty to killing his wife, Elizabeth Capaldi. He was sentenced to 22 – 44 years in prison.

The sentencing follows an agreement he made back in December to plead guilty to third degree murder.

Appearance

Physical Description:
White female with shoulder length brown/gray hair and hazel eyes. She is 5’6 tall and weighs 140 pounds.

Distinctive Physical Features:
Elizabeth has a tattoo of a multicolored skull with flowers on her upper back and a chinese symbol on the outside of her right ankle.

Clothing and accessories:
Elizabeth wears eyeglasses and goes by the nickname Beth. No information regarding the clothing she was wearing when she went missing is available.

Investigating Agency

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Elizabeth Capaldi please contact the Bucks County Detectives at (215) 348-6354, or the Perkasie Borough Police at (215) 257-6876.

Resources & Further Information

Bucks DA, Perkasie PD Announce Missing Person Investigation – Bucks County District Attorney’s Office
Elizabeth Capaldi #MP97129 – National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

News & Media Links

Search Continues for Missing Upper Bucks Woman – Saucon Source 10/2022
Bucks County police searching for missing Sellersville woman – CBS News 10/2022
Police searching for Sellersville woman who left car, keys and cellphone behind in home 2 weeks ago – Buck County Courier Times 10/2022
Police Searching for Bucks County Mom Who ‘Vanished’ – NBC Philadelphia 10/2022

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