Deceased/Not Found PA - Elizabeth “Beth” Capaldi, 55, last seen by husband, phone & car left behind, Sellersville, Bucks Co, 10 Oct 2022

[otto]

I hope they've checked her computer to see if there has been any contact with other individuals. I just can't see her leaving her car behind unless she was picked up. Also hope they checked with Uber.

That separates social media stranger from husband - whether she had contact with someone online. Perhaps she was lured, like we often hear about teenagers. Perhaps she wanted to start a new life with her new friend and $13k ... who picked her up from home in the early hours of the morning.

If she took an uber, she might have gone to Colmar train station.

 

[otto]

If they slept in separate bedrooms, it wouldn't be unusual for her husband to know for sure that she was last at home in the early hours of the morning. Perhaps he heard something and knew she left, discovered she was missing in the morning ... maybe they stayed up late and she was gone in the morning.

If they sleep in separate bedrooms, did they have a conversation in the early hours of the morning, or did he hear her moving around the house?

If he worried and was unsure what to do, would he call the daughter and family to ask whether they knew where she was? It was two days before she was reported missing, but when did the daughter know that she was missing? Was it because no one had heard from her for two days, or did the husband call the daughter the first day she was missing?

 

[ifindedout]

That separates social media stranger from husband - whether she had contact with someone online. Perhaps she was lured, like we often hear about teenagers. Perhaps she wanted to start a new life with her new friend and $13k ... who picked her up from home in the early hours of the morning.

If she took an uber, she might have gone to Colmar train station.

RSBM
The first train of the day to Center City Philadelphia, from Doylestown, leaves Colmar at 0520.
Lansdale/Doylestown Line Schedule (Real-Time)
Well before astronomical twilight that day:
Lansdale, Pennsylvania, USA — Sunrise, Sunset, and Daylength, October 2022
So, rideshare to Colmar + train would've been ideal for Beth to flee in complete darkness. Question is, if she did, did any commuters or conductors notice her? Would they remember now?
There is no ticket agent at Colmar, though there is one at Lansdale. SEPTA does not have ticket machines for Regional Rail (long, sad story). Tickets may be purchased on the train at all times (no mobile ticketing yet), and there's the SEPTA Key card.
Fares | SEPTA
ETA: on SEPTA Regional Rail, a conductor always has some kind of fare interaction with each passenger, whether cash transaction, ticket collection, or scanning the ticket/pass/card.

 

[Trackergd]

I’m still hung up on the part that her daughter had to report her missing 2-3 days later. If hubby was concerned for her welfare or even upset that the cash was taken, I think that contacting the authorities would have been a priority, especially since it’s way out of character for her.

This is the huge red flag for me. Something happened. We don't know what yet, but I think LE does as they have access to the daughter who can provide information as to the tone of the household and interactions.

 

[shefner]

It speaks volumes when a person allegedly "walks away" without their phone and goes a month without contacting their adult child, with whom they have a good relationship.

We know there are 4 main options to consider in such cases:
1. Voluntary disappearance
2. Suicide
3. Abduction/kidnapping
4. Homicide

Regardless of how many ways I try to shape this case, I keep coming back to #4.

 

[sleepysleuth]

It speaks volumes when a person allegedly "walks away" without their phone and goes a month without contacting their adult child, with whom they have a good relationship.

We know there are 4 main options to consider in such cases:
1. Voluntary disappearance
2. Suicide
3. Abduction/kidnapping
4. Homicide

Regardless of how many ways I try to shape this case, I keep coming back to #4.

5. Mental illness / dementia

Her mother in-law* commented that Beth's mother had to be institutionalized due to dementia. I wonder if there's any chance that Beth has her own memory issues?

 

[Parsnip]

$13,000 in cash would be a very powerful motivator for some people. Timing a robbery of that cash while a woman is home alone would eliminate a potential threat. A robbery scenario provides motive and opportunity in this case and also points to someone having insider knowledge (cash, family schedule). An insider would also not leave a witness.

Plausible…or maybe a ruse. I hope records have been provided concerning the provenance of the cash. As mentioned above, there are side hustles like vending that are cash businesses, and the fall is a busy season for festivals and the like. If the family earned the money and did not want it in their bank account, they still might be able to produce receipts/schedules/etc. to support the presence of significant cash in the home. I hope we learn more about the alleged missing cash…

Statistics being what they are, robbery is the less likely scenario here, but stranger things have happened.

 

[CRamsdell]

5. Mental illness / dementia

Her mother commented that Beth's mother had to be institutionalized due to dementia. I wonder if there's any chance that Beth has her own memory issues?

I like the way you are thinking; I had also wondered if perhaps it was some sort of mental condition/illness. The only thing I keep getting hung up on when going down that road is the fact it still took so long to report Beth was missing. We know Beth was mostly a homebody, but it hasn't been explained why she was such a home body. Was it because of COVID that she decided to stay mostly at home; maybe she suffered from mysophobia? However, I keep thinking if Beth has a mental illness wouldn't the people around her be more observant to her comings and goings or her actions?

 

[Tracey4AU]

Do we even know if there truly WAS $13,000 (or any amount, for that matter)?

 

[sleepysleuth]

I like the way you are thinking; I had also wondered if perhaps it was some sort of mental condition/illness. The only thing I keep getting hung up on when going down that road is the fact it still took so long to report Beth was missing. We know Beth was mostly a homebody, but it hasn't been explained why she was such a home body. Was it because of COVID that she decided to stay mostly at home; maybe she suffered from mysophobia? However, I keep thinking if Beth has a mental illness wouldn't the people around her be more observant to her comings and goings or her actions?

The biggest problem with this case is that there really just isn't too much info out there to properly sleuth. It makes filling in some of these blanks - like why it took days to report her missing are so unclear. Was husband out of town? Was Beth expected to be somewhere else and then they realized she was missing after two days? Did they have an argument in the family and weren't speaking at the time? It's just all very hard to tell with the limited info.

I will say that I have a 34 year old niece who suffers from Bipolar. She wasn't diagnosed until she was 32, which is, as far as I can tell - very uncommon. She had no known mental health issues and then suddenly developed severe mania which turned into full blown psychosis. It was honestly very shocking how quickly it came on in her. We noticed just some I guess "odd" behavior, but none of us suspected how severely mentally ill she was until she was in full psychosis.

I'm not saying that this is what happened with Beth at all, I'm just saying that my eyes were opened tremendously through that experience.

 

[CRamsdell]

The biggest problem with this case is that there really just isn't too much info out there to properly sleuth. It makes filling in some of these blanks - like why it took days to report her missing are so unclear. Was husband out of town? Was Beth expected to be somewhere else and then they realized she was missing after two days? Did they have an argument in the family and weren't speaking at the time? It's just all very hard to tell with the limited info.

I will say that I have a 34 year old niece who suffers from Bipolar. She wasn't diagnosed until she was 32, which is, as far as I can tell - very uncommon. She had no known mental health issues and then suddenly developed severe mania which turned into full blown psychosis. It was honestly very shocking how quickly it came on in her. We noticed just some I guess "odd" behavior, but none of us suspected how severely mentally ill she was until she was in full psychosis.

I'm not saying that this is what happened with Beth at all, I'm just saying that my eyes were opened tremendously through that experience.

Thank you for telling me about what happened with your niece. I hope she is doing well now. I did not know that mental health issues could develop like that so quickly. With that being said, it is entirely plausible that maybe there were signs earlier that just were not noticed or caught and this current unfortunate case might be related to her having a mental health condition. You are right that we just don't have enough information as well. Again, thanks for sharing about your niece.

 

[shefner]

5. Mental illness / dementia

Her mother in-law* commented that Beth's mother had to be institutionalized due to dementia. I wonder if there's any chance that Beth has her own memory issues?

Mental illness/dementia is a good one to add.

Do we have a link that says Beth's mom was institutionalized due to dementia? I have only seen the interview linked below where her mother-in-law said her mom didn't know her and was in a home. I have a relative who lost the ability to recognize relatives, along with the ability to care for herself, due to a severe stroke.

It's tough to say what may have happened based on what we know at the moment. But the news about the missing $13,000 was unexpected and certainly changes things.

Police Search for Missing Bucks County Mom Who ‘Vanished'

 

[annpats]

Do we even know if there truly WAS $13,000 (or any amount, for that matter)?

Exactly what I was thinking too.....we only have the husband's word for it. And he's already in shady territory as he didn't report his homebody wife missing until the 3rd day.

 

[MeadowMuffin]

How do people have $13k hanging about the house?!

My ex and I had $13K in the house. When he was paid in cash he just threw the money in an onyx bowl in his closet, and it grew to $13k. Then I found out he was cheating and I took half of it. But that's a story for a different website

 

[Jonesy124]

What ever has happened, someone, or more than one person, has covered their tracks well. Almost like this has been planned.

I've lived in my house for 7 years and used my house keys once. I use my garage code and garage clicker to get in the house,
And most people I know use their garage as well. So I don't necessarily think house keys are a huge deal normally. But the fact she wasn't reported missing for two days... even small details give me pause.

Yes my question is did LE search the whole whole home including the garage or other areas. I have a feeling she may have never left the home. Did they check the attic or other areas I wonder since so much is not been given to the public

 

[shefner]

My ex and I had $13K in the house. When he was paid in cash he just threw the money in an onyx bowl in his closet, and it grew to $13k. Then I found out he was cheating and I took half of it. But that's a story for a different website

Yeah...I would have taken that onyx bowl too, if I was you.

 

[Skigirl]

In all the years I have followed missing persons (more than I like to admit), I can’t remember a single time when a reward was effective. I’m sure other members have better memory than I. Hopefully, they will chime in.

I'm chiming in late, but reward money was absolutely effective in getting Eve Carson's Chapel Hill, NC murder solved. It brought out witnesses who had seen the two killers spend the money she was forced to withdraw from her ATM.

 

[Trackergd]

Scouting a neighborhood with the intent to abduct an individual requires a unique skill set that is "usually" limited to individuals with extensive woodlands, law enforcement or military training, experience and planning. "Random" abductions are mostly spur of the moment opportunity.

 

[realanastasia]

<modsnip - quoted post was removed>

IMO, I really think everyone should bear in mind that we do not know what kind of job the husband held/holds and whether or not that might relate to him not reporting BC missing.

If he has a job that requires him to be out of town for long stretches of time (if he's a truck driver, for instance), then it's possible that he truly did not know she was not at home.

It is also possible that two people could technically share a home address but in reality live separately (for example, if they are separating/divorcing or if one or the other needs to live with an ailing relative or something like that); in that scenario, each person might not be expected to know the other's whereabouts 24/7.

It is also possible, IMO, that the daughter who reported her missing may have been asked by her father to check on BC if the husband was growing concerned about not being able to get in touch with her.

 

[Parsnip]

I’ve been thinking a lot about the type of home and neighborhood in which EC lives. I am somewhat familiar with her type of home. We don’t know the exact address, but many of the homes in the area are 1910’s twins per Google Maps and Zillow. Brick and masonry, detached garage in the back, accessed by a small alley. Window air conditioners. If it’s similar to my sister’s neighborhood, there are lots of dogs, frequent door knocks, strangers in the neighborhood, like canvassers (“Can we count on your vote for X?”) or salespeople (“Hi! We’re doing tree work at your neighbor’s house next week…we can give you a discount to trim your trees.”).

IMO, *if* EC is not alive and was not alive when she left her home, it could not have been a stranger to the community who could have removed her, and she was likely removed in some sort of container…trunk? luggage? And whoever removed her must have had a car nearby.

The unknown subject could not risk motion sensor lights, barking dogs, open windows, etc. when moving her without having some knowledge of the home and neighborhood. S/he would have to appear to “fit in” and be doing some fairly ordinary in case a neighbor noticed their activity.

I do hope that EC is alive somewhere, but if she is not, I have a hard time envisioning that the unknown subject is a stranger to her community. MOO