Boyfriend charged with killing woman found dead at Carousel Park, NCCo police say
The 66-year-old boyfriend of the woman found dead in Carousel Park in Pike Creek has been charged with her slaying, New Castle County police said on Tuesday.
Stephen Heck was detained on Tuesday — a week after 63-year-old Cynthia Amalfitano's body was found in a wooded area of Carousel Park. Amalfitano's cause of death has not been disclosed by police, who on Tuesday night said Heck was awaiting arraignment.
"My thoughts are with the family during this tragic and difficult time," Col. Joseph Bloch, chief of county police said in a statement. "I would also like to commend our Criminal Investigations Unit for gathering enough evidence to take the suspect into custody, providing some measure of solace to the victim's family."
Amalfitano was last seen on the evening of Sept. 23 at her home, police said.
But when she failed to show up for work on Sept. 25, police were called to her house in the 3400 block of Birch Circle. Her obituary said she was a preschool teacher at Concord Preschool for more than 26 years.
Responding officers found her car in front of her house. When they entered the residence, they found "personal belongings," including her purse and cellphone. Police issued a Gold Alert that day asking for information about her whereabouts and included in that release that her family and police were "concerned about her well-being."
A day later, police found a body in the park, about a half-mile from her home.
Investigators officially ruled this a homicide on Sept. 27, the day they identified her body.
Heck became a person of interest, and on Tuesday police got a warrant for his arrest.
"Heck was taken into custody without incident by detectives from the Special Investigations Squad," said Cpl. Michael McNasby, a police spokesperson.
Heck has been charged with first-degree murder.
Amalfitano's death drew an outpouring from a shocked community, including a prayer vigil organized by Concord Presbyterian Church.
Visitations are being held from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday at Pagano Funeral Home, 3711 Foulk Road, Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania, followed by a funeral liturgy. The interment will take place at Gracelawn Memorial Park, 2220 N. DuPont Highway in New Castle.
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This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Boyfriend charged with killing woman found dead at Carousel Park
