A Wilmington man has been sentenced to life in prison for the 2023 murder of his partner, Cynthia Amalfitano. On January 31, 2025, Stephen Heck, 67, received a life sentence for First-Degree Murder from a New Castle County Superior Court Judge.
In September 25, 2023, Amalfitano was reported missing after failing to report to work. Concerned coworkers alerted authorities, leading New Castle County police to her residence in the 3400 block of Birch Circle, near Carousel Park.
Officers found her vehicle at the home and, upon entry, discovered her personal belongings, including her purse and cell phone. Amalfitano was last seen on the evening of September 23, 2023, when she left her home.
On September 26, 2023, officers located a deceased adult female in a wooded area near the Carousel Park parking lot. The victim was later identified as Amalfitano. An autopsy confirmed that she died from strangulation and blunt force trauma. Evidence collected during the investigation, including cell phone data, DNA, and bloodstains found in Heck’s vehicle, led to his arrest, indictment, and subsequent conviction.
Heck was convicted in October 2024.