A man was convicted for the 2023 killing of Cynthia Amalfitano, a 63-year-old pre-K teacher whose disappearance sparked county-wide attention before her body was found in the bushes in Carousel Park last September.
After a few hours of deliberation Friday, a jury found Stephen Heck guilty of first-degree murder for Amalfitano’s killing. Heck faces a mandatory life term in prison when sentenced in the coming months.
Prosecutors spent about four days presenting trial evidence against Heck, who they described as Amalfitano’s boyfriend. They said he strangled her after a trip to Rehoboth and dumped her body in Carousel Park.
Opening Statements: Murder trial begins in killing of Pre-K teacher found dead in Carousel Park last year
They showed the jury pictures of small injuries to Heck’s body, indicating he was involved in a physical struggle. They presented video evidence to the jury showing the two leaving for Rehoboth and Heck returning to Amalfitano’s condo alone.
They backed that up with cell phone data showing the two in the area of Carousel Park following their return from Rehoboth and before Amalfitano was reported missing when she did not show up to her job as a teacher at Concord Preschool and Childcare .