PHOENIX — Phoenix police confirm to ABC15 that an arrest has been made in the disappearance of a Valley mother who was last seen earlier this month.
Authorities say on Tuesday night, probable cause was developed to make an arrest in the case. The suspect and husband to the victim, identified as 57-year-old Joseph Concialdi, has been booked for first-degree murder, according to Phoenix Police Sgt. Mercedes Fortune.
He is being held on a $2,000,000 cash bond.
Phoenix police confirmed last week they suspected foul play in the disappearance of Julie Concialdi, 59, whose truck was found burned and abandoned roughly nine miles from her home, September 4.
The truck was found near 20th Avenue and Monona Drive. She was reportedly last seen at her home roughly four hours earlier near 27th Avenue and Dove Valley Road.
Last Friday, police released new surveillance video from the area where Concialdi's vehicle was found burned and abandoned. On the video you can hear a loud explosion and then see the flickering of light, from the fire, reflecting off another building.
Two days later, Joseph called police to report his wife of 30 years missing, saying he last saw her on Sept. 4 when they had an argument over a vacation. He claims he left the home to calm down and went camping near Payson, police say.
Police say Julie had "reliable" habits and noticeable changes in her activity were noticed on Sept. 2 when she stopped returning calls and messages to her adult children, and failed to show up for appointments and work.
Family and a close friend have told ABC15 Concialdi was not the type of person to just "fall off the map."
"The first red flag was when she wasn't returning texts and phone calls to her children," Concialdi's daughter, Layce Phillips, told ABC15. "If I ever sent her a text, within five minutes I had a phone call or a text back."
After Julie was reported missing, police discovered that all of her belongings, phone, wallet and medications had been left behind.
Joseph reportedly told police their marriage was "tumultuous" and they had discussed divorce. Witnesses told police that Julie had suspected Joseph of cheating on her in years prior.
Police discovered a "significant sanitized crime scene" and discovered evidence suggesting there had been blood from a "significant injury" that was cleaned up. DNA testing revealed a match to the missing woman.
Investigators learned that Joseph did not go camping, but instead visited a woman in Payson who he met on a dating app that he had been seeing since March 2020.
Police documents say the location of Julie's body is not known and that the investigation is still ongoing, however, they believe she was killed on Sept. 2 and that "her husband, Joseph, is the perpetrator."
Anyone with information is asked to contact Phoenix police at (602) 262-6151or SILENT WITNESS at 480-WITNESS.
