NORTH TONAWANDA, NY--The mystery of who killed a North Tonawanda teenager may finally be solved.
Joseph H. Belstadt, 43, has been charged with the 1993 murder of Mandy Steingasser.
Steingasser, who was 17 at the time, was last seen on Oliver St. in North Tonawanda the night of September 19, 1993. Her badly decomposed body was found about a month later by two hikers alongside a hill at Bond Lake in Lewiston.
At the time of Steingasser’s death Belstadt was a classmate of hers in North Tonawanda.
Belstadt was arraigned on the charges in Niagara County Court on Wednesday where he plead not guilty before judge Sara Sheldon who set his bail at $250,000.
Belstadt was arrested at about 6:10 pm on Tuesday outside his house in Tonawanda where he had just come from work, according to North Tonawanda police Captain Thomas Krantz, who said Belstadt initially rolled up his vehicles windows and locked its doors when he saw police approaching. Krantz said Belstadt was coaxed out of the vehicle a short time later.
Belstadt had been a suspect in the case almost immediately after Steingasser disappeared after witnesses told police the two left a party together.
However, over the years he had denied culpability in the case, and the evidence against him was largely circumstantial.
In court on Wednesday, Niagara County District Attorney Caroline Wojtaszek indicated that prosecutors now had forensic evidence linking Belstadt to the murder, but declined to elaborate further. She also confirmed for WGRZ-TV that Belstadt made a statement to police but refused to disclose its contents.
Attending both Belstatdt’s arraignment and a news conference held by police was retired North Tonawanda Chief of Detectives DiBernardo.
Now 81, DiBernardo was the initial lead investigator on the case and became emotional when speaking to reporters.
Recalling that he had been friends with the victim’s father, DiBernardo said, “When his daughter was killed, it was almost like my daughter had been killed.”
He paused to compose himself when describing his feelings upon seeing Belstadt brought into the courtroom to face charges, where he was led by deputies right past where DiBernardo was seated
“I haven’t seen him in almost 25 years but in court I literally could have reached out and Joey Belstadt. I didn’t want to but I literally could have. I have prayed for this for 25 years,” said DiBernardo. “The pain that he caused was…wow…just…what he did to Mandy…But justice will be served finally.”
