Joseph Stabler (?-February 1993) was the husband of Bernadette Stabler, and father of Detective Elliot Stabler. Bernadette and Joseph have six children.
Joseph physically and emotionally abused Elliot. According to Elliot, his father never approved of a single thing he did (SVU: "Rooftop").
In one episode (SVU: "Ripped"), Elliot visited a shrink and talked about how he and his father worked on a shoebox diorama in the fifth grade; and after the next morning Elliot moved a tree and Joseph found out so he beat Elliot with his belt after stomping on the diorama, causing young Elliot to get an F on the project for not turning it in.
Joseph Stabler collected stamps. Joseph sold his stamp collection and used the money to buy Maureen's bassinet and to help pay rent (SVU: "Uncivilized").
He once had Elliot's mother, Bernadette, committed to a psychiatric facility after she went for his service gun during a fight (SVU: "Swing").
Little else is known about Joseph, other than that his wife and granddaughter Kathleen had once used his fedora hat and last Cuban cigar for a snowman, something that he was "pretty pissed" about. After Joseph's death, Bernadette sold their home and moved to a beach house, where the bipolar woman rarely heard from her son.
It is unknown exactly when Joseph died, most likely around the time the twins (Richard and Elizabeth) were born and when Elliot joined the Special Victims Unit.