Samantha Eastwood murder: everything we know

Aug 6, 2018

Man in custody following court appearance over killing of 28-year-old midwife in Staffordshire

Staffordshire Police

Samantha Eastwood disappeared on Friday 27 July

Police have charged a man with the murder of midwife Samantha Eastwood following the discovery of a body on rural ground in Staffordshire over the weekend.

Michael Stirling, 32, from Stoke-on-Trent, appeared at North Staffordshire Magistrates Court this morning. He is reported to be the brother-in-law of Eastwood’s ex-fiance, John Peake.

No application for bail was made and Sterling was remanded in custody. He is due to appear at Stafford Crown Court on Wednesday. Two other men, aged 28 and 60, were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, but have been released on conditional bail, says Sky News.

Eastwood, 28, was last seen when she finished her night shift at the Royal Stoke Hospital at 7.47am on Friday 27 July. “Her colleagues raised concerns 12 hours later after she failed to show up for her next shift,” reports the news site.

Staffordshire Police said neighbours reported hearing a scream in the vicinity of Eastwood’s house at about 2pm on the day she went missing.

Searches, “involving dozens of officers and police sniffer dogs, had centred on fields near Tickhill Lane, close to Caverswall”, reports the BBC.

Those searches led to the discovery on Saturday night of the body, which police believe to be that of Eastwood.

Chief nurse Liz Rix, of University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, has paid tribute to the dead woman as a “much loved and valued” midwife.

In a Twitter post, Rix said: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our friend and colleague Samantha Eastwood.”

In a statement released by the police, Eastwood’s family said: “We would like to say ‘thank you’ to all the people who followed Samantha’s story and tried their best to help.”

A neighbour of the family, who did not want to be named, told The Daily Telegraph: “They are absolutely and utterly heartbroken as you can only imagine. It’s just the saddest outcome imaginable.

“I will be going around to offer my condolences, but at the moment they just need time to grieve and digest this awful news.”