Three held in midwife search as body found
HEARTBREAK AFTER HUNT FOR LOST SAM
A MURDER probe was launched last night as police searching for missing midwife Samantha Eastwood found a body.
Three men were arrested yesterday after specialist search teams with sniffer dogs made the discovery as they combed an abandoned quarry.
It is believed they were focusing on the site after studying CCTV from neighbouring farms that showed a car using a remote country road.
The discovery followed eight days of frantic searching for the 28-year-old who vanished after leaving a night shift at Royal Stoke University Hospital.
Last night police confirmed a 32-year-old man previously held on suspicion of kidnap had been re-arrested for murder and was being held in custody. Another two men, aged 28 and 60, were held on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Det Supt Simon Duffy of Staffordshire Police said: “The discovery is not what anyone wanted and this is now a homicide investigation.”
The discovery came after detectives announced they were carrying out a “painstaking search” of a rural area eight miles from Samantha’s home.
Specialist officers were focusing on a halfhour window of CCTV footage from farms showing vehicles using a rural road.
An elderly farmer living near the search sites said: “There’s a camera on our shed that overlooks the junction to the lane.
“CID officers came over the fields and asked to see the CCTV. They said they only needed to see half an hour’s worth.
“There’s a disused quarry down the lane and the police are forever having to come up here for one reason or another. There’s always trouble there.”
Colleagues of Samantha first raised concerns at 7.20pm on Friday, July 27 when she failed to turn up for a shift.
Around 12 hours earlier CCTV had recorded her leaving work with a colleague before she drove off alone.
Her car was found on the drive of her house in Baddeley Green, Stoke, with the keys inside. A neighbour is reported to have heard a scream at 2pm.
Yesterday officers used sticks to search grass verges near the village of Caverswall, eight miles from Stoke.
A two-mile lane was cordoned off as specially trained six-strong teams searched for clues. Dog patrols were also used as a wider probe took place at the nearby Tickhill Quarry.
Local resident Daniel Porter, 49, said at the height of the search: “There have been dozens of police crawling all over the place. They’ve been down at the quarry and out in the fields.”
Just three hours before the body was found Samantha’s sister Gemma, 26, issued a desperate plea on Facebook saying: “Please help get my sister home.”
A day earlier Gemma broke down in tears as she described Samantha as a “warm, friendly, loyal generous” person at a press conference.
Colleagues at the hospital where Samantha worked last night paid an emotional tribute. Chief nurse Liz Rix said: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our friend Samantha Eastwood. Sam will be deeply missed.”
Samantha was due to wed John Peake, 34, in June but they split and she put her wedding dress up for sale on Facebook for £400. Mr Peake had repeatedly appealed for information after she vanished.
Police have been stationed outside a property belonging to Mr Peake’s sister Katie Stirling and her husband Michael, both 32, since Sunday but have not said why.
A police spokesman said: “The body has yet to be formally identified and a post mortem will take place. Specialist officers are supporting Samantha’s family.”
Messages of sympathy for the family poured in on social media last night.
Nina Carr wrote on Facebook: “Devastating news. She was one of the midwives when I had my little boy, such a lovely lady and excellent at her job.”
Charlotte Daines wrote: “The whole country has been hoping for a different outcome. So sorry for your loss.”
Discovery is not what any of us wanted ... this is now a homicide investigation DET SUPT SIMON DUFFY OF STAFFORDSHIRE POLICE