Man who murdered midwife Samantha Eastwood and buried her body jailed for life

A man who admitted murdering his midwife lover in a “rage” at her home has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 16 years.

Samantha Eastwood’s body was discovered in a shallow grave at Caverswall, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, wrapped in a duvet, with tape around her eyes and face, eight days after disappearing.

The midwife was reported missing by concerned colleagues on July 27 after she failed to show up for a night shift at Royal Stoke University Hospital.

Michael Stirling, 32, who is the brother-in-law of the victim’s former fiance John Peake, was jailed at Stafford Crown Court on Monday, as Miss Eastwood’s family watched from the public gallery.

Samantha Eastwood’s body was found in a rural area of Staffordshire in August Credit: Staffordshire Police/PA

Landscape gardener Stirling, of Gratton Road, Stoke, pleaded guilty to murdering the 28-year-old at a hearing in October.

His barrister Charles Miskin QC told the judge then that the killing had not been premeditated, but had followed a period of “growing tension” between the couple, leading to a row at her home in Greenside Avenue, Stoke.

The day after the murder, Stirling was in his van sending texts from Miss Eastwood’s phone to her family. Credit: PA

Stirling flew into an “intense rage”, suffocating and strangling his victim, before “panicking” and burying Miss Eastwood’s body at a disused quarry.

He tried to cover his tracks by duping her family with text messages sent from Miss Eastwood’s phone and pretending to help in searches for her after the alarm was raised.

  • Michael Stirling tried to "cover his tracks" by sending texts from Samantha Eastwood's phone

  • At 09.50 Gemma Eastwood sent a message to her sister’s phone saying: "WHERE ARE YOU. RING ME TO LET ME KNOW YOUR SAFE".

  • She received the following reply at 10.13, "PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE X".

  • Gemma responded, "WHERE ARE YOU WHO ARE YOU WITH" and "WE ARE ALL WORRIED THE POLICE ARE INVOLVED AND GOING TO DO A PRESS RELEASE JUST TELL ME WHERE YOU ARE ILL COME AND MEET YOU ON MY OWN I WON'T TELL ANYONE".

  • At 10.04 hours she received another message from SE’s phone, "I LOVE YOU ALL I'VE HAD A MASSIVE BREAKDOWN ABOUT STUFF. I'M SO SO SORRY xx I'LL BE OK I'M IN TOUCH WITH THE A HELP LINE. I'M NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING SILLY I JUST WON'T TO BE LEFT ALONE xx" U”. Another message soon followed saying simply, “LEE DAVIS.”

Detective Inspector Dan Ison, who led the murder investigation, said that just hours after burying Miss Eastwood, Stirling went back to her home where concerned family had gathered to offer comfort.

He said Stirling showed "no signs of remorse" and described him as "a cruel."

  • Michael Stirling showing "no remorse" during his custody interview

Sentencing Stirling, Mrs Justice Susan Carr said: "Throughout this period you were repeatedly acting deliberately and without remorse; you were composed and callous."

She added: "Samantha was alone in her home where she should have been safe and sound, and trusted you in her house.

"On any view, she suffered what must have been a terrifying assault resulting in a killing that was not immediate.

"She would have been aware that she was being strangled and smothered to death."

Samantha Eastwood’s sister, Gemma Eastwood, second right, departs after looking at floral tributes and cards left at Miss Eastwood’s home. Credit: PA

Describing the nature of the affair, Mr Ison said that despite Stirling describing the relationship as a “longstanding but not particularly intense affair”, it was “full-on and intimate”.

It was normal practice for the landscape gardener to visit Miss Eastwood after her night shifts at the hospital, the detective added.

His wife, Katie, was unaware of the affair until the murder inquiry ran its course.

At one point Stirling, of Gratton Road, Stoke-on-Trent, told his wife he was helping search for then missing Miss Eastwood, but was in fact burying the body.

Credit: PA Graphics

The judge said: "You concocted a story to explain Samantha's absence, sent false text messages and lied in interview.

"You weaved an extraordinary web of deception.

In footage released by Staffordshire police Miss Eastwood is seen to be enthusiastically raising money for charity by doing a skydive.

The detective said Miss Eastwood's death has sent shock waves through the community.

He said: “Her job is to deliver so much life into this world.

“To have her life taken away so horribly and brutally is just huge.

  • Footage released by police shows Samantha Eastwood excited to raise money for charity ahead of a skydive

Gemma Eastwood, Samantha’s sister, said: "Justice has been served today. No matter the outcome nothing can bring my sister back. I have lost my best friend and sister, my mum has lost a kind caring and loving daughter. Our lives will never be the same."