Forensic search and excavation continue in Satchwell house

Gardaí moving a digger into the side of the house that they are searching in Youghal, Co Cork, in the case of missing Tina Satchwell. Picture: Dan Linehan

Tina Satchwell’s home in Youghal will remain a crime scene this week with forensic searches and further site excavations planned as part of an investigation into her murder.

A man in his 50s arrested on suspicion of murder was released without charge at 5pm on Wednesday.

However, an extensive search continues in and around Tina’s home in Youghal, with the ground being examined for potential human remains, traces of blood, soil disturbance, and other evidence.

Ms Satchwell vanished from her home on Grattan St, Youghal, East Cork, in March 2017, and despite an extensive Garda investigation, no trace of her has been found.

On Tuesday, the missing persons investigation was upgraded to a murder investigation.

The man arrested and subsequently released had been detained under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, which allowed him to be questioned for an initial period of 24 hours.

He had been arrested after he returned home from work to a premises in Youghal.

Strong new intelligence led to the arrest and ongoing search at Tina’s home, garda sources said.

A truck and a car have also been seized to be searched.

Tina Satchwell

Crime scene

Chief Superintendent Vincent O’Sullivan said the house in Youghal remains a crime scene and the investigation is ongoing.

He appealed to the public to contact gardaí with any information that may be relevant to Ms Satchwell’s disappearance.

“This is a murder investigation. If anyone has any information, don’t assume that we know it,” he said. “The search will be as thorough and meticulous as it can be.”

Ms Satchwell’s family has been appointed a family liaison officer.

“It’s a tough time for any family. It’s not easy. The focus must now be on Tina,” said Chief Supt O’Sullivan.

“We’re still at the scene, we’re still searching.”

The resident of the house being searched cannot return to live there while it is an active crime scene.

Case review 

A review of Ms Satchwell’s case was launched by gardaí in late 2021 but a Garda source said that it had always remained an open investigation.

“We felt we have the evidence to form a reasonable suspicion which we acted on yesterday [Tuesday],” a Garda source said.

Tina’s husband, Richard Satchwell, is the last known person to see the then 45-year-old alive on March 20, 2017.

He said that he brought her tea and toast that morning and she asked him to go to get some shopping.

He said that when he returned, she was not there.

He reported her missing four days later.

Tina had no passport. Her mobile phone was left in the house, as were her beloved dogs, Ruby and Heidi. Identification, including her birth certificate, was also found at the house.

Her husband said that two suitcases were missing, as was €26,000 in cash — money they had saved from the sale of a house and from car boot sales.

He said that he assumed she had gone to visit family in Fermoy so delayed raising the alarm.

Gardaí conducted a number of major operations since Tina’s disappearance, including searches of scrubland, woods, and waterways and exhaustive trawls of CCTV footage from ports and airports. 

Anyone with information can contact Midleton Garda station on [phone], the Garda Confidential Line on (1800) 666111, or any Garda station.