Image copyright Samantha Eastwood Image caption Samantha Eastwood's family have thanked members of the public for their support
Police investigating the death of 28-year-old midwife Samantha Eastwood have charged a man with her murder.
Michael Stirling, aged 32, from Stoke-on-Trent, is due to appear at North Staffordshire Magistrates Court later.
The body of Ms Eastwood was discovered when police searched rural ground near Caverswall, Staffordshire, on Saturday, eight days after she was last seen.
Two men, aged 60 and 28, arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender have been released on conditional bail.
Staffordshire Police did not release any details of how the charged man was known to the victim, but several newspapers have reported Mr Stirling, of Cromer Road, is the brother-in-law of her ex-fiancé John Peake.
Ms Eastwood was last seen in uniform leaving work at Royal Stoke University Hospital on the morning of 27 July.
Staffordshire Police said a post-mortem examination had taken place but further tests were required.
In a statement released by the force, Ms 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."
University Hospitals of North Midlands chief nurse Liz Rix described Ms Eastwood as "an absolutely dedicated and committed midwife" and a much-loved part of the team.
Searches involving dozens of officers and police sniffer dogs had centred on fields near Tickhill Lane, close to Caverswall.
The brother-in-law of Samantha Eastwood's ex-fiance has appeared in court today accused of her murder.
Michael Stirling, 32, who is Samantha's ex-fiance's brother in law, was charged with murder last night - 24 hours after her body was found dumped in a disused salt quarry near Stoke-on-Trent.
Much-loved midwife Samantha was last seen smiling as she left hospital after a night shift on Friday, July 27, and not seen again.
Stirling had already been held on suspicion of kidnap last week and was re-arrested on suspicion of murder last night.
Today he appeared for three-minutes at North Staffordshire Magistrates' Court this morning where he confirmed his name, address and date of birth but did not enter a plea.
He was remanded in custody and will appear at Stafford Crown Court on Wednesday.
Two other men, aged 28 and 60, were held on suspicion of assisting an offender and bailed last night. The 60-year-old is believed to be the murder suspect's father Stephen Stirling.
Today it was claimed that in the weeks before she vanished Miss Eastwood had told a colleague she had been threatened and asked the unnamed hospital worker to call the police if she failed to turn up for work.
Samantha Eastwood, her ex-fiancé John Peake (together left), was allegedly murdered by Mr Peake's brother-in-law Michael Sterling, who is married to Mr Peake's sister Katie Stirling (together right)
Samantha's sister Gemma sobbed as she appealed for information about her sister Samantha Eastwood, 28, (right) and the family have thanked the public for their support since her death was announced
The midwife's body was found dumped at this disused salt quarry in Caverswall near Stoke-on-Trent on Saturday - eight days after she vanished
Timeline: Police hunt for missing midwife Friday, July 27 7.45am: Samantha Eastwood finishes her night shift at Royal Stoke Hospital and drives home in her Volvo SUV 2pm: Neighbour hears a scream from her home - but it is not reported to police until after she disappeared 7pm: Fellow midwives report her missing when she fails to show for her shift Saturday, July 28 Midday: Police search her empty home in Baddeley Green Sunday July 29 8am: Police launch first public appeal for information to find her 2pm: A 32-year-old man is arrested on suspicion of kidnap Monday July 30 5pm: Suspect is released on bail Tuesday July 21 4.15pm: Police release CCTV of her leaving work on Friday as it emerged she had called off her wedding at the last minute and tried to sell her wedding dress Wednesday August 1 1pm: New appeals by her family for anyone who has seen her as it emerged police have been at home of her former fiance's sister and her husband since the weekend Friday August 3 Samantha's sister Gemma makes a tearful appeal for information about her whereabouts. Tellingly she said that if anyone knew where she was they should 'Get her home'. Saturday August 4 1pm: Police teams start searching woodland outside Stoke-on-Trent before finding her body disused salt quarry. Sunday August 5 10am: Michael Stirling - the brother-in-law of her ex-fiance - is charged with her murder. Two other men, aged 28 and 60, held on suspicion of assisting an offender have been bailed
Yesterday, police made the unusual decision to publicly confirm that Miss Eastwood’s ex-fiance, John Peake, 34, was not one of three men being held in connection with her murder.
His Facebook profile has been targeted with abusive comments and threats from internet trolls.
Miss Eastwood had not been seen since Friday, July 27, when she was seen smiling as she left Royal Stoke University Hospital after a night shift.
CCTV then showed her driving towards home in her Volvo XC60 SUV and she was not seen again.
Her body was found during a search of a disused salt quarry in remote woodland in Caverswall, near Cheadle, Staffordshire.
A post-mortem examination was carried out yesterday - but the results have not been made public by Staffordshire Police.
Yesterday, police made the unusual decision to publicly confirm that Miss Eastwood’s ex-fiance, John Peake, 34, was not one of three men being held in connection with her murder.
His Facebook profile has been targeted with abusive comments from internet trolls.
Miss Eastwood and Mr Peake had been a couple for seven years and were due to marry in June, but the midwife ended their engagement at the start of the year.
Mr Peake moved out of the home she bought in 2016 at Stockton Brook on the edge of Stoke-on-Trent and now lives on his own.
Yesterday police were seen entering a house in the Northwood area of the city owned by Mr Peake’s sister Katie Stirling, 32, and her husband Michael. The semi-detached property became a focus of the police hunt for Miss Eastwood last week.
An officer present yesterday confirmed the address was now being treated as a crime scene.
A statement from Staffordshire Police said: 'Detectives investigating the death of 28-year-old Samantha Eastwood have charged a man with her murder.
'Michael Stirling, aged 32, from Cromer Road, Stoke-on-Trent will appear before North Staffordshire Magistrates Court tomorrow morning.
'The body of Samantha was discovered during a police search of rural ground near to Caverswall on Saturday August 4. She had been reported missing on Friday July 27.
'Two other men aged 60 and 28, who were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, have been released on conditional bail while inquiries are ongoing'.
The house is less than four miles from the Bucknall home of Mr Stirling’s parents, Stephen, 60, who is believed to work in a garage, and 57-year-old wife Carol.
Officers searched the home yesterday and a small white van was seen being taken away by police on Saturday.
Last night it was claimed that Miss Eastwood had told a colleague at Royal Stoke University Hospital she had been threatened in the period leading up to her disappearance.
A source said: ‘[After this] Samantha asked one of her colleagues to report it if she didn’t turn up for work.
‘And that is what happened on the Friday night, that is why the police were called so quickly. She must have feared something like this would happen – that’s why she set up this raising the alarm thing with her colleague.’
Michael Stirling (left) has been charged while Stephen Stirling (right) has been bailed
The former fiancé of midwife Samantha Eastwood John Peake (pictured together), who had begged for help in finding her
On Sunday, police were seen searching the home that Mr Peake's sister Katie shares with her husband Michael Stirling, both aged 32 (pictured)
Officers using sticks to probe the area around Tickhill Lane in Caverswall, Stoke-on-Trent, on Saturday hours before they found her body in a nearby salt mine
Police wanted to find Samantha's distinctive missing purse - the only belonging that was missing from her home before she was murdered
A spokesman for the hospital declined to comment on the claim last night. Officers searching for Miss Eastwood found a body at Tick Hill Quarry, around eight miles from her home near Caverswall, Staffordshire.
Police said the body was still to be formerly identified, but added that officers believed it to be that of Miss Eastwood.
The scene is just seven miles - an 18 minute drive - from the midwife's home In Baddeley Green, Staffordshire, where she is believed to have returned to by car after last being seen on CCTV in her scrubs leaving a night shift at Royal Stoke University Hospital at 7.45am on Friday last week.
The development came 24 hours after Miss Eastwood’s sister Gemma, 26, made a tearful public appeal for information to help find her ‘best friend’.
In a brief statement issued through police yesterday the Eastwood family said: ‘We would like to say thank you to all the people who followed Samantha’s story and tried their best to help.’
Mr Peake’s Facebook page has also been inundated with almost 500 comments – with some trolls pointing the finger at the innocent steam railway manager.
One wrote: ‘Of course you murdered her, couple of her mates and a pair of pliers would get the truth out of you.’
A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said: ‘We are not naming the three men arrested yesterday but John Peake is not one of them.’
Miss Eastwood was last seen in her Volvo XC60 on CCTV, moments after leaving hospital at the end of a night shift last Friday morning. Colleagues raised the alarm when she failed to return to work that evening.
Ms Eastwood, pictured left, leaving Royal Stoke University Hospital in her scrubs on the day she went missing
Further footage showed her driving her Volvo XC60 away from the hospital car park
Police searching the home of Katie and Michael Stirling in Staffordshire earlier on Sunday as they confirm it is now being treated as a crime scene
A NATIONWIDE hunt for missing midwife Samantha Eastwood has ended after cops discovered her body in rural wasteland.
But who is Michael Stirling and how did he know the 28-year-old midwife? Here's what we know so far.
3 Michael Stirling, 32, has been charged with the murder of Samantha Eastwood
Who is Michael Stirling and how did he know the midwife?
Michael Stirling is a fencing worker from Stoke-on-Trent.
The 32-year-old is the brother-in-law of Samantha Eastwood's ex-fiance, John Peake.
Stirling is married to Katie Stirling, John Peake's sister, who is also 32.
The couple live in Cromer Road, Northwood, less than a mile away from Michael's parents, Stephen and Carol.
A source described Stirling as a "real outdoorsy type of man" who would "often go camping with his family".
3 Midwife Samantha Eastwood's disappearance sparked a nationwide hunt
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Has he been charged with Samantha Eastwood's murder?
Stirling was charged with the murder of Samantha Eastwood on Sunday, August 5.
He was arrested along with his 60-year-old father Stephen, who is being quizzed for possibly assisting an offender.
An unnamed 28-year-old, thought to be a family friend, is also being interviewed over the same offence.
Samantha Eastwood's body was discovered on Saturday, August 4, eight days after her disappearance sparked a nationwide hunt.
Cops initially arrested Stirling on suspicion of kidnap but later arrested him on suspicion of murder.
Stirling has now been remanded in custody after appearing before North Staffordshire Justice Centre on August 6.
Police confirm Samantha Eastwood’s body found as devastated family issue heartbreaking statement as they thank those who ‘tried their best’
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THE brother-in-law of Samantha Eastwood’s ex-fiance has been charged with her murder – more than a week after she told a colleague she was being threatened, it was claimed last night.
Police were probing claims that Michael Stirling, 32, fell out with the midwife, 28, whose body was found near Stoke.
14 Victim Samantha Eastwood and ex John Peake, seen with his sister Katie and her husband Michael Stirling (right)
He was arrested along with his 60-year-old father Stephen, who is being quizzed for possibly assisting an offender.
A body found on wasteland on Saturday was confirmed to be Samantha’s yesterday morning. The 28 year old had been missing eight days.
And according to the Daily Mail, Samantha told a co-worker at Royal Stoke University Hospital she had been threatened before her disappearance.
A source told the paper: “Samantha asked one of her colleagues to report it if she didn’t turn up for work.
14 Michael's father Stephen Stirling, 60, has also been arrested
“And that is what happened on the Friday night, that is why the police were called so quickly.
“She must have feared something like this would happen – that’s why she set up this raising the alarm thing with her colleague.”
Michael, a fencing worker, married his wife Katie who is the sister of Samantha’s ex John Peake, 34.
Cops arrested Michael on suspicion of kidnap last week.
14 Fencing worker Michael Stirling, whose wife Katie is the sister of Samantha’s ex John Peake
BPM Media 14 The arrests came amid claims of a fall-out between Michael and midwife Samantha, pictured at work
He was nicked again following the grim find at Caverswall, near Stoke-on-Trent.
Detectives were last night searching his and Katie’s home in Stoke-on-Trent.
Stephen and an unnamed 28-year-old, thought to be a family friend, were being quizzed over assisting an offender.
Forensic teams were scouring Stephen and 57-year-old wife Carol’s semi less than a mile from their son’s home.
PA:Press Association 14 A body found on wasteland on Saturday was confirmed to be Samantha’s yesterday morning
Caters News Agency 14 Floral tributes were left at Samantha's home
Police took a white van from outside the property on Saturday. Yesterday they searched Stephen’s silver Citroën Xsara and a caravan.
The arrests came amid claims of a fall-out between Michael and Samantha.
A source said: “Everyone is in utter shock, Stephen and his wife are lovely people.
“Michael is a real outdoorsy type of man. He would often go camping with family.”
SWNS:South West News Service 14 Officers at Michael and Katie’s Stoke home
Samantha went missing after finishing work at Royal Stoke Hospital at 7.45am on July 27.
When she failed to turn up for work at 7pm, a ward colleague called cops within 20 minutes to report her missing.
She and John Peake had been due to marry in June but the wedding was called off in January without explanation.
Just weeks ago she put her dress up for sale for £400.
14 Cops check a Citroën and caravan at the home of 60-year-old Stephen
14 Michael Stirling's property was searched by cops
SWNS:South West News Service 14 Samantha was last seen leaving work - she is on the left with a green handbag
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Samantha’s family thanked the public for their support, but asked to be left to grieve.
Mums who had Samantha as a midwife yesterday posted tributes praising her for making their births so calm.
PA:Press Association 14 Samantha body was found in Stoke-on-Trent after a search operation
SWNS:South West News Service 14 Sister Gemma Eastwood, 26, was in tears as she made a public appeal last week
14 Where Samantha's body was found
14 Samantha’s family thanked the public for their support, but asked to be left to grieve
Police release last footage of missing midwife Samantha Eastwood who vanished after leaving hospital still wearing her scrubs
