A forensic archaeologist has said her recommendation that an invasive search be carried out of the Co Cork home of Tina Satchwell was in line with data showing concealed female domestic homicide victims are likely to be hidden at, or within, one kilometre of their homes.
Dr Niamh McCullagh, who specialises in the search for, and recovery of, human remains concealed in a criminal context, was giving evidence in the trial of Richard Satchwell who has denied the murder of his wife Tina at their home at 3 Grattan Street, Youghal, on March 19th and 20th, 2017.
During Monday’s hearing, Brendan Grehan SC made a formal admission on behalf of Mr Satchwell that decomposed human remains found in black plastic sheeting in a grave site under the stairs of the couple’s home on October 11th, 2023, were those of 45-year-old Tina Satchwell.
Detective Garda Brian Barry of the Garda Technical Bureau told Gerardine Small SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, he was involved in an invasive search of the house from October 10th, 2023. He became suspicious after seeing an area of newer-looking concrete under the stairs in the sitting room and regarded a red brick wall at the side of the stairs as having been “built very poorly”.
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Under Garda direction, the concrete was broken up, and the area then dug, by builders and he became “very suspicious” when black plastic was seen in an area about two feet down. Forensic archaeologists took over the excavation until they exposed what he believed was a hand.
Retired detective sergeant Shane Curran, who was with the technical bureau in October 2023, said it was 64cm to the top of the burial area where the remains were found and 84cm to the bottom. The average depth of a “clandestine burial” is 53cm, less than two feet, so 84cm is “very deep”, he said.
Det Garda Karen McCarthy, also of the technical bureau, said that at a postmortem on October 12th she took possession of a blanket that was around the body of the deceased, a dressing gown and its belt, pyjamas and a purse, found in the dressing-gown pocket, containing various cards, including a public-service card in the name of Tina Satchwell. She also took possession of small shards of glass retrieved from the head and an arm of the deceased.
Dr Niamh McCullagh said she was authorised by Det Inspector Ann Marie Twomey in November 2022 to review material gathered in a missing-person investigation concerning Ms Satchwell. Her specific remit was to identify possible locations were human remains could have been clandestinely concealed.
She submitted her report in September 2023 and attended a forensic invasive search of 3 Grattan Street from October 10th, 2023.
After the discovery of the black plastic sheeting under the stairs on October 11th, indicating a potential clandestine grave, she and a colleague were involved in a forensic excavation of the scene. The grave site contained pieces of plastic and an item with a best-before date of March 3rd, 2017, printed on it.
Under cross-examination, she agreed Richard Satchwell provided a description of his wife’s clothing when he last saw her in March 2017, including a grey nightdress T-shirt, tartan pyjama bottoms and a lilac and blue robe.
She said studies have found concealed domestic homicides have the highest incidence of detection avoidance and “crime scene staging”, where an offender appears to present a scene other than it was. It was most common to create a verbal narrative and file a missing-person report, she said. She agreed with Mr Grehan this information was “not a secret” and it was based on her own research and research from actual cases.
She examined cases here where female victims are disposed of closer to their home address than their male counterparts, she said. For all concealed homicides, victims are disposed of within 1km of their home address, including the actual home address, she said
She had recommended that the possibility that Ms Satchwell was killed at her home address and concealed there should be the first option to be explored.
While aware the home address was searched in June 2017, that was a non-invasive search and her recommendation was for a more invasive search, including of specific areas such as the stairs and sitting room, as well as a cadaver dog survey.
She agreed some structural changes to the house were a “red flag” and also wondered about the source of stones in a wheelie bin in the rear yard.
The trial continues on Tuesday before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of seven women and five men.
