Stoke-on-Trent house where Samantha Eastwood was murdered is now up for sale

The house where midwife Samantha Eastwood was murdered has been put up for sale.

There is no 'for sale' sign outside the Baddeley Green property where 28-year-old Samantha was 'strangled and smothered' with the bare hands of her lover Michael Stirling.

But the Greenside Avenue property is being advertised for sale online and neighbours say a viewing open day was held last month.

The three-bedroom semi-detached property is on the market for £189,950. It boasts a lounge, dining room, large gardens, lots of parking and 'lovely countryside views'.

Police outside Samantha Eastwood's house in Greenside Avenue, Baddeley Green

The estate agent states: "This three-bedroom home has a garden big enough for a pony to roam and with a few personal touches you could be bursting with pride.

"This semi-detached house is on a large corner plot within a highly sought-after location. It comprises a spacious entrance hall, lounge with an open fire, and a kitchen/diner which has French doors opening onto the rear garden.

"To the first floor is three bedrooms and a family bathroom. There is ample off-road parking leading to a detached garage. Large gardens to the front, side and rear. No upward chain."

Murderer Michael Stirling and murdered Samantha Eastwood

Stirling, of Cromer Road, Northwood, was yesterday jailed for life at Stafford Crown Court. He must serve a minimum term of 17 years and 52 days before he can be considered for parole.

The court heard 32-year-old Stirling murdered Samantha after a row led to her banging her head on a table at the property. He then bound her legs and mouth with tape, wrapped her body in a duvet cover and carried her out of the house and into his van on the drive. Samantha's body was buried in a shallow grave near Caverswall hours later.

Staffordshire Police maintained a presence outside Samantha's home until her body was found eight days later last August.

Neighbours think Samantha's Greenside Avenue home will be snapped up.

Elizabeth Simcock has lived across the road for 67 years.

The 74-year-old said: "I think someone will want to buy the property and I don't think people will be affected by what happened.

"It's a lovely area for people to live and we have such lovely views here. Samantha had made quite a few improvements to the house and it has always been a quiet area. What happened was very sad and people will remember it for a very long time."

One neighbour said: "The other weekend this street was covered with cars belonging to potential buyers. My daughter said there was an estate agent there and they had an open viewing at the property, so there are definitely people who are after the property and I know of someone who wants to buy it."

Time Line

Timeline of the murder of midwife Samantha Eastwood

Friday, July 27

7.45am: Samantha Eastwood finishes her night shift at the Royal Stoke University Hospital and drives off the hospital car park in her blue Volvo SUV.

7.20pm: Fellow midwives report her missing when she fails to show for her shift.
Saturday, July 28

Morning: North Yorkshire Police launch the first public appeal for information as Samantha has connections to Whitby.

Midday: Police search her empty home in Greenside Avenue, Baddeley Green.
Sunday July 29
6.30am: Staffordshire Police their launch first public appeal to try and find Samantha.

2pm: A 32-year-old man is arrested on suspicion of kidnap.
Monday July 30
5pm: Police release a suspect on bail.
Tuesday July 21

4.15pm: Police release CCTV of Samantha leaving work on the Friday. It shows the 28-year-old leaving the maternity centre wearing blue scrubs and carrying a green handbag.
Wednesday August 1

1pm: There are fresh appeals by Samatha's family for anyone who has seen her as it emerges police have been at the home of her former fiance's sister and her husband since the weekend.
Thursday August 2

3pm: Chief nurse Liz Rix makes a public appeal to find Samantha.

As the search for Samantha enters the seventh day, detectives investigating her disappearance were looking into reports screaming was heard at her home on the day she went missing.
Friday August 3

10.30am: Samantha’s sister Gemma Eastwood fights back tears as she appeal for the public to help find her Sam.

11am: Police release pictures of Samantha's missing Radley purse

12noon: Police set up a dedicated hotline asking for information and dashcam footage as they continue the search.
Saturday, August 4

10am: Police reveal they have cordoned off land in Caverswall and ‘taken control’ of a house in Gratton Road, Bucknall

12noon: Police recover a body they believe to be Samantha. A 32-year-old is re-arrested on suspicion of murder. Two other men, aged 28 and 60, are arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Sunday, August 5
A post-mortem is carried out and formal identification takes place.

Samantha's family thanked the public for supporting them over the past week.

11pm: Michael Stirling, aged 32, of Cromer Road, Northwood, is charged with murder. Two other men - aged 28 and 60 - who were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender are released pending further inquiries.
Monday, August 6

10am: Stirling appears at North Staffordshire Justice Centre.
He wore a grey jumper and was in handcuffs. He was remanded in custody as the case was sent to Stafford Crown Court.

The sister and ex-partner of Samantha returned to her house to lay a floral tribute. Gemma Eastwood and John Peake were accompanied by police liaison officers in unmarked cars at around 4.40pm.
Wednesday, August 8
Stirling appeared at Stafford Crown Court and was remanded in custody to appear at Northampton Crown Court on October 5.

Police revealed it could take up to six months to determine Samantha's cause of death.

StokeonTrentlLive reported that the 28-year-old midwife was not shot or stabbed and detectives said they were concentrating on her neck but were still not sure exactly how she was killed.
Thursday, August 9

StokeonTrentLive reported claims that Stirling had been beaten up while on remand in prison.

The alleged attack happened at HMP Dovegate, near Uttoxeter.
Friday, August 10

Thousands of candles were lit in Samantha's memory.

Family, friends, colleagues and well-wishers across the world were encouraged to pause and remember Samantha at 7.20pm.
Friday, August 31
Two men arrested as part of an investigation into Samantha's death are released without charge.

The pair were questioned by detectives after being arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Friday, October 5
Stirling appeared at a hearing at Northampton Crown Court.
His barrister Charles Miskin QC applied for the hearing to be adjourned for 14 days because the papers were only served earlier that week and the defendant has not had the chance to see them. The case was adjourned until October 22.
Monday, October 22

Stirling appeared before Northampton Crown Court and admitted murdering Samantha.

Stirling's barrister Charles Miskin QC told the court: “The context is a background of growing tension from a long-standing but not particularly intense affair."
Sentence was adjourned until December 3.
Monday, December 3

Murderer Michael Stirling is jailed for life with a minimum term of 17 years for the brutal killing of Samantha Eastwood.

The defendant used his bare hands to kill Samantha Eastwood at her Baddeley Green home after 'losing all his self-control in a fog of anger' when a row erupted.

Another neighbour said: "They are trying to sell the house but I wouldn't like the thought of living there. It's a shame because it's a nice area and we're all a friendly lot. I've been living here for 60 years."

The property is being marketed with Debra Timmis Estate Agents, in Milton. The estate agent has declined to comment on the sale of the property.