Gardaí are examining two suitcases which the husband of missing East Cork woman Tina Satchwell said might have been hers,
Richard Satchwell told gardaí around three weeks ago that he saw the two suitcases at the car park of the Tesco supermarket off Tallow St in Youghal, Co Cork.
He reported his wife missing from their home in the town on March 24 this year, four days after last seeing her. He said that two suitcases were also missing from the house when she disappeared.
It is understood that the two suitcases which Mr Satchwell saw when driving into the Tesco car park are black. They were found next to recycling bins within the car park.
The cases were removed by gardaí for technical examination to establish if they have any link to the missing person investigation.
It is not clear if any evidence of value to the inquiry has been found, but forensic tests are ongoing to determine if they are connected to the case.
Pending the outcome of those tests, gardaí are anxious to find out when the suitcases were brought to the recycling bins and by whom.
“We would like to hear from anybody who might have seen these suitcases being placed in the car park of Tesco, which is at the eastern end of the town,” said a Garda spokesperson.
It is unclear if any CCTV footage of the area has been examined as part of the latest line of inquiry.
Mr Satchwell previously made an emotional appeal on RTÉ’s Crimecall TV programme for information about his missing wife, and asked if she was watching to just let somebody know she is alright.
The 45-year-old had taken €26,000 with her when she disappeared, Mr Satchwell told the Irish Examiner in June. He said the money was part of the proceeds of the sale of their former home in Fermoy, Co Cork, where they lived until moving to Youghal last year.
Anyone with information about Ms Satchwell’s whereabouts or the placing of the two suitcases at the Tesco car park in Youghal are asked to call gardaí at Midleton on 021 4621550.