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Murder

New Evidence in 18-Year-Old Murder Case Sparks Hopes for Closure

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Detectives from Surrey Police, backed by the Army and specialist forensic teams, have begun digging up a field in Bisley, Surrey, as part of Operation Sally, a renewed investigation into the disappearance and murder of Tina Baker. The 41-year-old woman vanished in 2002 after leaving her husband, Martin Baker, an SAS reservist, to move in with her lover, Derek Poplett. Tina's father, Geoffrey Doyle, has expressed hope that the new evidence, including specks of dried blood found on the farmland, will lead to the discovery of her body and finally bring closure to the family.

Key Takeaways:

  • Tina Baker, 41, disappeared in 2002 after leaving her husband, Martin Baker, to move in with her lover, Derek Poplett.
  • Martin Baker, 68, was jailed for a minimum of 14 years in 2006 for Tina's murder, having become consumed with jealousy when she told him she wanted a divorce.
  • The couple's farm, Priest Lane Farm, was searched by detectives in 2002, with police checking pigswill and manure for traces of Tina's body after Baker sold off his animals.
  • Bullets have been found at the scene of the crime, which suggests that the murder may have involved violence.
  • The police investigation, codenamed Operation Sally, has been ongoing for over 15 years, despite a £10,000 reward being offered on BBC1's Crimewatch.
  • The new evidence, including specks of dried blood found on the farmland, has led to a fresh dig at Priest Lane Farm.
  • Martin Baker was already serving a four-year sentence for growing cannabis plants on his farm when he was convicted of murder.
  • Tina Baker's car and mobile phone were never found, leading police to believe that she was deliberately accompanied to her death.

Statistics:

  • Tina Baker disappeared in July 2002.
  • The police investigation, Operation Sally, has been ongoing for over 18 years.
  • Martin Baker was jailed for a minimum of 14 years in 2006 for Tina's murder.
  • The reward offered on BBC1's Crimewatch was £10,000.
  • The police have found specks of dried blood on the farmland in Bisley, three miles away from Priest Lane Farm.

Sources:

  • "Police and soldiers begin search in hunt for woman murdered by her husband," _The Telegraph_, 2020.
  • "Tina Baker: Police digging up field in hunt for missing woman's body," _BBC News_, 2020.
  • "Tina Baker disappearance: Ex-soldier jailed for 14 years for murder," _The Guardian_, 2006.
  • "Tina Baker: The 41-year-old woman who disappeared in 2002," _Daily Mail_, 2020.

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