A man is to appear in court today over the murder of debt collector Tina Cantello, 49, who was found at a house in Basildon, Essex, a day after she went missing
A man will appear in court today charged with murdering a debt collector whose body was discovered after she went missing whilst doing her rounds.
Geoffrey Hutton has formally been charged with the murder of Tina Cantello, 49, who was on the last of her three door-to-door collections when she disappeared.
Mother-of-two Mrs Cantello went missing on Friday in Basildon and her worried family contacted police to report she had not returned home.
Her mobile phone was found abandoned at the side of the road with her distraught family describing the disappearance as ‘100 per cent out of character’.
A missing person’s appeal was launched but then suspended 24 hours later when Mrs Cantello’s body was found about two miles from where she was last seen in Basildon, Essex.
Hutton, 38, of Langdon Hills, was arrested at the weekend and Essex Police confirmed this morning he has been charged with murder.
Hutton, believed to be a former civil servant, is set to appear before magistrates in Basildon this morning.
It emerged today that Mrs Cantello died from multiple stab wounds.
The mother of two was out debt collecting when she went missing on Friday. A man aged 38 has been charged murder
A spokesman for Essex Police confirmed: ‘A post mortem examination was carried out and established that she died from multiple stab wounds to the chest.’
Her son Sam Malone has posted on Facebook thanking people for their support during the family’s nightmare ordeal.
He wrote: ‘I love you Mum. ‘Thank you everyone for your support. It has helped massively’.
Yesterday two police officers guarded the front door of Hutton’s home in the Langdon Hills area of the Essex town.
Floral tributes have been left outside the brick building to Mrs Cantello.
A card on one of the bouquets read ‘Our hearts are broken’
Another emotionally stated: ‘Desperately sad on your tragic loss, still in utter shock. Our love goes out to your family. Such a wonderful caring woman.’
Detectives have been searching a house in Basildon where her body was found
Neighbours spoke at their shock, with one saying: ‘I’m shocked. The first I knew about it when I came home and saw police tape, it’s terrifying. ‘I’ve got kids of mine and it is just frightening.’
James Taylor, the boyfriend of Mrs Cantello’s daughter Aimee, said in a Facebook Mrs Cantello left her home in the Laindon area of the town at around 5pm on Friday to do her loan-collecting rounds.
‘Her work phone was found in a different area in Durham Road in Laindon where her final phone activity was recorded.
‘We believe she was last seen around the Deacon Drive area. Police are investigating, they found her phone on the side of the road.
‘There is a woodland area nearby and police did search that area too. We have seen police dotted everywhere all around Laindon.’
Ms Cantello was last seen in Deacon Drive but her phone was found two miles away in Durham Road. Her body was found a day later in Derby Close, Basildon
Mrs Cantello worked as a debt collector for Provident. Jade Byrne, communications manager, said: ‘I can confirm Tina Cantello worked for Provident, and we are helping police with their ongoing investigation.
‘Our thoughts are with Tina’s family and friends at this time.’
An Essex Police statement confirmed the charge this morning. ‘A man has been charged in connection with the death of a Basildon woman.
‘Geoffrey Hutton, 38, of Langdon Hills, has been charged with the murder of Tina Cantello, 49. He is due to appear at Basildon Magistrates’ Court today.’
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