Search for husband of dead Greta woman - Newcastle Herald

A MAJOR search is under way for the husband of a Hunter woman found strangled in the back shed of her grandmother’s house as investigators reveal they have no ‘‘formal’’ suspects in the murder.

Darren Fishburn, 42, has not been seen since the body of his wife, Tammy, was discovered by her daughter on the floor of the back shed of the Greta home on Tuesday morning.

The search is centred on bushland at the southern end of Lake Macquarie, near Wyee and Morisset, after Mr Fishburn’s mobile phone was tracked to the area.

The phone signal has not moved since it was discovered on Tuesday.

Mr Fishburn is a known four-wheel drive enthusiast and police are also seeking his missing red 1989 model Nissan Patrol with registration plates YAE-923.

Strike Force Wintervale detectives will only say they hold concerns for the welfare of Mr Fishburn after confirming they were now treating his wife’s death as murder.

Mrs Fishburn, whom relatives said also went by her maiden name of Sindermann, is believed to have been killed on Monday night and left on the property owned by her elderly grandmother, Irma Sindermann.

Mr and Mrs Fishburn had been living at the Wyndham Street property.

Early autopsy results have confirmed the 43-year-old was strangled.

Irma Sindermann, who has lived in Greta for more than 50 years, was found unharmed inside the house and is being cared for by relatives.

Hunter Valley crime manager Detective Inspector Trent King said it was too early to release how relatives had known to look in the shed for Mrs Fishburn or any motive for the murder.

Detective Inspector King said investigators were starting to take formal statements from relatives and friends.

They did not have any formal suspects.

The Polair helicopter joined members of the Public Order and Riot Squad and other police in searching bushland near the banks of Lake Macquarie near Wyee yesterday after failing to find any trace of Mr Fishburn on Tuesday afternoon. The riot squad was called as part of its charter of being search experts.

A triangulation of Mr Fishburn’s mobile signal identified an area around the south-western edge of Lake Macquarie and across the water to Swansea as being where the mobile could be.

Neighbours say the couple were friendly, with Mr Fishburn enjoying showing people his large live snake collection at the Greta property.

Information should be forwarded to Hunter Valley police or Crime Stoppers on 1800333000.

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