Samantha Henderson: a timeline of key events

Here's a timeline of key events from the case including Dominic Isom's movements following Ms Henderson's death to the police investigation that led to his arrest. 

Wednesday, January 21

Samantha Henderson is last seen by friends picking up her children at school at around 3pm. At some time between 3.15pm and 3.50pm, Ms Henderson dies after being involved in a 'struggle' with partner Dominic Isom outside the couple's Corfe Castle home. Her phone - which until then had been in near-constant use - goes "off grid" at 3.52pm after the battery is removed from it.

At around 4.30pm, Ms Henderson's friend Kelly Norman visits the house unannounced to find Isom wearing shorts, a t-shirt and flip flops. She reports a strong smell of bleach, and says Isom told her Ms Henderson has "gone and done one".

Before she leaves, he says: "Sorry for everything, Kel." Later in the evening, he drives to friend Michael Ellis's house to buy £40-worth of marijuana, before then travelling to the lake at Ham Common and dumping Ms Henderson's body in the shallow waters.

Thursday, January 22

Between 6.58am and 7.17am, Isom is back at the lake at Ham Common before returning home. His activities there are still unknown, but he told jurors that he had planned to commit suicide. At around 8.19am, a text is sent from his phone to Ms Henderson's.

It read: "Sam, I can't do this on my own." A second, sent moments later, read: "I fell asleep at the window last night waiting for you to come back." At 8.38am, he reports Ms Henderson missing to the police, moments after informing her mother, Janelle Henderson, that she has disappeared. He also posts a message on the couple's joint Facebook page asking for anyone with information as to her whereabouts to get in touch.

Isom tells Ms Henderson's friends and family that she has left home in anger wearing his tartan slippers. At 12.38pm, after reporting Ms Henderson missing, Isom leaves a voicemail message for her, in which he weeps and says: "Please listen, you can't stay away any longer, please come back.

"I need you back here Sam, please."

A second voicemail is left on Ms Henderson's phone at 9.08pm.

He says: "Everyone's coming out looking for you, I need you to come home.

"I can't do this on my own Sam, please, I love you so much, please come home."

Friday, January 23

Police issue a photograph of Ms Henderson to the media. Detective Inspector Neil Devoto urges anyone who has seen the 25-year-old to get in touch, adding: "We know that Samantha has been very upset recently and her family are concerned that she may have come to some harm.

“It’s important that we speak with Samantha so that we can be sure that she is safe and well."

On this day, Isom attends the police station voluntarily as the last person to see Ms Henderson alive. He gives an interview between 3.20pm and 5pm, telling officers Ms Henderson had not really been "stressy or angry" but "frustrated" before she left the house wearing his slippers.

At the conclusion of this interview, he is arrested on suspicion of murder. After being told this by police, he cries and says: "I don't understand but I haven't done anything to Sam. I haven't." Officers reveal publicly that a 27-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Saturday, January 24

Ms Henderson's family release a statement begging her to get in touch. It reads: "No one is upset or thinks badly of you Sam. We just want you to come home as everyone wants to help and support you." Ms Henderson's distraught family say they are desperate to hear from the "homely, private, loving mother of four". Police continue to interview Isom. He is questioned twice more on this day.

Sunday, January 25

Police release images of Ms Henderson's blue Peugeot, urging anyone who has seen the vehicle to get in touch with them. They confirm that the 27-year-old man remains in their custody. Isom is told by officers that his phone had been traced near the lake at Ham Common on January 21 at 10.28pm, but says he has no idea how this could have happened. He is informed that police plan to send divers into the lake, and may even drain it.

He tells them: "You'll find there's nothing there. After everything you do, there [will be] nothing there at all." A fifth interview takes place during the evening, during which Isom tells police he "absolutely adored [Ms Henderson], down to the ground." He tells officers he had visited the lake at Ham Common on January 21 in order to commit suicide, and becomes hysterical, attempting to wrench a pencil from an officer and stab himself in the neck.

Monday, January 26

Searches for Ms Henderson are now taking place around the clock, with areas including Corfe Castle and woodland around Norden Farm being investigated, as well as land at Ham Common. Police continue to interview Isom. On this day, police are granted further time to question him.

Tuesday, January 27

Police quiz Isom for the tenth and final time, asking whether there had been an argument between he and Ms Henderson before her disappearance.

He replies: "You're clutching at all sorts now aren't you?" After this interview, Isom is formally charged with the murder of Samantha Henderson.

Wednesday, January 28

Isom appears at Bournemouth Magistrates' Court, speaking only to confirm his name, address and age. Wearing a red tshirt and grey jogging bottoms, he is not asked to enter a plea to the charge against him. After the hearing, he is remanded in custody.

Friday, January 30

Victim retrieval dogs searching around the lake at Ham Common indicate something of interest in the water. Police divers discover the body of Ms Henderson wrapped in a child's Hello Kitty duvet. Also in the bundle containing her body is her mobile phone with battery removed, a bag of clothes, a pair of tartan slippers and a mechanical engine of some kind, tied to the bundle with a thick piece of rope.

Isom appears at Winchester Crown Court, where he denies a charge of murder. Police officers investigating the case renew calls for anyone with information to come forward. In particular, they ask for anyone who travelled between the A351 Wareham flyover, Blandford Road, Lake Road and Lake Drive in Hamworthy between 7.50pm and 9.10pm on Wednesday, January 21 and 6.30am and 8am on Thursday, January 22 to get in touch.

Saturday, January 31

Ms Henderson's body is formally identified. A forensic pathologist later discovers she sustained 23 injuries before her death, including significant impacts to her forehead and neck likely to have been the result of a "violent attack", police say.

Wednesday, June 10

Ms Henderson's friends and family gather at Poole Crematorium for her funeral. Reverend John Taylor pays tribute to "a very beautiful young lady, who had her whole life before her", noting that her death had "touched many hearts" and "brought together whole communities".