In court today, a husband is accused of killing his wife, whose body was discovered in a country lane on Monday.
After Abi Fisher, also 29, vanished from her home in Castleford last Friday, sparking a massive search effort, Matthew Fisher, 29, is accused of killing her.
When Fisher appeared in Leeds Magistrates Court this morning, he was wearing a face mask, a grey prison-issue sweatshirt, and jogging bottoms.
Fisher spoke only to confirm his name, age, and address.
During the brief hearing, he was not asked to enter a plea; he will next appear before Leeds Crown Court.
The grieving family members of Abi who attended today’s hearing paid a moving homage to her.
They said in a statement: “Our lovely Abi.
Words cannot express how completely crushed we are by your passing.
We sincerely miss you.
“We pledge to raise your incredible little baby daughter the way you would and to make you proud every single day.
Although Heaven may have received an angel, we have lost you, and it seems to us to be the most unfair thing that could have happened.
“As a family, we would want to express our gratitude to everyone who had the compassion and love to search for our little angel. Words can never adequately express how important this is.
“For now, our lovely angel.” We adore you a lot.
Due to the seriousness of the allegations, District Judge Charlotte Holland referred the case to the crown court while her family sobbed.
Since leaving her Castleford, West Yorks, home on Friday night, Abi had not been seen.
An extensive search effort was started when her relatives declared that her absence was “totally out of character.”
However, West Yorkshire Police announced on Monday that they had discovered Abi’s body in some underbrush off Southmoor Road near Brierley, South Yorks.
District Judge Charlotte Holland stated during the hearing today that “This case is too severe to run in this court.”
“You will be transported to Leeds Crown Court tomorrow at 9.30.” You will continue to be detained till then.
Abi, a Year 3 teacher at Featherstone All Saints CofE Academy near Pontefract, received tributes.
She will be remembered as a dedicated teacher and colleague who gave her all every day, according to a statement from the school’s head teacher, Matthew Jones.
Particularly, over the years, her love of science inspired a great number of young people; she truly made a difference in so many people’s lives.
We will keep Abi and her family in our prayers as we are all grieved by her tragic loss.
“As a school, we are supporting one another during this very trying time,” was the statement.
Following IVF procedures, Abi and Matthew, who wed in 2017, had a daughter barely six months ago.
Castleford residents and West Yorkshire Police, who started the missing person’s investigation, performed a thorough search of the area.
Abi’s body was discovered on Monday in the bushes off of Southmoor Road in South Yorkshire, close to Brierley.
Her 29-year-old husband Fisher has been remanded in custody after being accused with her murder yesterday.
It is a cruel world, many have said in their tributes to the West Yorkshire mother.
One mother of a student at the school remarked, “My daughter’s teacher, Mrs. Abi Fisher, is an absolutely great person.”
Alex Johnson, a relative, said: “I have no words.”
“Abi was such a nice lass,” stated Jordan Kenworthy accompanied her to school and she wouldn’t harm a fly.
Abi was a beautiful lady and a fantastic teacher to the kids in our school, said Hayley Power.
Amazingly compassionate and loving, she cherished all of her coworkers and the students at the school.
At the time of her abduction, Abi’s mother, Andrea Richardson, said: “Our daughter Abi is still missing from Walton Park Street, Castleford.
“A six-month-old baby girl needs her mother, so she has one.
According to Yorkshire Live, Fisher, her husband, requested people to sign a petition for other people undergoing IVF by saying it was a “postcode lottery” but that he was thankful for his “beautiful daughter” despite the difficulty of getting pregnant.
“Everyone should be offered three complete rounds of IVF,” he stated, “just as no one wants to be born with fertility concerns, and no one should be discriminated against depending on where they live.
“The National Institute for Care and Health Excellence endorses this.