Australia Samantha Murphy, 51, last seen leaving her property to go for a run in the Canadian State Forest, Ballarat 100km NW of Melbourne, 4 Feb 2024 #6

[ProfCluezo]

Given the accused is an electrician, it doesn’t seem like a leap to hypothesise that the accused may well have solid problem-solving skills, and work methodically. Both these qualities could, hypothetically, assist him in brainstorming ways to dispose of a body and evade detection? Whatever the accused may have imbibed hours before the alleged murder it would seem that these substances did not lead to any major errors committed in haste. This suggests to me that the accused may possess tendencies towards reckless risk taking on the one hand (ie., alleged cocaine use, alcohol and driving under the influence), but also cold-hearted, unemotional planning and execution on the other (ie., allegedly deliberate intent to kill, leaving no traces behind, possibly deflecting attention away from real scenario by “ping” at 5pm). Perhaps this is why the accused’s actions are so difficult to comprehend, as there seems to be a lack of consistency in his modes of operating? I wonder how suprised (or unsurprised) those who know the accused are by his alleged actions? All JMO, MOO…

 

[SouthAussie]

I don't understand how they can be so sure it was intentional murder and not a charge of something like "vehicle manslaughter", or whatever the official name of that would be.

Hi playerpiano.

The accused's behaviour seems to exhibit that whatever they have on him, the police might be right. He sure as heck is not talking to them and claiming an accident.

I imagine that it is very hard for friends and family to believe that there may be an alleged murderer lurking inside the person they know.

imo

 

[Hats]

I agree.

Something that has stuck with me from the Under Investigation TV program, was that someone said Sam's phone could still be tracked even if turned off. Tracked through the IMEI. Does that make sense? Perhaps police have more information than just the pings.

I think they meant, not while turned off, but could still be tracked if the SIM card was removed.

 

[Dotta]

I see the accused as a weak and conformist type.
Without any initiative in life.

- At 22 still living with parents?
- Following father's footsteps like a shadow?
(football, even the chosen job)

Usually children choose their own path in life, different career and are more ambitious than parents.

It seems to me he was glued to parents (especially father) b/c he benefited from this situation, e.g father's contacts in business.

And then,
there is his wallowing in addictions:
alcohol, drugs in a bender.
How did he finance them?

What does it all say about his character?
His personality?

Nothing good IMO.
I'm amazed any girl could view him as a "man of her life"

JMO

 

[Trooper]

I'm a local and after speaking to a few country footy boys I know I've been able to understand a few things that happened the night before and the lead up to the her death. some things still don't completely sit right with me, I don't understand how they can be so sure it was intentional murder and not a charge of something like "vehicle manslaughter", or whatever the official name of that would be.

The video clip of the "white powder" the night before had been making the rounds locally before it was picked up by mainstream news, <modsnip -- not in MSM>

It takes a lot for VICPOL to state publicly that someone is definitely dead, without viewing the body, or a doctor announcing death, or an ambulance officer, or, even, a serving officer of the police, who is by law able to declare death,( but not sign a death certificate) , . It is not something done in haste or on a whim , it would have to pass up and down a whole lot of lawyers, barristers, solicitors, paralegals, Police Commanders, Inspectors, right up the ranks to Commissioner before it was stated publicly.

Not only that, VICPOL have definitively claimed that it is murder. Not Manslaughter , not Involuntary manslaughter, not an accident, not anything else, but Murder. and ONLY murder. This is a huge claim, and they must have some concrete, rock hard, titanium evidence to back that extraordinary claim .

Up against the blokes down at the footy club, all of whom have a vested interest in protecting the good name of their association and the rejection of the ghastly idea that they did not know what was going on in their own team mates lives, for my money, I 'll be backing VIC POL on this one. I just don't think the 'boys' down the club have a firm grip on things.

 

[Dr Samoht]

And may not be relevant at all, but I keep coming back to the the item found that was reported later as not being 'relevant' (relating to a plastic guard around a new/growth tree) on the 6th Feb. Media article here

"At about 12.30pm a search crew found a possible piece of evidence just off a walking trail at Woowookarung Regional Park. Detectives were seen looking very closely at a plastic tree guard before ejecting all reporters from the area."

Can anyone work out if this was a carpark/entrance on Recreation Road?

No this was Cathie st , the entrance off Eureka St .
It was near the intersection of Cathie st and York st Ballarat East .

 

[Trooper]

Hmm, coincidence?

Does India have any kind of extradition relationship with Australia?

Another sad soul lost too soon.

Yes it does, but that is only half the problem, finding the man in India is the other half of the problem.

 

[Voluspa]

I see the accused as a weak and conformist type.
Without any initiative in life.

- At 22 still living with parents?
- Following father's footsteps like a shadow?
(football, even the chosen job)

Usually children choose their own path in life, different career and are more ambitious than parents.

It seems to me he was glued to parents (especially father) b/c he benefited from this situation, e.g father's contacts in business.

And then,
there is his wallowing in addictions:
alcohol, drugs in a bender.
How did he finance them?

What does it all say about his character?
His personality?

Nothing good IMO.
I'm amazed any girl could view him as a "man of her life"

JMO

IMO still living at home at 22 is a smart move in this current economy. Don't forget the extreme Covid restrictions Victoria faced in recent times. Regional where the perp lives wasn't as severe as metro Melbourne but they were still extreme. I'm not sure how that affected his work at the time. I definitely think he coasts off his father's accomplishments and benefits from his contacts but he was working towards becoming an electrician. What we know is he wasn't an antisocial basement dweller with no employment. So it's entirely possible he funded his own use of recreational drugs.

 

[mondayschild]

@playerpiano - Police aren't saying much at all because the evidence they have will be tested in court.

If you know people that have relevant, helpful evidence I suggest you recommend they pass it on to crimestoppers or police directly.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Some people in cities seem to think that a drive of an hour or even more is out of the question to dispose of a body.
There have been quite a few murders where the body was found hundreds of kilometres away.

I don't know if Ballarat could be considered a "country" area or not.
I live in a smaller place of a bit over 46,000, so nowhere near as large a population as Ballarat.

My family moved here via a detour of another smaller place on the way.
Before we moved here we thought what a long way to travel, but after awhile of becoming a "local" we thought nothing of traveling the 3 hours to Sydney and back.
And the once thought quite long hour drive became no time at all.

When you're in the country you seem to think of time and distances in a different way.

There was a case here of a Bathurst woman whose remains were found almost 50 years after she went missing.
Her remains were found buried hundreds of kilometres away from where she was last seen.

Family has answers 49 years after woman disappears

The children of Judith Bartlett have waited almost 50 years for answers after their mother disappeared in central western NSW.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Angeline]

I think they meant, not while turned off, but could still be tracked if the SIM card was removed.

Just had a look at the Apple website. I wonder if this bit is referring to finding the phone's last location before it was turned off, or whether it can be tracked somehow while it's off?

On a supported iPhone, turning on the Find My network allows you to locate your iPhone for up to 24 hours after it’s turned off, or up to 5 hours when it’s in power reserve mode.

 

[Awakening]

Apologies but if it exists I can’t find it.

Is there a timeline of the accused’s whereabouts from Saturday night through to Sunday or even later?

Edited to add; I know we won’t have exact details but is there a rough guide?

 

[Whatson]

Just had a look at the Apple website. I wonder if this bit is referring to finding the phone's last location before it was turned off, or whether it can be tracked somehow while it's off?

 

[CooperDyl]

I see the accused as a weak and conformist type.
Without any initiative in life.

- At 22 still living with parents?

Have you seen the economy or housing market?
Obviously not defending this bloke but I think that’s a very harsh generalisation to make on any 22 year old living with their parents.

 

[Whatson]

Have you seen the economy or housing market?
Obviously not defending this bloke but I think that’s a very harsh generalisation to make on any 22 year old living with their parents.

I thought Aussie kids were still living with their parents into their 40s these days.

 

[Angeline]

He should ask for a (guilty) plea deal, and tell them where Sam is. Then no-one will ever hear the details of what he allegedly did.

Sometimes it is more important for the family to get their loved one back than pretty much anything else.

imo

Absolutely. Give the family the opportunity to have a dignified burial, in a place of their choosing, where they can go and visit her, lay flowers.

I can't fathom how awful it must be to have your loved one's resting place chosen by the killer, while nobody else knows where it is.

 

[Belleandsebastian]

I live in a regional town not far from Ballarat. I grew up in the area too. When I was the age of the accused drugs were very uncommon here, except for mild things. Now I’ve heard that there is a massive problem with ice and cocaine. We had a boy die by misadventure not too long ago who was on a drug binge like the accused. Just interesting how things have changed in the last 15-20 years.

 

[Dotta]

Have you seen the economy or housing market?
Obviously not defending this bloke but I think that’s a very harsh generalisation to make on any 22 year old living with their parents.

Economy is never too good for people.

The nature of the young is usually to break free from parental supervision.

To find their own place and be an adult not clutching at mum's apron strings.

That is the natural order.
He had enough money to buy booze and expensive drugs.
I guess he could rent some place.

By the way, did he indulge in his addictions and come to parental home under influence of substances?
Phew!

I guess we live in different worlds and don't share the outlook on being independent.

But it is OK.
I don't mind other people's opinions.
I live far away from Australia.

I just stated my own point of view

 

[Skyboy90]

I’m nervous in that he is playing the ‘say nothing’ game, in that the body is perhaps in a very hard place, perhaps impossible, location, for VPOL to find, without his direction.

One for the legal heads. If they finally find her later down the track, what are the consequences for him IF they find her on their own accord? Extra Prison Time?

 

[Whatson]

Economy is never too good for people.

The nature of the young is usually to break free from parental supervision.

To find their own place and be an adult not clutching at mum's apron strings.

That is the natural order.
He had enough money to buy booze and expensive drugs.
I guess he could rent some place.

By the way, did he indulge in his addictions and come to parental home under influence of substances?
Phew!

I guess we live in different worlds and don't share the outlook on being independent.

But it is OK.
I don't mind other people's opinions.
I live far away from Australia.

I just stated my own point of view

Australia has a bit of a housing crisis going on at the moment due to a migration wave. Even before that it was still normal for kids to live at home through their 20s