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

[OptimusLime]

Good to see suppression order lifted. In the days, weeks, and months to come, the full story will come to light. I am glad he is off the street for the safety of the public. I hope his gaol sentence is the maximum extent of the law.

 

[MrJ]

Now that the interim suppression order has been lifted, can it be imposed again by another magistrate?

 

[iamshadow21]

Good to see suppression order lifted. In the days, weeks, and months to come, the full story will come to light. I am glad he is off the street for the safety of the public. I hope his gaol sentence is the maximum extent of the law.

Because this case is still under sub judice, I wouldn't expect a huge amount more until trial.

MOO

 

[Skyboy90]

Now that’s public, can anyone Advise the street names where he lives so we can map out the area and distances?

 

[mamamama9873]

im thinking he was high on coke and physically attacked and murdered her, and later a dented car of a friends may have been used to move her body, in my opinion

I don’t know about the involved friend theory. Why would a friend assist with a murder. What does he have to gain. Even if the friend looked up to the perp, who in their right mind would be willing to assist with such a dreadful crime and then remain quiet for such a long time too.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The man charged with murdering Victorian woman Samantha Murphy can be revealed as 22-year-old Patrick Orren Stephenson.

An interim suppression order preventing publication of the man's name was lifted a short time ago, after a challenge in the courts by media outlets, including the ABC.

Patrick Orren Stephenson named as Samantha Murphy's accused killer after suppression order ends

The man charged with murdering Victorian woman Samantha Murphy can be revealed as Patrick Orren Stephenson, after his lawyer dropped a bid to have the 22-year-old's name suppressed.

www.abc.net.au

Cops make major move in Sam Murphy murder investigation

The man charged with the murder of Ballarat mother of three Samantha Murphy is the son of a former AFL footballer.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Detective Willy]

I really feel for his parents/siblings in all this, especially with his father being mentioned in every news article.

That being said Samanthas family deserve to know where she is. I hope his parents have some influence over him and convince him to cooperate with police.

I imagine that this 22 year old has always looked up to his father and tried to follow in his footsteps on the sporting field.

IMO his father should have the father to son talk now as I believe he will listen to him.

Something along the lines of "Everybody makes mistakes. We can forgive you and we will always love you, but now you have to do the right thing and tell the truth".

The healing can somewhat begin once he "owns it".

 

[Skyboy90]

According to the court witnesses yesterday he now has a beard.

The Herald Sun on the paper today mentions they have a source that he was ‘on the radar’ for 2 weeks.

 

[mamamama9873]

I

I really feel for his parents/siblings in all this, especially with his father being mentioned in every news article.

That being said Samanthas family deserve to know where she is. I hope his parents have some influence over him and convince him to cooperate with police.

I feel the same way. The poor father now having his name and face plastered all over the internet for all the wrong reasons. Absolutely terrible. I’d prefer if they just showed photos of the perp. Same with the recent double murder in Sydney, why do the families need to get exposed like that. They are victims too.

 

[Richrd]

.
8 August Court Date

Samantha Murphy - Patrick Stephenson - Google Search

.

 

[drsleuth]

I guess all the Journos have now had nearly 24hrs to write their stories

 

[bearbear]

I don’t know about the involved friend theory. Why would a friend assist with a murder. What does he have to gain. Even if the friend looked up to the perp, who in their right mind would be willing to assist with such a dreadful crime and then remain quiet for such a long time too.

he could have called the friend in a panic begging them to help him with something, an accident, anything, so the friend drives there not knowing the truth and ends up reluctantly, maybe scared,
helps him move and transport sms body,
the friend could be now helping police with info?

 

[SouthAussie]

Now that’s public, can anyone Advise the street names where he lives so we can map out the area and distances?

I believe it is less than 2km - maybe 1½ km as the crow flies - from where the police were photographed by the Mt Clear phone tower on Boak Road. In a close residential area. imo

See @Oona post below.

Information from infobelpro.com - business details.

 

[Oona]

Now that’s public, can anyone Advise the street names where he lives so we can map out the area and distances?

I’m not sure if it is against websleuths rules to reveal the family home address.
You can easily look it up using the business name mentioned in this daily Mail article.

Cops make major move in Sam Murphy murder investigation

The man charged with the murder of Ballarat mother of three Samantha Murphy is the son of a former AFL footballer.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[imstilla.grandma]

In the end, no battle was needed and the suppression order was withdrawn by Stephenson's own defence lawyer.

But in an extraordinary rant to the court, Mr Tamanika blasted Australia’s media for its advocation of an open justice system and insisted his application for the gag order had ‘bona fide’ reasons.

‘It is concerning that the application or granting of such orders can be, or is, immediately seen as being some form of underhanded move or manipulation by an accused person,' he said.

Mr Tamanika said his client had hoped to keep his father's name out of the press.

Cops make major move in Sam Murphy murder investigation

The man charged with the murder of Ballarat mother of three Samantha Murphy is the son of a former AFL footballer.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[MIG214222]

Samantha Murphy's accused killer named as Patrick Orren Stephenson after suppression order ends
Source - ABC - by court reporter Kristian Silva

(removed whitespace)

 

[mamamama9873]

he could have called the friend in a panic begging them to help him with something, an accident, anything, so the friend drives there not knowing the truth and ends up reluctantly, maybe scared,
helps him move and transport sms body,
the friend could be now helping police with info?

I still can’t imagine that. Possibly that the perp borrowed a car without the owner knowing what he would use it for. But I very much doubt a friend is involved and assisted. Police also stated that he acted alone IMO

 

[Nifty]

VICPOL has stated clearly that Mrs Murphy is dead, a big statement, and one that is difficult to undo. Not having seen the body, nor has a doctor, nor an ambulance officer, nor a coroner, nor a serving officer of the police force seen the body, it is reasonable to assume that VICPOL have some very heavy , indisputable, unarguable evidence that confirms this statement.

It's the kind of statement that sets off a whole lot of civic faffing, property transfers, business partnership dissolved, car transfer ownership, grave purchases, registered transfers of stocks and bonds, bank accounts closed and re opened, Wills perused, articles defined, appointments cancelled, These things are hard to put into reverse if the police have made an error, so they have to be sure.

Someone saying that she is dead would not be enough, there would have to be tangible , solid evidence, like.. a film, or photographs, ... He is 22, most likely inexperienced in murdering women, perhaps not inexperienced in fantasizing,

I was impressed by the demeanor of the Police Commander, in this regard, there was no going backwards in respect of Mrs Murphy's demise, so ....

Maybe he has filmed everything on his mobile, as one of the first things taken from police, would be his phone

plus possibly his dash cam

 

[mamamama9873]

In the end, no battle was needed and the suppression order was withdrawn by Stephenson's own defence lawyer.

But in an extraordinary rant to the court, Mr Tamanika blasted Australia’s media for its advocation of an open justice system and insisted his application for the gag order had ‘bona fide’ reasons.

‘It is concerning that the application or granting of such orders can be, or is, immediately seen as being some form of underhanded move or manipulation by an accused person,' he said.

Mr Tamanika said his client had hoped to keep his father's name out of the press.

Cops make major move in Sam Murphy murder investigation

The man charged with the murder of Ballarat mother of three Samantha Murphy is the son of a former AFL footballer.

www.dailymail.co.uk

That makes me so angry!! Where is the concern for Sam, her family and his family as he committed the crime!!

 

[Trooper]

Maybe he has filmed everything on his mobile, as one of the first things taken would be his phone

plus possibly his dash cam

I think so , too. I think he was idiotic enough to send it to someone. Which is where the ' assistance from the public' comes into it. Something / someone must have tipped the police off about him, they've been watching him for 2 weeks or more. Filming himself doing this would be quite the thing to do, in his thinking, I suppose, a record , a memory, a trophy memory.