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 #7

[Sillybilly]

Everyone please read the Opening Posts regarding sub judice:

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 #7

desperate search continues for a mother-of-three who vanished without a trace after heading off on a 20km run during a heatwave. Samantha Murphy, 51, was last seen leaving her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat East, about 100km northwest of Melbourne, at 7am on Sunday. It's understood she was...

www.websleuths.com

 

[Voluspa]

I'm not sure how prolific mine shafts are over Victoria, or Australia, but Ballarat (and Bendigo) were major locations during the gold rush period, with every man and their dog trying their luck. So yes, I'd say this area has far more than most. Just ask anyone interested in prospecting and I dare say Ballarat and Bendigo are the hot spots for searching.

Gold mining and Opal mining towns would be prolific. My grandfather moved to a northern NSW town named Lightning Ridge, he lived in the actual Opal fields in a shack powered by a generator for many years. My father would drive me there every school holidays from Sydney. There were mines everywhere, including undocumented on private properties. I remember seeing some really dodgy looking ones and explored several with my father. In terms of the OPs post, there's certainly communities around the country but Ballarat has become a major rural city. We've seen articles regarding sink holes and I've heard rumour of construction workers finding gold on-site, enough to fund a holiday. There was that incident the other day with the working mine collapse, one worker died and others seriously injured. I would imagine that place would have strict security measures in place for their staff.

 

[bearbear]

I tend to agree Wulfmoon - as I said myself left field and not probable. I’m just trying to think of a plausible theory for the lack of IMO what would be normal standard procedure for a missing body.

Have you got a theory why police haven’t bothered with divers, cadaver dogs, stopped searching mines and forest so early, and aren’t interested in public reporting sightings of the accused vehicle? And yet they believe they have enough to prosecute a murder charge.

I’m really perplexed by this. I think if we could work out why these seemingly standard things are not being done to help find SM, despite the big show of putting a huge team of experts on the case, there might be something interesting there.

could police have received footage early on of the perp disposing of sms body in a horrific way and there may be no retrievable remains? i guess if that happened thered be forensics everywhere and it would be a massive crime scene which would be impossible to keep out of msm?

 

[Whatson]

Regarding the accused not wanting to disclose the location of the body... Potentially there are other bodies there that can be found?

I posted about this yesterday. A suspect was charged by police with murder in the same town in 2020. The body could not be found till 8 months later and police downgraded the charge to manslaughter at some point, with the suspect pleading guilty in the later part of 2023.

I believe this would have been a well publicised case in the town of Ballarat and will have some influence on how the accused cooperates with law enforcement. I just simply cannot believe a local adult would not have read about, watched reports on TV or conversed with others about this previous similar case multiple times.

So the no body no parole situation... Isn't 100% guaranteed, based on the previous case not that long ago. It can in fact be - No body - Downgraded sentence.

Woman jailed for killing Ballarat mother of four and dumping her body down a mineshaft

Shannon Jeffrey, 34, had fatally assaulted Kobie Parfitt, 42, and dumped her body down a mineshaft. The crime went undetected for eight months. Now, she has been sentenced for manslaughter.

www.abc.net.au

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/courts-law/shannon-jeffrey-killer-dumped-kobie-parfitt-down-disused-mine-shaft-near-ballarat/news-story/69e68168f8e81f9c3d974a436f3e2822

 

[Deleted member 340727]

For anyone interested in Apple watch alerts I heard from a friend of mine yesterday - who received a text message stating "(insert relatives name) has been in a HIGH COLLISION ACCIDENT and here is the location."

She thought the message was odd, possibly a joke and tried calling the relative... The phone was ringing out. Given it was late at night and the location was in a rural area, she decided to drive to the location. It took her 10 minutes to arrive and she was met with a horrific scene and no one else in sight! She proceeded to call an ambulance who said they were already notified by the watch and would be there as soon as possible, they were having a busy night and needed help from a town further away. 40 minutes later the ambulance arrived!

I thought I would share as I didn't realise the watches could differentiate between impact, being a fall, accident etc.

Those two devices are what have been there for SM and literally have been SM's only protector during her murder. Very sad. And protect: indeed they will. MOO

 

[HoneyBunOne]

I 100% agree with you Dotta. This is the little piece of info that heavily influences my whole “theory”. I do believe this 5pm ping was factual, and I also believe this was the time the body was being completely removed from the area.

I can’t decide if it was at this time the ping was a deliberate attempt at misdirecting the police, or whether it remained pinging until 5 pm and then stopped, so that’s when the perp Completely destroyed her phone and watch etc.

There’s been a lot of conjecture about SM having “find my phone” and other gps tracking. So maybe it being left on isn’t the most logical theory.
If this perp is cold, calculating and well thought out, maybe he could have turned it on at 5pm to throw the scent off. But would you need an access code to turn it back on? Probably you would with a phone, but I’m not sure about an Apple Watch? Is it just as simple as turning it off and on? I don’t have any experience with any kind of smart watch tbh.

IMO

You could potentially use a fingerprint to open the phone.

<modsnip: quoted post was removed>

 

[Rocket333]

A lot of things about this crime seem , to the amateur eye, unusual. Certainly, to my amateur eye.

Irrevocably stating that Mrs Murphy is dead was one thing, calling it murder was another, and this without any sighting of the body whatsoever, by any person qualified to pronounce death, and manner of death. ... I can't recall a similar situation, certainly not when she was only missing, at that point, for a fortnight. Years maybe... but that was mighty quick, and since I have a lot of reasons to take VICPOL at their word, I do not doubt that both these things are true.

She is dead, and she was murdered, and in the opinion if VICPOL , based on hard evidence they hold, Mr S did it. . On that Sunday morning, at Mt. Clear.

The search parameters seemed just another working hypothesis, and while the heat was a factor in searchers safety, plus bushfires, and the threat of bushfires, that had logic in it.....

His silence is the big mystery to me. It does not assist him. His solicitor and his ( no doubt funded ) barrister would be advising him of this in no uncertain terms, because they know the score only too well. His silence is a real disadvantage to him, and to no one else. No one else is going to pay the piper here, They would be be telling him this every day, in as many ways as possible.

PS was interviewed for something like 11 hours. What did he do during that time? Could he have admitted to it or stated something, and that added to whatever else they had was enough to prove SM had died at the scene? Or has he been silent about everything the entire time?

 

[BoysTown]

PS was interviewed for something like 11 hours. What did he do during that time? Could he have admitted to it or stated something, and that added to whatever else they had was enough to prove SM had died at the scene? Or has he been silent about everything the entire time?

It’s been reported he gave a ‘no comment’ interview when arrested.

Channel Seven court reporter Cassie Zervos speaks from Ballarat court - Drive with Jacqui Felgate

Channel Seven crime reporter Cassie Zervos was at Ballarat Magistrate Court this afternoon and revealed when the former footballer son's next court appearance will be.

omny.fm

 

[JLZ]

I have never used anything Apple haha
Only Android
And Android always pings - even if turned off.

Asking from a place of extreme ignorance. How do you know when a phone is pinging, (a) when it's on, and (b) when it's off? (Or how can you tell afterwards that it pinged at that time?

 

[MrsAddick]

I'm not sure how prolific mine shafts are over Victoria, or Australia, but Ballarat (and Bendigo) were major locations during the gold rush period, with every man and their dog trying their luck. So yes, I'd say this area has far more than most. Just ask anyone interested in prospecting and I dare say Ballarat and Bendigo are the hot spots for searching.

Very true. I’m from Bendigo and all my relatives are old school gold prospectors. They all live in the ‘golden triangle’ gold rush zone, particularly around Dunolly and Maryborough. As a 42 year old women from Sydney, whenever I visit home with my young boys, first thing their Pop wants to do is take them out prospecting!
There are abandoned, dangerous, undocumented mine shafts located everywhere in the bush.

 

[Macha]

A couple of things I want to mention. There was someone arrested early on. Was that the accused I wonder as time wise it would tie in with the time of the police starting to observe PS?
Also I wondered whether they knew each other from sight. From the Catholic Church? I'm assuming catholic because of the primary school link. JMO.

 

[Dotta]

Asking from a place of extreme ignorance. How do you know when a phone is pinging, (a) when it's on, and (b) when it's off? (Or how can you tell afterwards that it pinged at that time?

As far as I know
a smartphone sends information about its IMEI number and the SIM card placed in it to the nearest towers with GSM transmitters.
When a signal is sent to three nearby towers, the location of its source can be determined.

It happens b/c there is a battery inside that supports some systems that need electricity so that they don't hang up.
And the phone, even turned off (via the button) but with the battery inserted sends a signal to a nearby antenna.

JMO

 

[Trooper]

PS was interviewed for something like 11 hours. What did he do during that time? Could he have admitted to it or stated something, and that added to whatever else they had was enough to prove SM had died at the scene? Or has he been silent about everything the entire time?

I don't know what he said. or what he did. I am not a member of the investigation squad. I am merely an observer. VICPOL state categorically that he has said nothing to their investigation team. ......

Which leads to the inevitable conclusion that VICPOL have come to their conclusions based on evidence I know nothing about at this time, but it has to be hard , concrete, titanium stuff to declare a person not just dead, but murdered.

What that could be is anyone's guess, but as a starter, one could claim it is unarguable.. that the evidence they do have speaks for itself. Loudly, apparently.

Has he been silent with his barrister? I don't know. It's not illegal to ignore one's barrister, merely stupid. But he could be that way, indeed.

 

[Rocket333]

I don't know what he said. or what he did. I am not a member of the investigation squad. I am merely an observer. VICPOL state categorically that he has said nothing to their investigation team. ......

Which leads to the inevitable conclusion that VICPOL have come to their conclusions based on evidence I know nothing about at this time, but it has to be hard , concrete, titanium stuff to declare a person not just dead, but murdered.

What that could be is anyone's guess, but as a starter, one could claim it is unarguable.. that the evidence they do have speaks for itself. Loudly, apparently.

Has he been silent with his barrister? I don't know. It's not illegal to ignore one's barrister, merely stupid. But he could be that way, indeed.

Adding to it all PS’ demeanour in court is interesting.
“He appeared interested in the court proceedings going on around him and kept his composure, occasionally gazing at journalists and the magistrate and lawyers.”

Alleged Samantha Murphy killer's close female friend breaks cover

A woman believed to a close friend of Patrick Orren Stephenson's was seen training and tending to a horse at the rear of a Scotsburn property not far from where he was arrested.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Deleted member 293720]

PS was interviewed for something like 11 hours. What did he do during that time? Could he have admitted to it or stated something, and that added to whatever else they had was enough to prove SM had died at the scene? Or has he been silent about everything the entire time?

He was in custody for 30 hours, charged after that after being interviewed

 

[Trooper]

Would they be able to speak to him at the moment? I’m just wondering if either of them have told him to tell the police where her body is. MOO

He is on remand, that means he can have visitors, and make phone calls.

The typical prison routine for a day at the MRC is outlined below. The routine does not include movements to court or court returns.7:45 am Pre let out count8:00 am Prisoners let out of their cellLight breakfast availablePrisoners collect prescribed medication from satellite clinics10:45 am Formal Count12:00 noon Mid-day meal1:45 pm Formal Count4:45 pm Formal Count5:00 pm Meals served in units7:00 pm All prisoners return to unit (& lockup on weekends)8:00 pm Lock Up (weekdays)

(h) The right to have access to reasonable dental treatment necessary for the preservation of dental health;(i) The right to practise a religion of the prisoner’s choice and, if consistent with prison security and good prison management to join with other prisoners in practising that religion and to possess such articles as are necessary for the practice of that religion;(j) The right to make complaints concerning prison management to the Minister, the Secretary, the Commissioner, the Governor, an official visitor, the Ombudsman, the Health Services Commissioner and the Human Rights Commissioner;(k) The right to receive at least one visit which is to last at least half an hour in each week under section 47;

 

[Rocket333]

He is on remand, that means he can have visitors, and make phone calls.

The typical prison routine for a day at the MRC is outlined below. The routine does not include movements to court or court returns.7:45 am Pre let out count8:00 am Prisoners let out of their cellLight breakfast availablePrisoners collect prescribed medication from satellite clinics10:45 am Formal Count12:00 noon Mid-day meal1:45 pm Formal Count4:45 pm Formal Count5:00 pm Meals served in units7:00 pm All prisoners return to unit (& lockup on weekends)8:00 pm Lock Up (weekdays)

(h) The right to have access to reasonable dental treatment necessary for the preservation of dental health;(i) The right to practise a religion of the prisoner’s choice and, if consistent with prison security and good prison management to join with other prisoners in practising that religion and to possess such articles as are necessary for the practice of that religion;(j) The right to make complaints concerning prison management to the Minister, the Secretary, the Commissioner, the Governor, an official visitor, the Ombudsman, the Health Services Commissioner and the Human Rights Commissioner;(k) The right to receive at least one visit which is to last at least half an hour in each week under section 47;

That sounds like a big pile of tedium. What do they do in between roll calls, food, meds & court appearances? When do they start to crack if they haven’t already?

 

[Trooper]

That sounds like a big pile of tedium. What do they do in between roll calls, food, meds & court appearances? When do they start to crack if they haven’t already?

I don't know , I've never been on remand. Not in AU, or anywhere else.. It's way above my pay grade.

Some never crack.

Those who have been on remand tell me it's all very blokey and matey, all chums together, lots of chat and repartee... no where near the tedium of actual prison time.

 

[SLouTh]

Would they be able to speak to him at the moment? I’m just wondering if either of them have told him to tell the police where her body is. MOO

Only if PS has given his approval for contact…. If he hasn’t added them to his contact list then they can’t visit or phone…. They can however write to him …. (And ask to be put on the list …)


If you are on the prisoner's approved visit or phone list,

Contacting and visiting prisoners | Corrections Victoria

How to arrange contact or visits with prisoners in the Victorian prison system.

www.corrections.vic.gov.au

 

[SouthAussie]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>

When I looked at the White Pages, there are 8 Stephensons listed in the Ballarat council region. And they are only the ones who have a listed home phone. Many people these days don't have anything but a mobile phone, and others may have their home phone unlisted.