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

[WiseOwl]

Survival expert slams cops over search for missing mum

Samantha Murphy, 51, left her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat, in country Victoria, to go jogging through Woowookarung Regional Park at about 7am on February 4.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Some snippets from article:

An expert bush tracker believes missing mum Samantha Murphy could 'definitely' still be alive after nine days in bushland, and has accused Victoria Police of being too hasty in scaling back the search. 'She could absolutely be alive if she found her way to water,' he said. 'You can go about three days without water and about a month without food, but people have survived for months in the past.'

He said police usually call off ground searches between five and nine days due to a lack of funding and resources. Mr Cassar urged authorities to call on bush trackers to help, and said he would be willing to stage his own search. 'It's not a good way to go, being left in the elements,' he said. 'The SES do a great job, as do police, but volunteers need to get back to their families and their jobs.'

So there is still hope for Samantha if she is still in the bushland.

Small teams of locals scoured bushland for the missing mum on Sunday, while another group organised to meet at Buninyong Police Station the following morning, but with temperatures soaring to 36 degrees, no one showed up on Monday.

Not good news as regards the search.

<modsnip: Please leave the social media drama out of the discussion>

 

[iamshadow21]

Survival expert slams cops over search for missing mum

Samantha Murphy, 51, left her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat, in country Victoria, to go jogging through Woowookarung Regional Park at about 7am on February 4.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Some snippets from article:

An expert bush tracker believes missing mum Samantha Murphy could 'definitely' still be alive after nine days in bushland, and has accused Victoria Police of being too hasty in scaling back the search. 'She could absolutely be alive if she found her way to water,' he said. 'You can go about three days without water and about a month without food, but people have survived for months in the past.'

He said police usually call off ground searches between five and nine days due to a lack of funding and resources. Mr Cassar urged authorities to call on bush trackers to help, and said he would be willing to stage his own search. 'It's not a good way to go, being left in the elements,' he said. 'The SES do a great job, as do police, but volunteers need to get back to their families and their jobs.'

So there is still hope for Samantha if she is still in the bushland.

Small teams of locals scoured bushland for the missing mum on Sunday, while another group organised to meet at Buninyong Police Station the following morning, but with temperatures soaring to 36 degrees, no one showed up on Monday.

Not good news as regards the search.

<modsnip: Please leave the social media drama out of the discussion>

'If there was funding, I would love to come down and help find her.'

Oh, you would, would you, mate?

I hate to be suspicious of the general benevolence of humanity, but you're pinging my cynic meter, here.

MOO

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The mayor of Ballarat, Des Hundson, said speculation was “not helpful.’”

“Everyone potentially thinks they have a scenario and a theory on what might have happened,” he said.

“My suggestion would be to please leave that for the professional investigators that will be working behind the scenes. It’s not always visible, but they’ll be looking at a whole range of different range of inquiries to hopefully draw some leads into what has happened to Samantha.”

Psychics and amateur sleuths toss unfounded theories into search for missing Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy

As the police investigation enters its second week, wild speculation and conspiracy theories spread on social media

www.theguardian.com

*eta: this lady’s disappearance is shining a spotlight on their law enforcement, no doubt they’re using all available resources.

 

[Liadan]

The less information there is, the less contamination of conflicting info will be when the police have to put a case. Also, if police spill their beans, the POIs can craft stories around the info. (I'm not sure if the police can tell furfies to pressurise POIs here in Aus, but it's seemingly routine in the US.) So if police know the truth and the POI drops a thread in their tangled web......gotcha

While it's infuriating, patience will pay off in the end.

 

[Awakening]

dbm - article already been posted

 

[Awakening]

'If there was funding, I would love to come down and help find her.'

Oh, you would, would you, mate?

I hate to be suspicious of the general benevolence of humanity, but you're pinging my cynic meter, here.

MOO

I disagree. Jake is a highly regarded tracker who has assisted in many high profile searches. He cannot do it for free. If he does one case for free then why not others? He needs to pay the bills and eat like anyone else.

Perhaps the family, friends or local community will chip in to pay for his costs and time.

 

[Algorithm]

Surely in the last few days a searcher would have smelt a decaying body if SM had passed and was close to a track or search path. Leads me to believe SM is not in the search area and/or still alive.

 

[olaselo]

I re-watched the eldest daughters request for help at the presser, with no audio, last night - the father's mouths movements tend to line up with someone going through significant grief (IMO).

Someone in here mentioned it could be linked to the business - I now tend to agree.

I wonder if there was someone from the business who had a crush on her or similar.

 

[BoysTown]

I re-watched the eldest daughters request for help at the presser, with no audio, last night - the father's mouths movements tend to line up with someone going through significant grief (IMO).

Someone in here mentioned it could be linked to the business - I now tend to agree.

I wonder if there was someone from the business who had a crush on her or similar.

I noticed the same. Looked like he was trying to stop himself from crying or breaking down.

 

[carbuff]

im wondering could they have been living separate lives under the one roof, maybe an area of the house each where they come and go, neither knowing what the other was doing? it could explain her husbands seemingly odd indifference?

He didn't strike me as indifferent. He seemed more like he was emotionally detaching from the reality so he could hold himself together. Like his thoughts had withdrawn and left his body on autopilot.

 

[Curiousobserver]

What is really the right way to respond as a husband, especially when LE tell you not to go out and look on your own? You can't go to work because that will look bad, you can't stay home because that looks bad... You must wonder which of your friends think you are responsible and are probably afraid to show your face. And then there is the part where your wife is missing and may be dead/alive/captive.

 

[PNW]

M

It's different for a woman though, isn't it? Unless she also happens to be a metal worker.

My parents have never worn wedding rings and are happily married. I don’t think that means anything.

 

[Trooper]

The less information there is, the less contamination of conflicting info will be when the police have to put a case. Also, if police spill their beans, the POIs can craft stories around the info. (I'm not sure if the police can tell furfies to pressurise POIs here in Aus, but it's seemingly routine in the US.) So if police know the truth and the POI drops a thread in their tangled web......gotcha

While it's infuriating, patience will pay off in the end.

I don't think any police force in AU is adverse to gazing into the eye of the public and lying their little heads off if it suits the purpose.. It is encouraged, and generally accepted that they do. Generations of them have seriously looked into a camera and said ' The gentleman is assisting the police in their enquiries',,as if it was a voluntary and pleasant experience. They are not allowed to concoct tangible evidence, naturally.. but anything else goes.

 

[Voluspa]

I re-watched the eldest daughters request for help at the presser, with no audio, last night - the father's mouths movements tend to line up with someone going through significant grief (IMO).

Someone in here mentioned it could be linked to the business - I now tend to agree.

I wonder if there was someone from the business who had a crush on her or similar.

This is a possibility.

Even an infidelity or falling out within the team. IMO.

 

[Voluspa]

What is really the right way to respond as a husband, especially when LE tell you not to go out and look on your own? You can't go to work because that will look bad, you can't stay home because that looks bad... You must wonder which of your friends think you are responsible and are probably afraid to show your face. And then there is the part where your wife is missing and may be dead/alive/captive.

I feel for the innocent SO in these situations, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

 

[Chestnutsunfish]

It's different for a woman though, isn't it? Unless she also happens to be a metal worker.

I don’t wear my wedding or engagement ring and happily married. Just not a jewellery person! ‍

 

[Dotta]

I feel for the innocent SO in these situations, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Usually a SO is the first suspect.
And other members of family.
That is reality,
and no offence to them.

JMO

 

[Trooper]

Just to reiterate , that today, in Victoria, schools are closing, State Parks are closed to visitors, no one is allowed to do the usual dangerous stuff, like axle grinding out in the open, cigarette butt discarding, BBQ, lots of farm stuff, etc, now that the fire rating is graded Catastrophic (the highest and most dangerous rating ) and God Knows Every Victorian Knows What That Means......... not a day to be lost in the bush.

 

[BreakingNews]

Survival expert slams cops over search for missing mum

Samantha Murphy, 51, left her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat, in country Victoria, to go jogging through Woowookarung Regional Park at about 7am on February 4.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Some snippets from article:

An expert bush tracker believes missing mum Samantha Murphy could 'definitely' still be alive after nine days in bushland, and has accused Victoria Police of being too hasty in scaling back the search. 'She could absolutely be alive if she found her way to water,' he said. 'You can go about three days without water and about a month without food, but people have survived for months in the past.'

He said police usually call off ground searches between five and nine days due to a lack of funding and resources. Mr Cassar urged authorities to call on bush trackers to help, and said he would be willing to stage his own search. 'It's not a good way to go, being left in the elements,' he said. 'The SES do a great job, as do police, but volunteers need to get back to their families and their jobs.'

So there is still hope for Samantha if she is still in the bushland.

Small teams of locals scoured bushland for the missing mum on Sunday, while another group organised to meet at Buninyong Police Station the following morning, but with temperatures soaring to 36 degrees, no one showed up on Monday.

Not good news as regards the search.

<modsnip: Please leave the social media drama out of the discussion>

Maybe police called off search as they may have Intel. IMO they are working behind closed doors and will make announcement when all their ducks are in a row.

 

[BreakingNews]

I disagree. Jake is a highly regarded tracker who has assisted in many high profile searches. He cannot do it for free. If he does one case for free then why not others? He needs to pay the bills and eat like anyone else.

Perhaps the family, friends or local community will chip in to pay for his costs and time.

The search has been called off. Police would have their reasons to stop this so soon.