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 #2

[StillDiggin]

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 planning to run through the Canadian State Forest and was captured on CCTV wearing a brown singlet and black half-length leggings.

The mother-of-three has now been missing for almost 36 hours

Her 'upset and concerned' family hold grave concerns and described her disappearance as out of character.

Grave fears for mum missing for 36 hours

Samantha Murphy, 51, was last seen leaving her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat East, about 100km northwest of Melbourne, at 7am on Sunday. She's still missing 36 hours later.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Thread #1

 

[Sillybilly]

ADMIN NOTE:

Please stay on topic. This thread is dedicated to discussion of Samantha's case. If you are interested in and wish to discuss details of other cases, including the Russell Hill and Carol Clay case, please take your posts to the appropriate thread dedicated to those individuals.

Social media drama is in no way productive in determining what has happened to Samantha and has no bearing on this discussion at Websleuths. That means no discussion of the recently removed Help Find page.

Other than the knowledge that the Murphys own a car repair business, there is nothing that supports speculative theories or insinuations that the business is involved in criminal activity or has an affiliation with outlaw motorcycle gangs. Move past that please.

Thanks.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Please continue the discussion here.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Writing on social media on Tuesday, Ms Austin said: “Just heard detectives on the morning news saying they’re revisiting my case with regards to missing person Samantha Murphy, yet I haven’t heard a single word from detectives or police in 12 months.

“And do you know what makes me furious is one of the last things the cops said to me after my attack was?

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/news/sissy-austin-slams-police-over-samantha-murphy-disappearance/news-story/54c8f292e6ab39e7cb383f874e5cbb41

Police have since wound back their search in Canadian State Forest, which Watson-Munro said could be a clue to what authorities are thinking might have happened to Murphy.

“I gather that there was a ping from a mobile phone some distance away and then a dropout. So obviously a phone was either thrown away as a decoy or she made it that far and then the phone died out.”

'Unusual': Forensic expert's worrying new theory about mum's disappearance

Lack of evidence or clues despite extensive searches in bushland and surrounding areas.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[BGirl88]

Thinking of the comment from the daughter “she’s too strong to give up this fight” (or words to that effect). I’ve been wondering if perhaps she’s recently had a significant health diagnosis and is struggling to come to terms with it.

My thoughts on what has happened to Sam seem to change many times a day!

 

[blushcherry]

It's not unheard of for rural women to take their own lives in privacy after a devastating diagnosis. A rural GP from another goldfields town did it years ago after finding out she had early onset dementia - didn't tell the husband.

 

[Voluspa]

Thinking of the comment from the daughter “she’s too strong to give up this fight” (or words to that effect). I’ve been wondering if perhaps she’s recently had a significant health diagnosis and is struggling to come to terms with it.

My thoughts on what has happened to Sam seem to change many times a day!

IMO at the time of this comment from her daughter, they were of the strong belief that SM was injured/lost in the forest and if that were the case, her mother had the strength to persevere through it.

The comment could mean a myriad of things... Perhaps a diagnosis, past health issues overcome? Perhaps Sam had a turbulent upbringing and despite it all became a wonderful mother, wife and business woman, heavily involved in her children's weekly activities and the community organisations. It's been said she was the backbone.
<modsnip>

 

[Liadan]

This quote just blows my mind,
"Forensic psychologist Tim Watson-Munro told Sky News that despite his expertise in criminal forensics, he has “never encountered” a case like Murphy’s. What has baffled Watson-Munro about the Murphy case is that there has been “no evidence” to examine, explaining there is usually a small clue left behind for investigators to work with."

As if he would be privy to evidence!!!! He has just the same access to info as we do! And as if they would share with him if they had a small clue. Far out!

AND other cases have been run the same way, Karen Ristevski, is a case in point. GUH!

 

[Cartie]

Thinking of the comment from the daughter “she’s too strong to give up this fight” (or words to that effect). I’ve been wondering if perhaps she’s recently had a significant health diagnosis and is struggling to come to terms with it.

My thoughts on what has happened to Sam seem to change many times a day!

If she had health concerns, would they have been mentioned it to make everyone aware that speed is of the essence?

 

[kiwi50]

I’d like to know who usually took the Vizsla for a walk, IF it was Samantha she appeared to have a busy day ahead, would she want to go out in the heat of the day when she returned from brunch, yes she could go out in the evening, but it just makes more sense to me to take dog out early, rather than a long run by yourself.

 

[SLouTh]

New article from DM

Focusing on the mine shafts.

He spoke to Daily Mail Australia after a local mineshaft explorer said he believes Ms Murphy could have been abducted by someone living in an abandoned tunnel in the area.

Mineshaft experts share their theories on mother's disappearance

Brad Osborne, who fell down a mineshaft in 2020, and mine explorer Raymond Shaw have revealed what could have happened to missing mum Samantha Murphy if she fell in an abandoned mine.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[olaselo]

I looked into menopause and it's effect on the psyche.

I am now tending to think she has left on her own accord - with the help of a family member.

I am a guy. I had absolutely no idea what some women go through with menopause. The age lines up.
There would have been significant changes to Samantha's life this year.
School started around the time she went missing. Did youngest son move into High School?
Significant age differences between children.

By the time police scaled back searches etc, they would have gained access to financial records etc.
The Top Brass still have not been called in.
We have not had another public appeal for information - from either Husband or Daughter.

Going back to the husband in the 'appeal for information' - perhaps he was using distancing language because there was distance in the relationship.

The police still may not know where she is and as such it is still a missing person.

I sincerely hope I am right and she is alive - but mentally not ok.

 

[investikater]

Mineshaft experts share their theories on mother's disappearance

Brad Osborne, who fell down a mineshaft in 2020, and mine explorer Raymond Shaw have revealed what could have happened to missing mum Samantha Murphy if she fell in an abandoned mine.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Says he thinks there might be people living in the old mineshafts

 

[Liadan]

For me, the mineshaft theory seems left field- she was training to do a longer marathon. It is unlikely she would go off the trail if she was timing and testing her stamina with this run. Do we even know that she left for a run? Honestly, the fact she is wearing leggings and a tank top - this is leisure wear it could be her normal day wear on a weekend.
I suppose if you prescribe to the abduction scenario, this may be where they have posited her.

 

[SouthAussie]

Writing on social media on Tuesday, Ms Austin said: “Just heard detectives on the morning news saying they’re revisiting my case with regards to missing person Samantha Murphy, yet I haven’t heard a single word from detectives or police in 12 months.

“And do you know what makes me furious is one of the last things the cops said to me after my attack was?

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/news/sissy-austin-slams-police-over-samantha-murphy-disappearance/news-story/54c8f292e6ab39e7cb383f874e5cbb41

I hope the police are following this lead closely.

The person who attacked Sissy attacked her with a rock tied to the end of a stick. Was that so the attacker could achieve a more forceful swing of the rock? It seems very vicious and premeditated, although the victim (Sissy) could have been randomly selected because she was on her own. And by swinging at Sissy's head, she could easily have died. As it is, she is left with permanent injuries.

Along with the disheveled man, with the crotch of his pants ripped, who happily approached the woman camper around the time Samantha disappeared, then took off when he saw the male camper.

There are definitely some strange and perhaps very dangerous people lurking in the bushland.

imo

 

[Awakening]

I hope the police are following this lead closely.

The person who attacked Sissy attacked her with a rock tied to the end of a stick. Was that so the attacker could achieve a more forceful swing of the rock? It seems very vicious and premeditated, although the victim (Sissy) could have been randomly selected because she was on her own. And by swinging at Sissy's head, she could easily have died. As it is, she is left with permanent injuries.

Along with the disheveled man, with the crotch of his pants ripped, who happily approached the woman camper around the time Samantha disappeared, then took off when he saw the male camper.

There are definitely some strange and perhaps very dangerous people lurking in the bushland.

imo

I’m not convinced the campers story is correct. This story first appeared on the defunct fb group and changed a few times before appearing in dm.

 

[JLZ]

New article from DM

Focusing on the mine shafts.

He spoke to Daily Mail Australia after a local mineshaft explorer said he believes Ms Murphy could have been abducted by someone living in an abandoned tunnel in the area.

Mineshaft experts share their theories on mother's disappearance

Brad Osborne, who fell down a mineshaft in 2020, and mine explorer Raymond Shaw have revealed what could have happened to missing mum Samantha Murphy if she fell in an abandoned mine.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Following reports of a man harassing female searchers. . . .

Does anyone know more about this?

 

[SouthAussie]

I’m not convinced the campers story is correct. This story first appeared on the defunct fb group and changed a few times before appearing in dm.

The police will get to the bottom of their story. And it still leaves a violent attacker (Sissy's) to be re-investigated.

’The only way we will find the person that attacked you is if they hand themselves in or if they attack again.’

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/news/sissy-austin-slams-police-over-samantha-murphy-disappearance/news-story/54c8f292e6ab39e7cb383f874e5cbb41

 

[olaselo]

Oh no! Unfortunately, Samantha's dog was hit by a car and was euthanised.

Fresh tragedy hits Samantha Murphy's family

The family of missing mum Samantha Murphy have been dealt yet another cruel blow with the death of her beloved dog Ruby.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[SLouTh]

Oh no! Unfortunately, Samantha's dog was hit by a car and was euthanised.

Fresh tragedy hits Samantha Murphy's family

The family of missing mum Samantha Murphy have been dealt yet another cruel blow with the death of her beloved dog Ruby.

www.dailymail.co.uk

And we now know Ruby didn’t go on the run with Samantha …

Police sources have told Daily Mail Australia that Ruby had not been with Ms Murphy when she herself went missing.

(From the same article)