Australia Samantha Murphy, 51, last seen leaving her property to go for a run in the Canadian State Forest, Ballarat, 4 Feb 2024 *Arrest* #9

[BGirl88]

Re the latest charges for driving offences…

There are two PS court appearances on 8 august. One for the murder mention and half an hour before there is another mention where the informant / division is Highway Patrol Ballarat. I believe this earlier mention at 9.30am is to do with these driving charges.

IMO this latest article is kind of old news that’s only just been reported. The story of him being on a bender on AFL grand Final day and crashing a quad bike was spoken about a bit on another social media platform a few weeks ago.

I still believe she was struck by his car. Whether she died as a result of the car strike (which was a deliberate strike), or he failed to render assistance, or he ended her life after the strike, I’m not sure. Either way, I’ve always felt his car was involved, he failed to help her and then disposed of her body. MOO

Some interesting snipers from the Herald Sun article (paywalled)

One line of inquiry police are pursuing is whether Ms Murphy, a mother of three, was struck by a car after leaving her Eureka St home at 7am.

It is also being probed if his car was thoroughly washed inside and out in the days after Ms Murphy disappeared.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-victoria/accused-samantha-murphy-killer-patrick-stephenson-charged-with-driving-offences/news-story/1ce6e68acdb7575b876f9e7f9100f285

 

[JLZ]

I infer that no evidence of Samantha was found in or on the accused's car.

It's going to be crucial in my opinion that there is no gap in the watch data between the time of the "last photograph" of Samantha outside her house--still well inside her property--and the time of "catastrophic event" at Mt Clear. Samantha is wearing the watch in the photograph and if there is a continuous record between the time of the photo and the time of the "catastrophic event", then the watch could not have been transferred to somebody else who wore it into the forest and discarded it in Mt Clear.

 

[Sor Juana]

Samantha Murphy’s alleged killer charged with drink and drug driving offences

Patrick Orren Stephenson has been charged with careless driving, drink driving and drug driving offences after a crash on 1 October last year, which was the Sunday after the AFL grand final.

Victoria police confirmed on Friday the 22-year-old man had been charged on summons after a single vehicle collision involving a motorcycle in Ballarat.

 

[HoneyBunOne]

Alleged killer of Samantha Murphy hit with fresh charges

Patrick Orren Stephenson has been hit with fresh charges of drink and drug driving after he allegedly crashed a motorbike in Ballarat last year.

www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org

Can anyone advise me as to why these charges are occurring just now, and not back when they took place? It's alleged police attended the accident scene and breath tested him, which he failed, then took him to the police station to be drug tested, which he also failed. It seems clear there were several charges that could have been laid at that point in time. This event could also have the potential for him to lose his licence, if he even held a valid licence at that point in time. We do know he's had another appearance in court listed for a while now, the highway patrol one. Could he have been contesting a loss of licence? Another motor vehicle crime relating to speed/alcohol/drugs/reckless driving etc? Could he have hit Samantha while on a suspended licence, adding to his concern about getting caught?

For those outside of Australia, or even Victoria, here's a very basic rundown of how young people get their car licence. I'm not sure what is required for a motor bike licence.

We can get our learner's permit to drive a car at 16, after doing a written test about the road rules. From there we need to have 120 hours of driving under our belts, with a fully licensed driver beside us, and display L plates front and rear of the vehicle. Once we have done that, there's a hazard perception test online and then a driving test with a tester beside you, which can be done at 18. If successful, you then become a probationary driver, on your red P plates (P1), which must be displayed front and back of your vehicle. You have restrictions on what you can do regarding passengers, what you can drive (no V8's) etc and you can't have any alcohol or drugs in your system. After a year you then progress to P2, your green P's, which you hold for another 3 years. Again, no drugs or alcohol in your system at all. If you navigate this all correctly, you then become a fully licenced driver and you don't need to display anything.

We have a blood alcohol allowance of .05 for fully licenced drivers in the state of Victoria. Drugs of any kind are not allowed in your system at all. We also have a demerit point system, where we accumulate points for various driving offences. For example, speeding between 10km and 25km over the limit incurs 3 points. Following too closely incurs 1 point. Using a device illegally (generally mobile phone use) incurs 4 points. If you accumulate 12 points in any 3 year period, you stand to lose your licence. If you are driving very recklessly or have multiple offences occur during one incident, you can lose your licence on the spot.

It's easy to see how a young person, who drinks to excess, takes drugs, thinks they're invincible, has access to a car and motorbike, lives in the country and knows all the back roads etc could accumulate a few traffic incidents and be on the radar of police. MOO

Link to Vicroads, our licencing body in Victoria:

https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/

 

[SouthAussie]

Alleged killer of Samantha Murphy hit with fresh charges

Patrick Orren Stephenson has been hit with fresh charges of drink and drug driving after he allegedly crashed a motorbike in Ballarat last year.

www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org

Can anyone advise me as to why these charges are occurring just now, and not back when they took place? It's alleged police attended the accident scene and breath tested him, which he failed, then took him to the police station to be drug tested, which he also failed. It seems clear there were several charges that could have been laid at that point in time. This event could also have the potential for him to lose his licence, if he even held a valid licence at that point in time. We do know he's had another appearance in court listed for a while now, the highway patrol one. Could he have been contesting a loss of licence? Another motor vehicle crime relating to speed/alcohol/drugs/reckless driving etc? Could he have hit Samantha while on a suspended licence, adding to his concern about getting caught?

Highway Patrol officers were the officers who attended the motorcycle crash on 1st October, and alcohol tested him at the scene.
As @BGirl88 said above, these could be the same charges that have been listed on the court list for a little while now ... only MSM has only just now been able to confirm that it is him and what happened.

imo

This HS article from yesterday states that it was the Highway Patrol who attended the 1st October crash. Link

 

[acutename]

does anyone think that he could have been so drugged or drunk that he really has no clear memory of what he did or what happened? he could have tossed SM somewhere after a collision but does not have a memory of it.

 

[Kemug]

LOL @Dotta - you gotta come to OZ.
@SouthAussie is on the money, Aussie rules, AFL Grand Final; footy is HUGE - especially in Victoria; Samantha Murphy has a favourite footy team, the Richmond Tigers, there's a lot of tradition with footy.
Moo.

There is a saying: "In Adelaide they ask you what school you went to, in Melbourne they ask you what Footy team you barrack for", and in Sydney they ask you what your house is worth".

 

[Kemug]

Samantha Murphy’s alleged killer charged with drink and drug driving offences

Every girl's dream.

 

[nao]

Moo,....bad boys, ya know

 

[Deleted member 293720]

This is an interesting story and another perspective with this case


<modsnip - sub judice; also, rumors>

Our Team | Inland Motor Body works
(Samantha ran the books Mick the Panel Shop) Implications also say Mick was aware of the possible outcome
but Sam kept the books and if they weren't actually together as a couple explains some things.



bikies thing has been raised before. It does make sense if for example they moved the body after Stephenson did the act. No wonder Police can't find the body.

I am sure Police would be all over this angle. This theory could be Interesting
And Detective Acting Superintendent Mark Hatt did mention no comment when a reporter asked him about it being bikie related in the beginning

Another quote from Samantha's relative ...

Mr Robson said his niece was financially secure and pondered whether someone may have hurt her in a robbery gone wrong.

'Mick had so many cars he couldn't fit them in his garage,' he said.

'I don't think it's an opportunist,' Mrs Robson said.

'I think it's been someone who has been stalking her. Someone who she didn't even know was stalking her.'


I still think there is more to this, and it's not a straight forward murder case, it has more movement that a Swiss watch !
I can't believe still that a 22-year-old young man, could sit there still in silence and not say anything with hardened police, regardless on what his legal team have advised him, unless there are repercussions later on in his actions if he squeals,

so possibly he is hoping, by keeping his mouth shut, and SM body is not found, the police won't have crucial evidence, and he will be acquitted and that way he hasn't dobbed anyone else in (If this scenario is correct)

Samantha Murphy's smash repairs business major point of investigation

The Inland Motor Body Works shop, owned by missing mother-of-three Samantha Murphy and her husband Mick, is the largest in the Ballarat region northwest of Melbourne.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Family of Samantha Murphy break silence on what they think happened

The heartbroken family of missing mum of three Samantha Murphy fear she was abducted by a deranged stalker who pounced while she was on a morning run.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[BGirl88]

does anyone think that he could have been so drugged or drunk that he really has no clear memory of what he did or what happened? he could have tossed SM somewhere after a collision but does not have a memory of it.

I think if he was drunk / high on drugs, he wouldnt have been in the right mind to completely destroy all evidence. I think he's known exactly what he's done and he's worked meticulously to destroy evidence / cover his tracks (pardon the pun)

 

[bearbear]

so any hope of collecting incriminating dna from her body is lost after 9 days if she isnt buried..

'In summer, a human body in an exposed location can be reduced to bones alone in just nine days.'

Alleged killer of Samantha Murphy hit with fresh charges

Patrick Orren Stephenson has been hit with fresh charges of drink and drug driving after he allegedly crashed a motorbike in Ballarat last year.

www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org

 

[BreakingNews]

Alleged killer of Samantha Murphy hit with fresh charges

Patrick Orren Stephenson has been hit with fresh charges of drink and drug driving after he allegedly crashed a motorbike in Ballarat last year.

www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org

Can anyone advise me as to why these charges are occurring just now, and not back when they took place? It's alleged police attended the accident scene and breath tested him, which he failed, then took him to the police station to be drug tested, which he also failed. It seems clear there were several charges that could have been laid at that point in time. This event could also have the potential for him to lose his licence, if he even held a valid licence at that point in time. We do know he's had another appearance in court listed for a while now, the highway patrol one. Could he have been contesting a loss of licence? Another motor vehicle crime relating to speed/alcohol/drugs/reckless driving etc? Could he have hit Samantha while on a suspended licence, adding to his concern about getting caught?

For those outside of Australia, or even Victoria, here's a very basic rundown of how young people get their car licence. I'm not sure what is required for a motor bike licence.

We can get our learner's permit to drive a car at 16, after doing a written test about the road rules. From there we need to have 120 hours of driving under our belts, with a fully licensed driver beside us, and display L plates front and rear of the vehicle. Once we have done that, there's a hazard perception test online and then a driving test with a tester beside you, which can be done at 18. If successful, you then become a probationary driver, on your red P plates (P1), which must be displayed front and back of your vehicle. You have restrictions on what you can do regarding passengers, what you can drive (no V8's) etc and you can't have any alcohol or drugs in your system. After a year you then progress to P2, your green P's, which you hold for another 3 years. Again, no drugs or alcohol in your system at all. If you navigate this all correctly, you then become a fully licenced driver and you don't need to display anything.

We have a blood alcohol allowance of .05 for fully licenced drivers in the state of Victoria. Drugs of any kind are not allowed in your system at all. We also have a demerit point system, where we accumulate points for various driving offences. For example, speeding between 10km and 25km over the limit incurs 3 points. Following too closely incurs 1 point. Using a device illegally (generally mobile phone use) incurs 4 points. If you accumulate 12 points in any 3 year period, you stand to lose your licence. If you are driving very recklessly or have multiple offences occur during one incident, you can lose your licence on the spot.

It's easy to see how a young person, who drinks to excess, takes drugs, thinks they're invincible, has access to a car and motorbike, lives in the country and knows all the back roads etc could accumulate a few traffic incidents and be on the radar of police. MOO

Link to Vicroads, our licencing body in Victoria:

https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/

Wow, I didn't realise Vic has so many hoops to jump through on the P plate journey! In Qld you only need P plates for 1 year.

 

[bearbear]

wasnt there another charge coming up, that offender with the same name as ps, but not related to traffic offences?
im wondering if there is some sort of sexual deviance here and if his friends handed police video evidence of a crime against sm after her death, if he filmed himself and sent it to them thinking it was funny?

 

[HoneyBunOne]

Wow, I didn't realise Vic has so many hoops to jump through on the P plate journey! In Qld you only need P plates for 1 year.

Yeah, P platers, especially young male ones, are over represented in accident stats. I guess it's an effort to reduce the road toll and ensure drivers are experienced before hitting the road on their own and without any markings showing they're new drivers.

"Back in my day" it was nothing like this. I can count the times I drove on one hand before I sat for, and passed, my licence. Definitely much harder, but safer, these days.

 

[HoneyBunOne]

Highway Patrol officers were the officers who attended the motorcycle crash on 1st October, and alcohol tested him at the scene.
As @BGirl88 said above, these could be the same charges that have been listed on the court list for a little while now ... only MSM has only just now been able to confirm that it is him and what happened.

imo

This HS article from yesterday states that it was the Highway Patrol who attended the 1st October crash. Link

Thanks, I missed seeing that link.

The articles about this latest twist definitely state (or are trying to imply) they are new charges, as in they were not hanging over his head last week, let alone last year when it happened. Surely there's nothing new to charge him with now in relation to that alleged crime? It's been well over 6 months. Toxicology was done at the time and any further results would have come back before now.

 

[SouthAussie]

Thanks, I missed seeing that link.

The articles about this latest twist definitely state (or are trying to imply) they are new charges, as in they were not hanging over his head last week, let alone last year when it happened. Surely there's nothing new to charge him with now in relation to that alleged crime? It's been well over 6 months. Toxicology was done at the time and any further results would have come back before now.

Yes, the articles are definitely saying "fresh charges".

And the local Ballarat Courier says he was charged on summons. Link
Which apparently means he was given a summons which requires him to appear in court on the charges at a particular time, and a summons is given (later) when a person is not charged at the time.

The thing that makes me wonder how "fresh" the charges are is that his court date is 8th August, same date as the murder charge court appearance.
And we know that there has been a Patrick Stephenson listed on 8th August for a while - with the Highway Patrol being the Informant. And no other case number is showing on the court list for that day. Still just the same two cases, I think.

EFAS

Maybe the articles should be saying "different charges" as opposed to "fresh charges"?

 

[Dotta]

so any hope of collecting incriminating dna from her body is lost after 9 days if she isnt buried..

'In summer, a human body in an exposed location can be reduced to bones alone in just nine days.'

Alleged killer of Samantha Murphy hit with fresh charges

Patrick Orren Stephenson has been hit with fresh charges of drink and drug driving after he allegedly crashed a motorbike in Ballarat last year.

www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org

But what about clothes?
DNA of the murderer can be lodged into the fabric of clothes (cotton), no?

 

[Dotta]

"Alleged murderer of Samantha Murphy hit with ​

fresh charges ​

while behind bars.​

The alleged killer of a Ballarat Mum has been hit with multiple fresh charges
while awaiting his next court appearance."

Samantha Murphy’s alleged killer charged with drink and drug driving offences

Patrick Stephenson charged over crash that occurred months before Ballarat mother’s alleged murder

www.theguardian.com

Patrick Orren Stephenson: Man accused of murdering Samantha Murphy charged with driving offences over unrelated incident

amp-9news-com-au.cdn.ampproject.org

Missing mum Samantha Murphy’s accused killer faces fresh charges

Patrick Orren Stephenson was charged with the murder of the 51-year-old mother in March.

7news-com-au.cdn.ampproject.org

Major update for alleged Sam Murphy killer

The young man charged with murdering Ballarat mum Samantha Murphy has been slapped with fresh charges.

www-news-com-au.cdn.ampproject.org

 

[BGirl88]

"Alleged murderer of Samantha Murphy hit with ​

fresh charges ​

while behind bars.​

The alleged killer of a Ballarat Mum has been hit with multiple fresh charges
while awaiting his next court appearance."

Samantha Murphy’s alleged killer charged with drink and drug driving offences

Patrick Stephenson charged over crash that occurred months before Ballarat mother’s alleged murder

www.theguardian.com

Patrick Orren Stephenson: Man accused of murdering Samantha Murphy charged with driving offences over unrelated incident

amp-9news-com-au.cdn.ampproject.org

Missing mum Samantha Murphy’s accused killer faces fresh charges

Patrick Orren Stephenson was charged with the murder of the 51-year-old mother in March.

7news-com-au.cdn.ampproject.org

Major update for alleged Sam Murphy killer

The young man charged with murdering Ballarat mum Samantha Murphy has been slapped with fresh charges.

www-news-com-au.cdn.ampproject.org

It is interesting that LE have only just charged him for these offences, which happened in October last year. Why now?

Is it possible that originally LE weren’t going to charge him? Have they had a change of mind and decided to add the extra charges now in the hopes of getting him to talk about the location of SM body? Is that even something that LE would do? Does this interfere with sub-judice? Does the laying of these charges now mean that LE / media can talk more openly about his precious drug/drink driving offences? Is there some big news coming?

Criminality and legalities are not my area of expertise… I’m a marketing / corporate comms specialist and work closely with media outlets and journalists (hence my earlier comment about stories selling papers).