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

[Sor Juana]

The key Samantha Murphy question that still hasn't been answered

Missing Persons Unit Detective Acting Superintendent Mark Hatt has previously stated police would never give up looking for Ms Murphy.

'I want to assure those in the Ballarat community that police remain focused on doing everything we can to return Samantha to her family,' he said last month.

 

[HoneyBunOne]

I really don't get one thing.

His lawyer said PS had NO alcohol/drug problem.

Ummm...What????

And here are charges connected exactly to drugs/alcohol - when he smashed a vehicle.

Not to mention films circulating in MSM with the accused completely "stoned".

Why to say such a thing and later look really foolish?

What was the reason for that peculiar statement???

Silence is golden, as the wise say.

JMO

Quote:
"On Thursday, the court heard Stephenson, a tradesman, did not suffer from any drug problems or mental health conditions."

Tradie accused of killing Samantha Murphy partied before she vanished

The man accused of murdering mother-of-three Samantha Murphy was reportedly seen out partying in Ballarat the night before she disappeared.

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

The key word here is "problem". Define problem exactly? Most casual users don't think they have a problem because they don't believe they're addicted and can function without drugs if needed, or even when under the influence. In this context, the word "problem" seems to equate to down -and-out, hardcore addiction. Anything less and you don't have a "problem". MOO

 

[Kemug]

Not knowing someone doesn't mean that you don't know the other person by sight, and a bit about them.

 

[Lucy6226]

The key word here is "problem". Define problem exactly? Most casual users don't think they have a problem because they don't believe they're addicted and can function without drugs if needed, or even when under the influence. In this context, the word "problem" seems to equate to down -and-out, hardcore addiction. Anything less and you don't have a "problem". MOO

Exactly, it's all in the wording.

 

[Angeline]

Can anyone advise me as to why these charges are occurring just now, and not back when they took place? .

Maybe he got special treatment because of his football connections. There was an uproar when his name was suppressed re Samantha's disappearance, so it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Dotta]

Maybe he got special treatment because of his football connections. There was an uproar when his name was suppressed re Samantha's disappearance, so it wouldn't surprise me.

And that is the problem IMO.

If the punishment was swift,
maybe Samantha would be alive now.

Because the accused would be careful with binging on drugs/booze and deprived of driving licence.
(And I feel drugs are key to this tragedy)

Punishment delayed is NOT effective.
Not educative measure.

He was allowed to carry on unpunished many months after the crime.
And we all see the results

JMO

 

[Trooper]

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.

It seems that Stephenson knew that charges were pending, probably due to tests being run, etc, because he obviously instructed his solicitor, David Tamanika ( Ballarat) to retain for him a specialist lawyer, as one should do, to represent him in these extra charges, which attract heavy penalties. Which Tamanika did, he retained the lady barrister, specialist in Criminal law, from Werribee for those pending , upcoming charges.

While the traffic charge, ( Highway patrol instigated) probably will be heard in the Magistrates court, ( he will appear via video, no one is going to drive him up to Ballarat and back , which is probably why his parents didn't go to the first court appearance, he would not see them and they would not see him ) ... But I digress... the extra charges may attract the levity of the County Court, hence the specialist legal rep.

It is normal for these things to take time, one's licence is not invalidated on a roadside stop, it goes thru the court, but he must have known it had an almost 99% chance of at least losing his motor cycle license at a minimum, and at the maximum, prison for the drug charges.

But, circumstances changed and how. He was apprehended on the murder charge, before these previous matters had been dealt with. And since he is incarcerated in Remand , there is no point in hurrying up to process these previous charges, they will be dealt with in good time.

( I am pretty sure that in Victoria, your motor cycle licence is a thing apart from your vehicle licence, that is, one is not dependent on the other, I THINK. Unless it has changed recently, I think you can have the both, and lose one, and you dont lose the other automatically. I THINK. )

 

[Dr Samoht]

Just thinking… SM was a Richmond FC supporter. PS’s Dad played for Richmond FC. If she was a Richmond supporter; it’s likely she knew who the Dad was. And if she volunteered at the school that PS went to when he was in primary school, I’d imagine there’d be a good possibility she knew the family attended the school, and therefore know PS.

The timeline makes this connection unlikely , Orren played his first senior AFL Richmond game in March 2014 , son Patrick was already in secondary school.

 

[bearbear]

do we know if that other charge, not traffic related, with the person with the same name as ps, is it actually this ps? or arent we allowed to mention it?

 

[BreakingNews]

The timeline makes this connection unlikely , Orren played his first senior AFL Richmond game in March 2014 , son Patrick was already in secondary school.

She may have been a long time supporter.

 

[Trooper]

do we know if that other charge, not traffic related, with the person with the same name as ps, is it actually this ps? or arent we allowed to mention it?

It is now in MSN. It could have been way back if MSN had made the connection , like some beady eyed websleuther did, the missing middle name was misleading, or, perhaps, distracting. But it's a fair call now. The only thing MSN has wrong, is calling it 'new charges'. The incident occurred back in October, 2023 , but on the other hand, it's not that far back from Feb 2024.

This bloke was on a trajectory of catastrophic decision making.

It must have caused real trouble in the home of Stephenson., at the time. Would have been difficult to keep his son under hire as an offsider in the family business with a criminal record. Of course, not knowing what extra criminality was on the horizon. I have concluded that it's probable that VICPOL advised Stephenson elder to pick up his daughters and wife and go north, which he did.


Which made me think that VICPOL must have told the family of Patrick of the evidence they held that convinced an entire family to leave their house, their business, their school where mum taught, his clients, the daughter's jobs and careers in Ballarat, ... it had to be convincing. And unarguable. It certainly convinced Mick Murphy that his beloved wife was dead, where and when she was murdered, and by whom.

 

[olaselo]

It is now in MSN. It could have been way back if MSN had made the connection , like some beady eyed websleuther did, the missing middle name was misleading, or, perhaps, distracting. But it's a fair call now. The only thing MSN has wrong, is calling it 'new charges'. The incident occurred back in October, 2023 , but on the other hand, it's not that far back from Feb 2024.

This bloke was on a trajectory of catastrophic decision making.

It must have caused real trouble in the home of Stephenson., at the time. Would have been difficult to keep his son under hire as an offsider in the family business with a criminal record. Of course, not knowing what extra criminality was on the horizon. I have concluded that it's probable that VICPOL advised Stephenson elder to pick up his daughters and wife and go north, which he did.


Which made me think that VICPOL must have told the family of Patrick of the evidence they held that convinced an entire family to leave their house, their business, their school where mum taught, his clients, the daughter's jobs and careers in Ballarat, ... it had to be convincing. And unarguable. It certainly convinced Mick Murphy that his beloved wife was dead, where and when she was murdered, and by whom.

Perhaps the Family left for another reason, say for fear of retribution if PS starts talking? IMO

 

[Deleted member 293720]

As I have mentioned before,

I feel there is more to this case, it's all very strange

I think others know about this and are keeping quiet, possibly someone involved with the accused

Maybe VICPOL are watching other people under surveillance

This was a deliberate-planned attack, VICPOL have stated

I feel it was a waiting game for the right time to attack SM

Drugs / business related


<modsnip - not victim friendly>

 

[Dr Samoht]

---

She may have been a long time supporter.

SM may well have been a long time AFL Richmond supporter but where is the connection with OS whose career with Richmond was very short , previously with Geelong in AFL, and VFL with Geelong , Ballarat North . Earlier with Redan in the Ballarat Football League .

 

[Trooper]

As I have mentioned before,

I feel there is more to this case, it's all very strange

I think others know about this and are keeping quiet, possibly someone involved with the accused

Maybe VICPOL are watching other people under surveillance

This was a deliberate-planned attack, VICPOL have stated

I feel it was a waiting game for the right time to attack SM

Drugs / business related

<modsnip - not victim friendly>


View attachment 501898

Whatever VICPOL told, and showed Mick about Samantha must have been irrevocably convincing, about her death, her manner of death, her perpetrator of her death, where she was murdered , and when she was murdered. Mick , obviously , has no doubts. VICPOL's claim is huge, in that respect, among the three other claims it has made about this murder. The only conclusion that can be drawn is that VICPOL has some evidence that clearly, and concisely points to Samantha's death, and no possibility of it being misinterpreted as anything other than her death. No room for error, at any point.

Or, VICPOL is run by psychopaths, all 16,700 of them and they all collectively , at exactly the same time, decided to play this outrageous trick on Mick Murphy and his children, and the general public, for giggles. That is the alternative proposition.

 

[JLZ]

do we know if that other charge, not traffic related, with the person with the same name as ps, is it actually this ps? or arent we allowed to mention it?

That one is still doubtful, whether it's him or not, as far as I know.

 

[Trooper]

I was interested in the action taken by the DPP ( dept of public prosecution ) and the OPP ( office of the public prosecutor ) in the matter of the murder of Emma Bates, back in April 26th. At Cobram, Vic.

The same DPP and OPP that charged Stephenson with the murder of Samantha Murphy charged John Torney with, not murder, but assault, intentionally causing injury, recklessly causing injury, common law assault, aggravated assault of a female and unlawful assault.

But not murder. Emma died, as did Samantha, but one was charged with murder, and one with assault, etc. So it seems that the DPP/OPP/VICPOL could not find any evidence of intent in the matter of Ms Bates, but apparently , have found evidence of intent, by Mr Stephenson, in the matter of Mrs. Murphy.

This goes back to the charging, trial and conviction of James Gargasoulas back in 2016, over the hit and run of pedestrians in one of Melbourne's main streets. What James had done was tell his brother what he was going to do ( after stabbing the brother, nearly fatally) and then, to compound it, he was on the phone to a constable tracking him in a car , trying to stop him, telling him what he intended to do. Which is why he was charged with, not hit and run, but with murder. He formed a view, then he spoke about the view and then he performed the action he stated he was going to do. Premeditation and intent writ large, in florescent letters.

So it would seem to me that VICPOL hold some sort of similar evidence, a measure of intent, and premeditation on Mr Stephenson.

 

[JLZ]

I was interested in the action taken by the DPP ( dept of public prosecution ) and the OPP ( office of the public prosecutor ) in the matter of the murder of Emma Bates, back in April 26th. At Cobram, Vic.

The same DPP and OPP that charged Stephenson with the murder of Samantha Murphy charged John Torney with, not murder, but assault, intentionally causing injury, recklessly causing injury, common law assault, aggravated assault of a female and unlawful assault.

But not murder. Emma died, as did Samantha, but one was charged with murder, and one with assault, etc. So it seems that the DPP/OPP/VICPOL could not find any evidence of intent in the matter of Ms Bates, but apparently , have found evidence of intent, by Mr Stephenson, in the matter of Mrs. Murphy.

This goes back to the charging, trial and conviction of James Gargasoulas back in 2016, over the hit and run of pedestrians in one of Melbourne's main streets. What James had done was tell his brother what he was going to do ( after stabbing the brother, nearly fatally) and then, to compound it, he was on the phone to a constable tracking him in a car , trying to stop him, telling him what he intended to do. Which is why he was charged with, not hit and run, but with murder. He formed a view, then he spoke about the view and then he performed the action he stated he was going to do. Premeditation and intent writ large, in florescent letters.

So it would seem to me that VICPOL hold some sort of similar evidence, a measure of intent, and premeditation on Mr Stephenson.

Apparently Torney wasn't charged with murder because following the autopsy police couldn't prove that his actions directly caused Emma's death. Assault accused gives the middle finger to court It seems proving causation wasn't a problem with Gargasoulas. As they don't have Samantha's body on which even to perform an autopsy, there should be some very strong evidence of what PS did to her such that it was inevitably fatal.

 

[BreakingNews]

It is now in MSN. It could have been way back if MSN had made the connection , like some beady eyed websleuther did, the missing middle name was misleading, or, perhaps, distracting. But it's a fair call now. The only thing MSN has wrong, is calling it 'new charges'. The incident occurred back in October, 2023 , but on the other hand, it's not that far back from Feb 2024.

This bloke was on a trajectory of catastrophic decision making.

It must have caused real trouble in the home of Stephenson., at the time. Would have been difficult to keep his son under hire as an offsider in the family business with a criminal record. Of course, not knowing what extra criminality was on the horizon. I have concluded that it's probable that VICPOL advised Stephenson elder to pick up his daughters and wife and go north, which he did.


Which made me think that VICPOL must have told the family of Patrick of the evidence they held that convinced an entire family to leave their house, their business, their school where mum taught, his clients, the daughter's jobs and careers in Ballarat, ... it had to be convincing. And unarguable. It certainly convinced Mick Murphy that his beloved wife was dead, where and when she was murdered, and by whom.

Troops, it could have been his family who dobbed him in.

 

[Trooper]

Troops, it could have been his family who dobbed him in.

all the more reason to hold the opinion that VICPOL advised the family to shoot north..I have never subscribed to the theory that his family 'abandoned him'... . more , to me, a case of him abandoning their values and culture by a long distance, finally, but very quickly becoming involved in a Supreme Court murder trial as the star performer. His career in crime , you could say, was short but impactful.