Australia Samantha Murphy, 51, last seen leaving her property to go for a run in the Canadian State Forest, Ballarat, 4 Feb 2024 *Arrest* #10

[Warshawski]

Can someone speak to why the legal help is hired now? Is it a coincidence or is it influenced by the phone being found?

The ‘legal help’ may’ve just been waiting for the opportune time for the announcement to be made. They’re playing a big publicity game after all, going all in for one of the country’s most high profile cases, imo.

( again imo, but it looks like Bruce L may be self-representing in his appeal )

 

[Dr Samoht]

We have a dam of about that size on a similar-sized property in rural Vic (estimate based on satellite images).
We rarely check the dam depth to be honest.
That being said, I recall swimming in it in February. The water level in the middle of the dam was approximately 1.5 cows high

Was it Friesan

We have a dam of about that size on a similar-sized property in rural Vic (estimate based on satellite images).
We rarely check the dam depth to be honest.
That being said, I recall swimming in it in February. The water level in the middle of the dam was approximately 1.5 cows high

We have a dam of about that size on a similar-sized property in rural Vic (estimate based on satellite images).
We rarely check the dam depth to be honest.
That being said, I recall swimming in it in February. The water level in the middle of the dam was approximately 1.5 cows high

At that depth I’m guessing the water was friesian !

 

[Marie A]

GALBALLY
Well, well, well…. Isn’t this a curious development indeed???

All IMHO - pure speculation

I find it very odd that all of a sudden this extremely well-respected HIGH PRICED criminal defense attorney steps out of the woodwork in this case.
WHY?
In order of probability:
1) Galbally is an attention seeking narcissist himself and volunteered to take this case on simply for public relations/ publicity sake- with minimal to no monetary compensation from PS or from his family
He’s such a conniving attention hound that he wants his name known world-wide and is willing to help spring a guilty man for a heinous crime- all for the sake of his own ego and reputation.
Galbally wasn’t approached by PS or anyone in his family or circle.
HE approached PS for his own purposes.
The devil is in the details.
2) the PS family or extended family has more money than anyone realized and they either decided to help PS monetarily now and/or possibly help another one or more of their own who may be somehow peripherally involved or have some previous knowledge that hasn’t been revealed so they contacted Galbally themselves to guarantee that their own innocence will be well maintained
3) someone from a very well-connected or monied family is somehow peripherally involved and their family hired Galbally to assure that their own son/daughter or grandson/granddaughter stays out of prison once all the facts in the case come out.
They contacted Galbally.

 

[Whatson]

Can someone update me what happened regarding accused getting legal representation? I missed it and feel lost now

 

[ProfCluezo]

Yep, why now and why him??
What’s the phone find mean for PS?

My thoughts (for what they’re worth)… I reckon PS is realising the honeymoon phase of police having no major breakthroughs has well and truly passed - and solid evidence is beginning to catch up with him…

MOO

 

[ProfCluezo]

GALBALLY
Well, well, well…. Isn’t this a curious development indeed???

All IMHO - pure speculation

I find it very odd that all of a sudden this extremely well-respected HIGH PRICED criminal defense attorney steps out of the woodwork in this case.
WHY?
In order of probability:
1) Galbally is an attention seeking narcissist himself and volunteered to take this case on simply for public relations/ publicity sake- with minimal to no monetary compensation from PS or from his family
He’s such a conniving attention hound that he wants his name known world-wide and is willing to help spring a guilty man for a heinous crime- all for the sake of his own ego and reputation.
Galbally wasn’t approached by PS or anyone in his family or circle.
HE approached PS for his own purposes.
The devil is in the details.
2) the PS family or extended family has more money than anyone realized and they either decided to help PS monetarily now and/or possibly help another one or more of their own who may be somehow involved or have some previous knowledge that hasn’t been revealed so they contacted Galbally themselves to guarantee that their own innocence will be well maintained
3) someone from a very well-connected or monied family is somehow involved and their family hired Galbally to assure that their own son/grandson stays out of prison
once all the facts in the case come out. They contacted Galbally.

Or a further 4th possibility:
4) someone (or some people) from a well connected group (or organisation) are somehow involved and/or potentially reputationally implicated - and this group/organisation therefore have interests in ensuring that one or more of their own (and/or the group/organisation itself) remain reputationally unblemished and away from media scrutiny/public humiliation/legal proceedings/prison

100% conjecture (99% fat free, high fibre, no sugar added)

Any resemblance to any known (or imagined) group, collective or organisation is entirely coincidental.

 

[Kemug]

Does anyone have any more ideas on what this bagged item from the dam could be? I’m not convinced on the torch or torque wrench idea.
There appears to be a a stainless steel part to it near the officers lower hand, it looks familiar to me but I can’t place it.

RSBM
Well, whatever it is, it doesn't belong to LE or it wouldn't be bagged. Also it isn't something anyone would toss away, and it didn't fall out of someone's pocket as they ran across the lake. IMO the only reason for it being there is that it is related to Samantha's phone and her murder. It is the murder weapon, IMO.

 

[ProfCluezo]

Can someone update me what happened regarding accused getting legal representation? I missed it and feel lost now

Basically PS has apparently engaged a top tier ultra expensive, ultra high profile criminal lawyer, Mr Galbally, who represented Cardinal Pell…

As far as I’m aware we have not been provided with any further details at this stage. However there has been a fair bit of speculation about who may be funding Galbally… and how Galbally came to be involved… especially at such a late stage…

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I don't think there is anything suspicious about what lawyer PS and/or family has chosen.
From what I've heard, Galbally has a good success rate at defending his clients. Even ones I didn't particularly like.

PS and anyone charged with anything has a right to whatever lawyer they choose and it's not against the law for him and or family to have the means to get the best. It's not a crime to be well off enough to hire the best.

 

[Marie A]

Or a further 4th possibility:
4) someone (or some people) from a well connected group (or organisation) are somehow involved and/or potentially reputationally implicated - and this group/organisation therefore have interests in ensuring that one or more of their own (and/or the group/organisation itself) remain reputationally unblemished and out of prison… ?

100% conjecture (99% fat free, high fibre, no sugar added)

Any resemblance to any known (or imagined) group, collective or organisation is entirely coincidental.

AGREED! Yes

 

[jjleroche]

DBM. Incorrect post.

 

[HoneyBunOne]

Think I might reserve a stool at that nice bar in August and settle in for the show haha

Help me here. Finding the phone has put the wind up PS because…. ?

I'm thinking it will reveal some pretty interesting secrets that the accused is worried will come out. Secrets that lead to more information that might implicate him. Maybe it was the murder weapon that was found and bagged, along with the phone?

GALBALLY
Well, well, well…. Isn’t this a curious development indeed???

All IMHO - pure speculation

I find it very odd that all of a sudden this extremely well-respected HIGH PRICED criminal defense attorney steps out of the woodwork in this case.
WHY?
In order of probability:
1) Galbally is an attention seeking narcissist himself and volunteered to take this case on simply for public relations/ publicity sake- with minimal to no monetary compensation from PS or from his family
He’s such a conniving attention hound that he wants his name known world-wide and is willing to help spring a guilty man for a heinous crime- all for the sake of his own ego and reputation.
Galbally wasn’t approached by PS or anyone in his family or circle.
HE approached PS for his own purposes.
The devil is in the details.
2) the PS family or extended family has more money than anyone realized and they either decided to help PS monetarily now and/or possibly help another one or more of their own who may be somehow peripherally involved or have some previous knowledge that hasn’t been revealed so they contacted Galbally themselves to guarantee that their own innocence will be well maintained
3) someone from a very well-connected or monied family is somehow peripherally involved and their family hired Galbally to assure that their own son/daughter or grandson/granddaughter stays out of prison once all the facts in the case come out.
They contacted Galbally.

I love your thinking, and agree it could be an egotistical move, given the reputation he appears to have. Either that, or an invested party, or parties has a lot of money to spend to attempt to save his bacon, and perhaps those on the periphery.

 

[epictreasure]

I agree - particularly as the decision seems to have been made very quickly. (I haven't been able to find a specific timeline so far, but it seems to have been within a day or so of PS being named as the alleged murderer of Samantha.) JMO

It's such massive decision to make very quickly, since the daughters were born and raised in Ballarat, and their parents had lived almost their entire adult lives there. I'm speculating that this decision also entailed cessation of business operations.
IIRC from all accounts both parents were highly-regarded and very well-liked.

On the other hand, if PS' parents had been considering moving away for a while, the situation may have just been a catalyst. IIRC PS' mother has parents living in NSW to whom she is close. Maybe moving closer to them may have been on the cards for a while.

IMO it's possible that family members have been experiencing considerable stress for a while, and the arrest is the straw that broke the camels back.

JMO

The daughters are mature. One I at least know has a very steady job. Ps mother would indeed be missing her job, another super reputable community member. So devastating

 

[MrsAddick]

And/or is it possible the accused (or someone close to him) may have been a victim of ? SA (or similar) predating his alleged crimes - and that this may form part of his defence?

Note this is conjecture only and is not based on any known facts.

In 2002, Gallbaly & O’Bryan acted for a man who had accused George Pell of molesting him at a youth church camp in the 1960s….the firm later went on to represent Pell himself (!)

Cardinal George Pell's barrister: loud, socially progressive and an avowed atheist

amp.smh.com.au

 

[jjleroche]

And/or is it possible the accused (or someone close to him) may have been a victim of ? SA (or similar) predating his alleged crimes - and that this may form part of his defence?

Note this is conjecture only and is not based on any known facts.

IMO this is definitely a possibility. JMO

 

[ProfCluezo]

In 2002, Gallbaly & O’Bryan acted for a man who had accused George Pell of molesting him at a youth church camp in the 1960s….the firm later went on to represent Pell himself (!)

Cardinal George Pell's barrister: loud, socially progressive and an avowed atheist

amp.smh.com.au

So “socially progressive” Is playing on both sides???

Yikes!! Imagine how the 2002 client (allegedly molested by Pell) must have felt watching the same firm later defend him….?

Betrayal Trauma take 2?!!

 

[HoneyBunOne]

I don't think there is anything suspicious about what lawyer PS and/or family has chosen.
From what I've heard, Galbally has a good success rate at defending his clients. Even ones I didn't particularly like.

PS and anyone charged with anything has a right to whatever lawyer they choose and it's not against the law for him and or family to have the means to get the best. It's not a crime to be well off enough to hire the best.

Nobody is saying it's suspicious, I think we're all just curious how a high flying well known lawyer is being paid, when the client is a 22 year old electrician from, by all appearances, a middle class, maybe middle - upper at best, family. High flying, well known lawyers don't tend to come cheap.

My opinion only.

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

yes . Again, and I am sorry to be graphic, but here it is, don't forget , these dams have little creatures in them, Yabbbies, what not, chains mean nothing to them... bits come apart.

also. he has to drag ( a ) a body, wrapped in (b) a heavy chain from a bush track to someone's operative dam, that is, a dam that is being used for cattle or sheep, people look at their dams every day in the summer, sometimes twice a day, it's a fetish, 'go and look at the dam' is the normal greeting, the trail from the chain would surely be noticed....

don't take my word for it, though. Body Decomposition in Water: A Complete Timeline & Guide

Yes Trooper, and another thought had come to mind. I am in the US not Australia. And trying to be sensitive and delicate here - so read past if you prefer.

There was a case some years back here in the states, Laci Peterson. Her body, which was still carrying a near full term infant was weighted down with manufactured concrete weights IIRC and tossed in a bay by boat in California. Weights chained perhaps to limbs? I can’t be sure. Anyway, IIRC some of the extremities (which I believe also have less flesh and muscle to secure to the center or trunk of the body?) eventually gave way and portions of her remains floated to the surface and washed ashore and were located and identified. Also IIRC the remains of the infant also washed ashore nearby within days of her remains appearing.

I don’t know all details of this case of SM, but wonder how much time the perpetrator had to attempt and secure her remains? And whether there might have been time to later move and attempt to reconceal her remains. MOO

 

[Sor Juana]

Major update on Samantha Murphy’s phone days after it was discovered

It hasn't been damaged!

 

[wallyworld]

I have a feeling they're in protective custody in another state

I had similar thoughts. The suppression order possibly in place to give them a bit of time to be relocated.