Australia Samantha Murphy, 51, last seen leaving her property to go for a run in the Canadian State Forest, Ballarat, 4 Feb 2024 *Arrest* #12

[HoneyBunOne]

The problem would be if he threw it while in the car. The dam was behind a barrier of bushy weeds. So either he lobbed it over the top of his car from the far-side window, in which case difficult to aim--but it's a big dam. Or he threw it from the dam-side window, and the problem would be getting the height to clear the bushes. The bigger his limbs, the more constricted his throw.

I don't believe he would have thrown it from the car. I think he would have pulled over, gone behind the bushes, and thrown it from there. I don't know if it's just me, but if I see a car pulled over on a country road, near the cover of bushes, and saw a young guy get out and head that way, my first thought would be that he needs to relieve himself. I wouldn't bat an eyelid, nor give it a second thought. It's a very Aussie thing to do IMHO.

 

[Porky1]

That’s interesting Jitty. It’s interesting to also re-visit this early police presser. From 4.15 he mentions ruling out a medical episode and leaving the area of her own accord. At 7.15 he says there’s no risk to anyone else. Also mentions/acknowledges the later day “5pm” ping.
Is there any chance that ping came from PS’s phone?

When was that interview? Was it in the first week?

 

[SouthAussie]

Does anyone have knowledge of the actual distance - roadside to location found? Google maps makes it appear not that far at all, even using their distance guide. I haven't been able to find a full aerial shot of where the phone was located in relation to the road.

If indeed PS threw it, you need to bear in mind he's a young adult in the prime of his life. Tall (long arms and legs), athletic, played footy for several years, rode motorbikes, on the rowing team at St Pat's (upper body strength), into the outdoor lifestyle as seen in several camping pics etc.

I have no doubt, based just on pics from the media, that a phone could be thrown this distance by a person like the accused.

Mention of the rowing team in the below article:

Former schoolmate lifts the lid on Samantha Murphy's accused killer

Patrick Stephenson, 22, was this week charged with allegedly murdering Samantha Murphy on February 4 after she left her Ballarat home, in Victoria, for a morning run.

www.dailymail.co.uk

My guess would be about 5 of his car lengths, about 29 metres, from roadside of the bushes to just inside the dam.

Police hope for a breakthrough on Samantha Murphy

The first physical clue to the missing Ballarat mother’s fate emerges from the mud - a mobile phone.

www.theage.com.au

 

[HoneyBunOne]

My guess would be about 5 of his car lengths, about 29 metres, from roadside of the bushes to just inside the dam.

Police hope for a breakthrough on Samantha Murphy

The first physical clue to the missing Ballarat mother’s fate emerges from the mud - a mobile phone.

www.theage.com.au

I'd call that distance doable, especially given a high level of adrenaline and intense desire to get it right.

Also, do we know for sure it was found at the point closest to the road?

 

[SouthAussie]

I'd call that distance doable, especially given a high level of adrenaline and intense desire to get it right.

Also, do we know for sure it was found at the point closest to the road?

Yes, I think easily doable. Like chucking a rock ... phones (and phones in cases) are not heavy.

I think it was the edge of the dam closest to the road. But that is just my opinion, judging from pics of the police doggy near the dam, and the shape of the dam in the pics.

 

[Porky1]

Mick said, it was turned off, I wondered if he knew some reasons to say that. Maybe he meant , in his way of speaking, that the phone was not in her control, perhaps??.. I took him at his word, that the phone, he believed, was turned off.

Maybe a tracking app may have also shown phone inoperability.

 

[Lemony]

At 7.15pm it was announced that there was no threat to the public! ie there wasn't somebody running around randomly abducting and possibly killing people. How did they know that? How could they possibly have known that? If I had been in that area at that time, I don't believe I would have felt safe and reassured. Surely LE only say that when they know the who and why - so if that was a true statement, then they obviously knew a great deal already, and maybe were already tracking PS. I just don't understand it.

That presser was held on the 23rd Feb and PS was arrested approx. 2 weeks later on the 7th March.
I have no doubt that PS was the number one suspect and under surveillance before that presser.

 

[Rocket333]

That presser was held on the 23rd Feb and PS was arrested approx. 2 weeks later on the 7th March.
I have no doubt that PS was the number one suspect and under surveillance before that presser.

I think so too and I think they were onto him from quite early on. His quick arrest, the location of the phone and the volume of evidence on the table doesn’t make him look very skilled really. As others have commented, I think he’s just been lucky with the body so far.

 

[Rocket333]

Yes, I think easily doable. Like chucking a rock ... phones (and phones in cases) are not heavy.

I think it was the edge of the dam closest to the road. But that is just my opinion, judging from pics of the police doggy near the dam, and the shape of the dam in the pics.

I think the phone was possibly found at the non driveway end of the dam on the bank not closest to the road. Here’s the dam and an overlay of the police gathering to celebrate after the phone was found.

 

[Rocket333]

Have I got this right? I thought the bramble bushes were right on the fence beside the dam, and separated the dam and the road. Are they actually slightly further up the road? If so, is the dam visible from the road and the road visible from the home?

Major development in search for Samantha Murphy's body in Ballarat

Victoria Police launched a targeted search in bushland for the missing Ballarat mum-of-three in a new area near Grenville on Tuesday.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[HoneyBunOne]

I think the phone was possibly found at the non driveway end of the dam on the bank not closest to the road. Here’s the dam and an overlay of the police gathering to celebrate after the phone was found.

Nice work Rocket.
I imagined it would be down the opposite end, which appears closer to the road. Still close enough to throw in from the edge of the property IMHO.

 

[HoneyBunOne]

Have I got this right? I thought the bramble bushes were right on the fence beside the dam, and separated the dam and the road. Are they actually slightly further up the road? If so, is the dam visible from the road and the road visible from the home?

Major development in search for Samantha Murphy's body in Ballarat

Victoria Police launched a targeted search in bushland for the missing Ballarat mum-of-three in a new area near Grenville on Tuesday.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Take a look at the street view image below. I believe the phone was found in the dam in the foreground. You can see the other dam not far away, but without the cover of any bushes on the roadside. As you can see, both dams are within view of the road and the 2 homes that are visible in the pic. I believe the dam you can see in your pic, is the second one in mine. You see the drainage system in place that the first one does not have.

 

[HoneyBunOne]

Is this clearer?

 

[Rocket333]

Nice work Rocket.
I imagined it would be down the opposite end, which appears closer to the road. Still close enough to throw in from the edge of the property IMHO.

Unfortunately it’s wrong. I had the wrong dam; I was looking at the smaller dam. That then threw me out with the bushes on the fence. Now I can’t align the phone spot on the bigger dam. So back to the drawing board and the original thought that the phone was possibly found on the southern boundary fence line end of the dam as that seems more likely. I’ll keep working with it. Sorry!

 

[JLZ]

Is this clearer?

And then there's dam 3, rounder and apparently deeper, with solar panel and fountain, and windmill nearby. It's the only one that makes it onto Google Maps default view.

 

[Dotta]

I wonder what kind of evidence might be discovered if Samantha's remains will be found?
(if ever)

Maybe clothes still have some DNA of the perp?

JMO

 

[Rocket333]

The original dam now fits and I think the phone was where I’ve marked it based on multiple media photos. The excavator was working around this area (yellow object) and the police were gathered on the grass near the boundary fence line.
There doesn’t seem to be any easy access to that side of the dam (just a fence dividing the properties) so the most likely scenario for someone who didn’t live there or didn’t enter the property is that the phone was tossed from the road.
The plan was to spend 3 days there searching, which then stopped after one day. I know that searches occurred along that road and Slaughterhouse Road, however that location, that dam and those bushes on that corner, seems to be a very specific focal point.

 

[JLZ]

The original dam now fits and I think the phone was where I’ve marked it based on multiple media photos. The excavator was working around this area (yellow object) and the police were gathered on the grass near the boundary fence line.
There doesn’t seem to be any easy access to that side of the dam (just a fence dividing the properties) so the most likely scenario for someone who didn’t live there or didn’t enter the property is that the phone was tossed from the road.
The plan was to spend 3 days there searching, which then stopped after one day. I know that searches occurred along that road and Slaughterhouse Road, however that location, that dam and those bushes on that corner, seems to be a very specific focal point.

If he threw from the road, I suggest he parked where the vegetation is high so he wouldn't be seen from the houses up the hill. Then walked back to where he had a view of the dam, and aimed for the middle, but overthrew.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

 

[Rocket333]

If he threw from the road, I suggest he parked where the vegetation is high so he wouldn't be seen from the houses up the hill. Then walked back to where he had a view of the dam, and aimed for the middle, but overthrew.
View attachment 535418

That’s a throw of at least 40 metres. A distance equivalent to the length of a Boeing 737-800. That’d take a bit of skill & strength. I’d imagine the thrower would aim for the middle or the depth to hide it more. I’m not sure if a mobile phone in a wallet with cards would just sink where it landed or float a little. Maybe it hit the edge or one of the visible shelfs and lodged in the shallows.

 

[SouthAussie]

I really think he would be able to chuck a phone pretty far. Anywhere around that dam is not out of his league.

It is no good basing the throw on what an average "us" would do. This guy was a former (?) footy player, young and lean, and probably desperate (adrenalin coursing through his body) when he threw the phone.

Decent 13-15 year old football players in the US are expected to be able to throw a football 35-40 yards (32-36m).
Decent 16+ year olds are expected to be able to throw about 50 yards (45m). Link

imo