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

[SouthAussie]

Agreed, I live in a warm part of Australia and most runners don’t carry water with them (hikers do, not runners), especially if training for a half marathon (as I believe SM was) a water bottle or backpack would add weight and slow you down.

Aren't there water sources in an actual half marathon? Cups of water along the way for the runners to grab as they run past?

Yet when she trains, a person with extremely low blood pressure wouldn't need water?

That is where my conundrum lies. Not whether it is a popular option or not.

imo

 

[JLZ]

Aren't there water sources in an actual half marathon? Cups of water along the way for the runners to grab as they run past?

Yet when she trains, a person with extremely low blood pressure wouldn't need water?

That is where my conundrum lies. Not whether it is a popular option or not.

imo

I wonder if low blood pressure might indicate that she tended to be somewhat dehydrated in general, without realizing it.

 

[Kemug]

Well, I've just spent a few minutes googling possible reasons for a person's disappearance, and I'm here to tell you that the only reason I've found that we haven't already thought of is: running away to join a cult. I suppose it is more believable than being taken by little green men.

 

[Trooper]

Well, I've just spent a few minutes googling possible reasons for a person's disappearance, and I'm here to tell you that the only reason I've found that we haven't already thought of is: running away to join a cult. I suppose it is more believable than being taken by little green men.

And these days, K, even the cults expect you to bring your credit card., your bank card and a decent wad of cash.. .... and most of them actually want you to bring all the property valuations and ownership papers you can possible scrape up. No such thing as a free lunch....

 

[carbuff]

Yeah - I agree, I find the words that Superintentendant Mark Hatt said something like - "We have CCTV of her leaving the property - but we have no idea which way she went" (from his press conference).

I can only gather there is some video footage that shows SM walking down the driveway - but if there is no CCTV that shows past the driveway - there can't be any evidence that she actually left the driveway IMO.

I'm still somewhat confused about the layout of the house and property. Is it possible they mean they know she left the driveway, but don't know which way she went when she reached the intersection? Or is that not possible with the way the driveway is laid out?

 

[OrangeCash]

MOO. SM could have set off on her run, but was really meeting 'X person' in their car at a prearranged point away from the house. There could be a million different reasons why, not necessarily bad reasons. Something happened or things didn't go the way the person wanted, SM doesn't return back home and the alarm is raised. If this is the case, I really hope SM confided in a friend and they can inform LE. This is entirely speculation, I have no feelings on who the person could be or why. It's just a thought I had that would fit the sparse facts that we know so far

MOO

Edited to add - I don't feel SM left of her own accord. I think she fully intended on returning and going to brunch with her friends as planned

 

[Zanzibar]

I don't see it this way. This does not mean much unless we know how this family typically acts and reacts. Some people do not hug. They love each other but do not hug. I have a well-adjusted, loving adult child who is uncomfortable hugging and works successfully in a helping profession. I did not see #2 and #3. I also believe that he did not search because he may have told the truth when he said that he likes others to search and come back and tell him about it. I thought that SM had been described as strong, and I had no idea if he was strong or if he sat back and she was the strong one in the family. I am in no way saying that he is innocent. He could be 100% guilty. I don't have enough information to determine how he acts or reacts to situations since I have never seen him in any situation to determine how he is under normal circumstances. MOO

My post was answering a specific question.

I prefaced my post with the statement that I didn’t know them or what their normal was and not am I an analyst.

If you can’t see what I’m referencing you may need to look more closely at the different videos of the same briefing from the different news agencies.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

MOO. SM could have set off on her run, but was really meeting 'X person' in their car at a prearranged point away from the house. There could be a million different reasons why, not necessarily bad reasons. Something happened or things didn't go the way the person wanted, SM doesn't return back home and the alarm is raised. If this is the case, I really hope SM confided in a friend and they can inform LE. This is entirely speculation, I have no feelings on who the person could be or why. It's just a thought I had that would fit the sparse facts that we know so far

I was having similar thoughts this afternoon.

What if she was picked up by someone out of view of the home camera/s.

That could explain the lack of sightings on her run.

 

[Noorie]

An uneasiness and uncomfortable facial expressions, almost a grimace. Imo.

To me it looks like she has mild bell's palsy or a mandible abnormality. I don't think she was grimacing on purpose.

 

[Noorie]

On the low blood pressure thing, I wonder if the friend got confused with low heart rate? Most runners have a low heart rate. Taking water would be less important in that case.

 

[Kemug]

I was having similar thoughts this afternoon.

What if she was picked up by someone out of view of the home camera/s.

That could explain the lack of sightings on her run.

That could have happened without any pre-planning by SM. Someone she knew may have been sitting in a car nearby, or pulled up alongside her. And said something or other to convince her to get in the car. Maybe said a mutual friend was in trouble, or in hospital, whatever.

 

[olaselo]

I'm still somewhat confused about the layout of the house and property. Is it possible they mean they know she left the driveway, but don't know which way she went when she reached the intersection? Or is that not possible with the way the driveway is laid out?

Of course it is possible as we do not know what the CCTV actually shows - we have only the words Mark Hatt said. (However, i don't know how anyone could be 100% certain she left the property - if you don't know which way they went. They could be at the end of the driveway sitting, which isn't proof anyone left the property)

But logic implies - if you saw someone leave the property - you can tell which direction they went.

Otherwise, if it is just an assumption - that I saw someone leave the property - if you did not see which was they went, then they could have simply walked the dog poo bag to a bin at the end of a driveway (out of CCTV view) and walked back in the house. And if CCTV was motion sensor, it may have been in a state of 'writing to memory' and not able to activate motion sensor again (when walking back to house) until 'writing to memory' is complete.

All we have is a picture - with no date/time stamp - and words from Superintendent Mark Hatt.

 

[Dotta]

On the low blood pressure thing, I wonder if the friend got confused with low heart rate? Most runners have a low heart rate. Taking water would be less important in that case.

Do you mean "athlete's heart"?

 

[BreakingNews]

Do we know if it was Samantha's routine to run in the mornings? Regularly, at that time ?
Might someone have been waiting at the end of the driveway, after the bend, so as not to be seen on camera? Someone knowing her habit to run?
Was she stalked, was someone out for revenge of some sort?

Does it appear that she didn't go further than after she disappeared around the driveway bend, or just that it's not known in which direction she went?
Obviously there was no sign of struggle anywhere, right? ...that's been reported at least.

Are the "unnerving circumstances" relating to this complete mystery, or something factual? Guess we don't know.

The police are drip feeding us. We don't know what we don't know. We can't even speculate because we don't have enough information. Like did she actually leave home that morning? I'm thinking not, because there is absolutely no sightings.

 

[Dotta]

Were these ponds,
Ooops dams,
even checked ?

 

[BreakingNews]

Do you mean "athlete's heart"?

I cannot imagine going for a run, or even a walk without any water. In northern Australia, you would be dehydrated in no time and simply faint or die.

 

[SLouTh]

Were these ponds,
Ooops dams,
even checked ?

I haven’t heard that Police have called in divers ….. They listed all sorts of other search personnel including dogs etc

 

[Dotta]

I cannot imagine going for a run, or even a walk without any water. In northern Australia, you would be dehydrated in no time and simply faint or die.

Of course!!!!!!!!!

I even wrote a rhyme about it hehe

 

[BreakingNews]

Were these ponds,
Ooops dams,
even checked ?

Why? The search was called off very early. Obviously the police don't think she out there at all. So much bush, dams etc but they didn't bother. That says it all. Police don't believe she went there.

 

[BGirl88]

I wonder if it will turn out to be something that we never even thought of.

Like Cleo Smith - I don’t think anyone could have predicted that one!