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 #4

[TootsieFootsie]

One of the things that they were said to be searching for at Mount Clear were footprints.
I was thinking that perhaps looking at how the footprints were arranged and if it looked like a scuffle.
Also if any of the footprints may have been Samantha's.

I know without her they won't have her running shoes, but I would think they might know what footwear she was wearing.

 

[Sher Lock]

One of the things that they were said to be searching for at Mount Clear were footprints.
I was thinking that perhaps looking at how the footprints were arranged and if it looked like a scuffle.
Also if any of the footprints may have been Samantha's.

I know without her they won't have her running shoes, but I would think they might know what footwear she was wearing.

That's interesting that they'd be looking for footprints, as from memory, it rained heavily in the area on the Monday (?) night (Feb 5th) and I would have thought any footprints would have been washed away, same with tyre images in the dirt.

 

[SleutherGirl]

How would they even know what footprints were hers? Unless her running shoes had quite specific treads?
Edit: I mean, I couldn't tell you what my own shoes' treads look like off the top of my head, let alone someone else's, let alone in the mud on a trail in a forest.

 

[Kemug]

One of the things that they were said to be searching for at Mount Clear were footprints.
I was thinking that perhaps looking at how the footprints were arranged and if it looked like a scuffle.
Also if any of the footprints may have been Samantha's.

I know without her they won't have her running shoes, but I would think they might know what footwear she was wearing.

And her shoe size.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

And maybe they know a suspect or suspects shoe size. They may even have checked out their footwear.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I wonder if this is a case where they might get an experienced tracker in.
I've seen some where they could see footprints where others saw nothing.

 

[BGirl88]

I’ve just listened to this brief radio interview with ‘Sly of the underworld’ on 3AW. I’m on the Sunny Coast so I don’t know who this man is, but he seems to have good understanding of crime and what the police are looking at.

'The victim has no secrets': Sly comments on missing Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy

Sly of the Underworld has commented on missing Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy, who hasn’t been seen since going for a jog on the morning of February 4th. “In these sort of circumstances, the victim has no secrets,” Sly told Ross and Russ. Press PLAY to hear his comments Image (Murphy): Victoria...

www.3aw.com.au

Key notes from the interview:

• Pretty much ruled out self harm, orchestrated own disappearance and a medical incident because area has been searched, therefore believe foul play / murder
• Police will be considering that one of the community search members will be the killer (to keep an eye on the investigation/ what’s going on)
• The police picked for this case are the best at missing persons - very methodical and patient - the best at long term investigations
• Early arrest unlikely
• One theory being looked at is that the POI turns out to be totally cooperative.

I think there must be some really complex stuff going on in the background and that we obviously don’t know about.

I no longer believe this was an unfortunate hit and run cover up. I think there’s much more to her disappearance.

For all this time I haven’t suspected MM but I am now starting to wonder…

 

[BreakingNews]

I cant help but wonder if there hadn't been trouble in the days leading up to SM disappearance. Maybe that is why the missing person report was seemingly made early on. (We have not got an exact time of the report). Something seemed to be going on. But we don't know what we don't know.

 

[BGirl88]

I just googled Sly of the Underworld. He’s a crime reporter based in Melbourne.

John Silvester

John Silvester has been a crime reporter based in Melbourne from the late 1970s. He has written, edited and published crime books that have sold more than 1 million copies in Australia. His work was adapted into the top rating Underbelly television series shown on Channel Nine and he has acted...

www.platinumspeakers.com.au

Interestingly in 2023 he did an interview about how bikies have been trying to infiltrate Vic Police

Sly of the Underworld: The bikie 'spies' planted the police force - 3AW Breakfast with Ross and Russel

Crime reporter John 'Sly' Silvester says there have been numerous attempts by bikies to infiltrate Victoria Police.

omny.fm

 

[BGirl88]

I cant help but wonder if there hadn't been trouble in the days leading up to SM disappearance. Maybe that is why the missing person report was seemingly made early on. (We have not got an exact time of the report). Something seemed to be going on. But we don't know what we don't know.

100% agree with you. I believe there was something else going on that made that missing persons report happen quickly.

 

[Dr. Snoop]

I cant help but wonder if there hadn't been trouble in the days leading up to SM disappearance. Maybe that is why the missing person report was seemingly made early on. (We have not got an exact time of the report). Something seemed to be going on. But we don't know what we don't know.

I echo your sentiments. It inevitably brings to mind the tragic case of Allison Baden-Clay, even though she never embarked on a fateful walk. Nevertheless, her disgraced husband similarly made an early call, attempting to convey the unsettling message that his wife might have disappeared.

 

[Dotta]

This case is so frightening.

On the outside,
Samantha led a charmed life.
Liked, respected and successful,
with beautiful children, seemingly doting husband whom she had to "keep in line" from time to time,
with a circle of friends.

Business was thriving,
the new house was spacious and comfortable.

But what was happening inside?
Inside the home?
Inside the business she was working hard to expand?
Inside the circle of friends?

What led to this terrible tragedy?
Who is responsible for the "foul play"?

Was it random?
Was it premeditated?

Was she betrayed by a person or people whom she trusted/loved?

And what will happen to her children facing unfathomable pain and despair?
And her elderly parents?

I follow this case with a heavy heart

 

[Lukey2121]

I just googled Sly of the Underworld. He’s a crime reporter based in Melbourne.

John Silvester

John Silvester has been a crime reporter based in Melbourne from the late 1970s. He has written, edited and published crime books that have sold more than 1 million copies in Australia. His work was adapted into the top rating Underbelly television series shown on Channel Nine and he has acted...

www.platinumspeakers.com.au

Interestingly in 2023 he did an interview about how bikies have been trying to infiltrate Vic Police

Sly of the Underworld: The bikie 'spies' planted the police force - 3AW Breakfast with Ross and Russel

Crime reporter John 'Sly' Silvester says there have been numerous attempts by bikies to infiltrate Victoria Police.

omny.fm

He does podcasts as well

 

[BGirl88]

This case is so frightening.

On the outside,
Samantha led a charmed life.
Liked, respected and successful,
with beautiful children, seemingly doting husband whom she had to "keep in line" from time to time,
with a circle of friends.

Business was thriving,
the new house was spacious and comfortable.

But what was happening inside?
Inside the home?
Inside the business she was working hard to expand?
Inside the circle of friends?

What led to this terrible tragedy?
Who is responsible for the "foul play"?

Was it random?
Was it premeditated?

Was she betrayed by a person or people whom she trusted/loved?

And what will happen to her children facing unfathomable pain and despair?
And her elderly parents?

I follow this case with a heavy heart

I hear you Dotta. I’ve been following this so closely that I myself am feeling down this last week or two. I didn’t even know Samantha. I can’t imagine the heartache within her circle of family and friends.

 

[SLouTh]

He does podcasts as well

New Free Article about the same ….

“So that leaves you with the suggestion of foul play and probably murder.”

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/crime/expert-airs-grim-theory-in-search-for-missing-ballarat-mother-samantha-murphy/news-story/9ad2d5094f3f0e978d557416cda20efd

 

[acutename]

IMOO

If you follow that track of thinking it is someone she knows ( taking into consideration, AVO , alleged altercation at dinner night before , someone she knows )

I can see 2 scenarios - based on women being most vulnerable to violence when they leave a r/ship

1. She was meeting with ex- partner ( or obsessed friend ) to end it - and violence occurs.
2. She was planning to end current r/ship

I think other scenarios ( bikes , kidnap , ) less likely .

maybe there was some one at the business doing something criminal- theft, overcharging-something and she was becoming suspicious...

 

[BGirl88]

maybe there was some one at the business doing something criminal- theft, overcharging-something and she was becoming suspicious...

Or could MM have agreed to some dodgy dealings (cash jobs could be handy when adding a pool, shed, pond on a $2.2m property) and SM became suspicious. It’s caused tensions over time, MM has tried to get out of dodgy dealings (to keep SM happy and quiet), but nefarious customer has not been happy about that. All just MOO.

 

[Curiosity Cat]

I apologize if this has already.been mentioned but I wondered why someone not at all connected to a victim would need to dispose of a body? Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts?

 

[kiwijune]

More clickbait, this is not a 'new theory': Explosive new theory emerges in Samantha Murphy search

 

[Warshawski]

apologies if this has been discussed already .
I am confused about her watch and its location .

She was wearing her Apple Watch ( if CCTV shows her before leaving for run is correct date )

My understanding is that Apple Watches can be tracked to the last location before battery went dead for example using Find my device . But once the battery is dead you can’t and moved to new location they can’t be tracked .

Assuming police have the last location of the watch before the battery died .
So either :
- The watch & SM are still in that area and yet not found despite extensive search ?
- The watch was turned off and SM has been moved somewhere else
- Only the watch was in that area & hasn’t been discovered . Ie it’s been staged to look like she’s lost in the bush .
Am I missing something or getting it totally wrong ?

I’ve been puzzling along the same lines PolyDot.

She was wearing her Apple Watch & took her iPhone with her - which indicates the watch was not cellular ( ie needed the proximity of phone to be able to make calls etc )

Does it also need the proximity of the Phone to log her tracking data, speed data etc back to any apps she may have set up on a computer, or any ‘sharing’ with another device ?

Do police suspect she is separated from both devices, or do the believe they are ‘off’ but don’t know if she’s still in possession.