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 #5

[Cedars]

- some people really are just incredibly reserved and/or good at keeping up appearances.

IMO, the opinionated public are looking for some kind of cartoonish or melodramatic reaction. It's true, there are narcissists out there who act up for the camera, but IMO grown adults don't treat the news media as their personal therapy session to let it all hang out for the bored public's entertainment.

JMO

 

[SouthAussie]

Presser on now

 

[JLZ]

I wonder if the alleged link has to do with Damascus College.

 

[technicallymissing]

Has not disclosed where Samantha's body is

Allegedly murdered that Sunday morning (Feb 4th) at Mt. Clear

Suspect is not known to the family

Not looking for anyone else, no one else suspected in this matter

A deliberate attack on Samantha & a firm "No" in answer to "was this a hit and run"

 

[SouthAussie]

Ditto above.

Now he is saying the family have cooperated, have provided everything needed and have no involvement in this matter whatsoever.

 

[Trooper]

Murdered at Mt Clear. Has not disclosed the whereabouts of the body. Murdered that Sunday morning.

 

[BGirl88]

From the ABC PRESS CONFERENCE:

• Alleged murder happened at Mt Clear on the day she disappeared
• He Has not disclosed location of body

 

[investigatefred]

From current presser:

Alleging murder occurred on day she went missing, at Mount Clear.

Suspect has not provided location of Samantha's body.

 

[Hestia's Fire]

so strange. What could the motive possibly have been?
I think we are mostly in agreement that it was a planned murder, not an accidental hit and run, so why on earth would he murder a murder a woman more than twice his age (likely to not be sexually motivated)?

There is at least one scenario I can think of where it could be both an accidental hit and a subsequent murder... Perp driving carelessly, possibly under the influence of something after a night of hard partying, hits a jogger at a high rate of speed, stops, and realizes she's seriously injured, possibly not going to survive the crash, he knows he's in a sling and panics and bundles her off somewhere to either finish the job or let time do the inevitable to someone who is badly injured and doesn't receive care.

I can't think of the name off the top of my head, but I know of at least one similar case in the US from years ago- young woman left a bar and drove home inebriated, accidentally hit a pedestrian without any witnesses, and the impact of the crash flung him right through her windshield. She panicked and drove home and parked her car in her garage with him still pinned there, alive but obviously gravely hurt and begging for mercy. Instead of calling for help or taking him to the hospital, she called a couple of friends to come over and try to help her cover it all up because she cared more about going to jail or losing her license than she did an innocent human life.

Obviously I have no idea if this is what happened, but it could explain how someone who didn't even know Sam came to take her life without premeditation.

 

[drsleuth]

Praising the family, NO involvement what so ever!

 

[Trooper]

Profound impact on the Ballarat community.

 

[lucar85]

Out of interest - can you be charged with murder if you killed someone without intent and covered it up? For example, driving under the influence, hit someone with your car, disposed of body, attempted to cover up the crime. Is that murder? I always thought murder had to be intentional?

 

[ProfCluezo]

A very clear statement from police that Samantha’s family have had absolutely NO involvement in her murder.

 

[Trooper]

Investigation is far from over, more evidence to gather, it will continue. Still searching for Samantha's body. Not giving up on that aspect. He is limited in what he can say but he will take questions. ,

<modsnip - violation of the supression order>

 

[mamamama9873]

Out of interest - can you be charged with murder if you killed someone without intent and covered it up? For example, driving under the influence, hit someone with your car, disposed of body, attempted to cover up the crime. Is that murder? I always thought murder had to be intentional?

I also believe that this would be manslaughter

 

[drsleuth]

Not known to the family

 

[OptimusLime]

Murder occurred at Mt Clear the day she disappeared
Not disclosed where body is as of yet during interviewed
Before magistrate just prior to presser
Family had been under intense scrutiny and have had no involvement
Thanked member of public, SES etc, and all police involved.
Investigation far from over and they're doing everything they can to find her body, asking public for information, even slightest bit, or little clue vital into finding her body.
It is understood not known to her family.
Deliberate attack on Samantha, NO other accomplices.
Source:

 

[technicallymissing]

Have had "amazing assistance in terms of intelligence reports" from the public and is once more calling on them for "any information, even the slightest bit of information you think might not be that relevant" "any little clue could be vital in helping us recover her body"

 

[Kookabuzz]

Presser confirmed a deliberate act of murder, intentional so wasn’t an accident.

 

[SouthAussie]

"We are saying a deliberate attack on Samantha."