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

[Deleted member 293720]

I have reported to Crime Stoppers. No follow up with me. I was given a report number so I could follow up with them, if I had more info to add.

My report was not anonymous, but there was also the option to report anonymously if I wanted to use that option.

The report (online) allows you to give - or not - a phone number or email address so that the police can contact you if they want more information.

You can also speak to a detective if you want
You can report anonymous and don't have to leave any details
they can give you a case no. If you want to follow up regarding other information

 

[Awakening]

I was wondering how time consuming it was with 500 tips.

If they had to call back every single tip or acknowledge it in some way.

I guess:

Psychic vision: ignore

Car with damage: ring tipster to get more info; time, place, plate number

Suspicious persons: ring tipster if their report matches current poi’s.

 

[Officer Dibble]

Bushcraft expert claims 'blind spots' in search for missing mum

Bush tracking expert and visiting volunteer Jake Cassar said he delivered several items of potential evidence to authorities in areas of the dense scrub that had not been previously searched.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[JLZ]

I was wondering how time consuming it was with 500 tips.

If they had to call back every single tip or acknowledge it in some way.

I guess:

Psychic vision: ignore

Car with damage: ring tipster to get more info; time, place, plate number

Suspicious persons: ring tipster if their report matches current poi’s.

In the case I reported on, they arrested a family member of the victim a week or so after they rang me. Nothing to do with my input. I think they were just making sure it couldn't be said they'd overlooked something that pointed a different way.

 

[Awakening]

In the case I reported on, they arrested a family member of the victim a week or so after they rang me. Nothing to do with my input. I think they were just making sure it couldn't be said they'd overlooked something that pointed a different way.

Ah yes that makes sense.

They would need to be thorough to make sure nothing is missed and I guess potentially you don’t want a defence lawyer arguing you weren’t thorough enough.

 

[Oona]

Bushcraft expert claims 'blind spots' in search for missing mum

Bush tracking expert and visiting volunteer Jake Cassar said he delivered several items of potential evidence to authorities in areas of the dense scrub that had not been previously searched.

www.dailymail.co.uk

“'I was able to find areas that were undisturbed to the tune of me being able to find things, and the person that was with me being able to find things, that certainly should have been handed over to the police,' he said.

Mr Cassar could not confirm what those items were so as to not interfere with the investigation but said there was a main item of interest and it confirmed that the area had not yet been fully searched.“

I wonder what they found.

 

[Deleted member 339914]

I have been hard at it studying a detailed map of the area around Mt Clear looking for where you would head in a van if you wanted to get away from populated areas and cameras asap. You could go Sebastapol and on to somewhere like Cambrian Hill ... anyone familiar with this area? Secluded possibly abandonned old houses on plots of land?

 

[Deleted member 339914]

I have been hard at it studying a detailed map of the area around Mt Clear looking for where you would head in a van if you wanted to get away from populated areas and cameras asap. You could go Sebastapol and on to somewhere like Cambrian Hill ... anyone familiar with this area? Secluded possibly abandonned old houses on plots of land?

The reason I am so focussed on old abandonned houses on large plots of land out of the way is that keeping a person in a suburban house with neighbours either side much riskier.

 

[Deleted member 339914]

The reason I am so focussed on old abandonned houses on large plots of land out of the way is that keeping a person in a suburban house with neighbours either side much riskier.

Same story hiding a body if the worst happens. Much less risk in the middle of nowhere where very few people around, if at all.

 

[SouthAussie]

“'I was able to find areas that were undisturbed to the tune of me being able to find things, and the person that was with me being able to find things, that certainly should have been handed over to the police,' he said.

Mr Cassar could not confirm what those items were so as to not interfere with the investigation but said there was a main item of interest and it confirmed that the area had not yet been fully searched.“

I wonder what they found.

I remember seeing a video where they found a ladies Seiko watch. It is the only found item that I have actually seen or heard about.
The caption said something about Sam wearing an Apple watch and it was unclear if she had another one on her.

I then looked at the last photo of Sam, and I don't believe she has another watch on her wrists.

Maybe that is an indication that there are things that could have been missed (related or unrelated).

(If you Google Searchers find a ladies seiko watch in the bush while helping with the search for Samantha Murphy you will find the short video. I can't re-find the original posting by Ch9 to post the link)

imo

 

[Moonchild90]

Absolutely agree, I never actually turn mine on or off either, just stick it on charge when needed.

I think, if the perpetrator also had an Apple Watch they would know how to turn it off, but if they were unfamiliar with smart watches they probably would take some time to figure it out….might just try smashing it instead.
If Sam had her phone and was not incapacitated in some way, I think it would be possible for her to quickly use the SOS function.

So there are several Apple devices that could be missing from Sam:
Her phone, her watch, her AirPods and possibly the AirPod case.

Slightly off topic but... just hypothetically:
Do you guys know, if I was to wear a body camera during my walks/runs, if the camera was lost in case of me missing - would LE be able to retrieve the footage?

 

[BreakingNews]

Thank you.

Do you know if Crimestoppers or police call or follow up with the tipster?

Police, but only if they need more info. You don't get feedback otherwise.

 

[BreakingNews]

You can also speak to a detective if you want
You can report anonymous and don't have to leave any details
they can give you a case no. If you want to follow up regarding other information

You can not get info on what you reported about, though. The ref # is really if you have additional info to add. Police only phone if they need further info from you.

 

[OptimusLime]

Just curious, what did everyone think of the 60 min report?

 

[Lukey2121]

Slightly off topic but... just hypothetically:
Do you guys know, if I was to wear a body camera during my walks/runs, if the camera was lost in case of me missing - would LE be able to retrieve the data?

It would have to be connected to your phone and live streamed (recorded) to the cloud, otherwise no.
Happy to be corrected if someone knows other methods to do it.

 

[ChuckE]

GoodMorning from sunny QLD. Some random thoughts from me on this Saturday morning:

• This is either a very well planned attack or a random attack/accident cover up where the perps so far are lucky to have got away with not leaving any evidence.
• Destroying evidence - I imagine that if the devices had to be destroyed, they’d likely be put in water? Or placed into a bag and smashed with a hammer? Putting them into a bag would contain any glass / metal / etc.
• Was the phone and watch left at the scene of the crime and then perps came back for it to destroy it a few hours later (crap, we have to go back and destroy her phone before anyone finds it). Or was it removed from the scene of the crime and destroyed near the final ping?
• I keep going back to that first press conference and the way the daughter spoke. She spoke as if she suspected her mum had disappeared of her own accord “mum please come home soon, we miss you and we need you at home with us. Can’t wait to give you the biggest hug and tell you off for causing us so much stress.” It’s odd to me that these were her choice of words. Had Sam taken off in the past? Was there something going on at home that made Jess think her mum had just taken some time out? Why not say “if anyone knows anything about mum, please come forward…” or perhaps Jess was just so overcome with grief and she couldn’t fathom a scenario where her mum had been kidnapped, so ‘assuming’ her mum had taken off was the best scenario her brain could come up with.
• At the same time, I still don’t suspect the husband.I have probably, in my head, made some stereotypical assumptions about MM, based on my own personal experiences and can relate to the “keeping him in line” statement on the business website. I’m hesitant to say much more as these are just personal assumptions.

Every day, I wake up hoping for news Sam has been found.

Agree ..

 

[ChuckE]

IMO...this is a well planned "disappearance" I don't believe it's random....we can look at what evidence we have (basic, controlled titbits by LE) and random "experts* I believe this is a well planned crime, and I believe the previous nights dinner and 10am appointment are significant IMO...I also believe Samantha has sadly passed (murder) 2 important considerations... Motive and Money...

 

[Deleted member 293720]

I think the "they" could be the police, not Mick.

We know that the police went to the area of Buninyong in their first searches.

Mick might have had no idea where Sam intended to run that morning. And only knew where she sometimes ran by the things she said after the runs. imo


Victoria Police had focused the search on Woowookarung Regional Park and bushland near the Buninyong Golf Course yesterday ...

Search area expands for missing Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy

The search for the 51-year-old mother focused on Woowookarung Regional Park and the bushland area near the Buninyong Golf Course yesterday, but has now expanded to Black Hill.

www.abc.net.au

They sounds like

I think the "they" could be the police, not Mick.

We know that the police went to the area of Buninyong in their first searches.

Mick might have had no idea where Sam intended to run that morning. And only knew where she sometimes ran by the things she said after the runs. imo


Victoria Police had focused the search on Woowookarung Regional Park and bushland near the Buninyong Golf Course yesterday ...

Search area expands for missing Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy

The search for the 51-year-old mother focused on Woowookarung Regional Park and the bushland area near the Buninyong Golf Course yesterday, but has now expanded to Black Hill.

www.abc.net.au

I think 'they' is Allan and Mick went out looking

'She wasn't home. Didn't go to it... he rang up and reported it and after that they started looking out the other side of Buninyong, which is 20-30km away.'

It's all very odd

 

[T-dawg420]

I was wondering how time consuming it was with 500 tips.

If they had to call back every single tip or acknowledge it in some way.

I guess:

Psychic vision: ignore

Car with damage: ring tipster to get more info; time, place, plate number

Suspicious persons: ring tipster if their report matches current poi’s.

I figure it would be very time consuming. I’m sure as you alluded too they do prioritise the tips. However, while I don’t know for sure, I assume they have to follow up every single lead. Just in case. It must be hard keeping an open mind as well at various stages being a detective. You must get 100 yards of crappy tips just for that one inch of a good tip. And you just never know how far fetched a tip could be, whether it leads you to the promised land so to speak imo.

 

[T-dawg420]

Just catching up on the thread. In reference to how long it took to report SM missing.

I personally don’t think it was that long at all. It really depends on the specific circumstance as well as the person involved I believe. Like if you’re naturally aloof and a bit of a free spirit, then you could probably be gone for days without raising an alarm.

However if you were regular in your actions, not aloof whatsoever and very reliable in the way you carry yourself, then I really can’t see an issue with after 2 hours someone calling for help on your behalf.

I certainly would hope, dare I say almost expect family members to do the same for me.

While They say she was reported missing at 11am, we don’t know if it was MM ringing the alarm bells cos she was in danger from something nefarious. She was running, on her own, through a forest at points, and was late returning for two hours. Imagine if SM was injured, on a path, maybe bitten by a snake, maybe seriously injured from something but unable to call for help, And you just sat at home on your hands thinking, oh well, it’s only a couple of hours,”she’ll be right mate”.

It just doesn’t make sense to me not raising some kind of alarm with the authorities.

In many cases I’ve seen, family members, places of work as well as LE have been questioned because of the lack of urgency they have taken to raise a alarm/find someone missing. I personally find it reassuring the alarm was raised early, and LE took up the search as fast as they did.

Again, imagine the flip side of SM was just out there needing assistance, and nothing was done, the pitch forks would be out in force imo

Geez that got kinda long, apologies for the tangent lol.