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 #7

[Neet_Mc]

I am quite curious about the fact that the public have not been asked for sightings or footage of the suspect’s vehicle with a specific description of the make and model now that he has been arrested.

As far as I am aware, all that has been sought so far are reports of vehicles with damage in the area.

Knowing the colour, make, model and specific features of a vehicle might really help jog someone’s memory.

Could it be that police already have enough information? And if so, they might be narrowing down the suspect’s movements to specific search locations?
I feel like I am missing something.
Is there a reason the vehicle wouldn’t be described?

Still catching up (20 pages to go…), but I’m guessing this is because police have CCTV of his car and are piecing together its route to ascertain the exact sequence of events.
I think they’ve been coy with the release of information, so that when the brief of evidence is presented to PS, it is an almost minute by minute account of every movement captured on cctv with phone data and other accounts to corroborate. No room to move.
As stated by previous commenters, living between the 2 (possibly 3 - share house?) houses has allowed PS to conceal certain things to those in his life. I’m assuming, aside from maybe a change in mood/behaviour which may be normal for PS especially as he uses drugs, it was situation normal.
Ppl in each house are potentially partial alibis for small windows of time, but by moving between the houses and the crime scene(s), no one can account for his exact whereabouts for the Sunday and days that followed up to police surveillance. I’m hedging my bets on it being cctv of his vehicle at the time, along with phone, in the vicinity that led police to PS. For all we know, the cctv that is claimed to be the other runner, may have had his vehicle in it. The runner in the video has been dismissed, but that doesn’t mean any vehicles in the video have been ruled out.
I’m almost certain olice will have evidence of him returning to the body to move it also.

 

[Neet_Mc]

…

I think it's quite likely that Jess and alleged perp's girlfriend know each other, and they could be/have been good friends. (As an aside, IMO the images of alleged perp's girlfriend, taken while tending to horses resembled Jess, except for hair colour.) I continue to believe that Jess's comments at the presser about Samantha's determination allude to an ongoing situation which was causing Samantha distress. IMO it is that situation which has eventually resulted in the murder of Samantha.
…

IMO I’m now thinking that’s less likely. I feel Jess’s comments are more a reflection on her mum recovering from covid over Christmas, and getting back to running.

 

[Neet_Mc]

<modsnip - off topic>

I remember 5 pm ping from early MSM report.
And I believe it is true.
IMO the accused was getting rid of evidence at that time.

After allegedly concealing the victim,
and in opposite direction of this place he let the phone ping.
To mislead Police.

He allegedly was as busy as an ant that Sunday

JMO

I think that cat was let out of the bag early by LE. When the relevance of that ping came to light, reference to it ceased.

 

[SouthAussie]

I hadn't realised before now that Samantha was attacked on the anniversary of Sissy's attack. I wonder if this date has some type of significance to PS.

Not exactly.

Sam disappeared on Sunday 4th Feb 2024.
Sissy was attacked on Saturday 11th Feb 2023.


Djab Wurrung woman and former Greens Senate candidate Sissy Austin was brutally attacked on 11 February 2023 while out trail running in Lal Lal– roughly 20 km away from where Murphy reportedly disappeared in Ballarat on 4 February 2024 while out for a regular run.
Link

 

[Investig8r]

Not exactly.

Sam disappeared on Sunday 4th Feb 2024.
Sissy was attacked on Saturday 11th Feb 2023.


Djab Wurrung woman and former Greens Senate candidate Sissy Austin was brutally attacked on 11 February 2023 while out trail running in Lal Lal– roughly 20 km away from where Murphy reportedly disappeared in Ballarat on 4 February 2024 while out for a regular run.
Link

I am not sure if there is any significance but both of these dates are just before Valentine’s Day on Feb 14th.

 

[SouthAussie]

Why do the police swoop in when they do? If the cops were watching him for a couple of weeks prior, what informs their timing with when to go in and get him? The cops taking the car or searching the house-sit home seems pivotal to the charge of murder the very next day. PS surely would’ve scrubbed his car.

Sometimes the police swoop when they do because they fear the alleged perpetrator will self harm.


Ex-Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn was arrested in Victoria's high country after police heard him talking to himself about suicide.
On Monday, the detective responsible for listening to 3150 secret recordings captured from Lynn's wagon ..... revealed special operations group officers descended on Lynn in helicopters after he heard the accused killer talking to himself about possible self harm. Link

 

[Neet_Mc]

It has crossed my mind of access to pet cremation facility.

Surely via their governing regulatory authority they have to have cctv.

 

[Dr Samoht]

Could be overthinking the whole Army Cadets idea. I lived in and around Ballarat in my youth and Ballarat (to this day) has a very large shop called Aussie Disposals, which carried genuine (second hand) Army surplus. I remember my brother buying a genuine Army uniform there years ago. Very easy to get your hands on these items at that shop.

Exactly my thinking too , that disposals shop in Bridge St mall or even bought online, perhaps stocked by BigW or KMart too.
My feeling is the shocked neighbour grasping for words in the tv interview was simply using ‘army uniform ‘ to depict any sort of camouflage riding apparel popular with todays outdoor youth .I think all this conjecture about army cadets is the wrong rabbit hole .

 

[Neet_Mc]

Sissy Austin: former Greens Senate candidate attacked while running in a Victorian state forest | Victoria | The Guardian

Djab Wurrung woman is recovering from injuries after allegedly being knocked unconscious with a rock tied to a stick near Ballarat

amp.theguardian.com

All we have is this re Sissy

Police said the attacker was believed to be a Caucasian male wearing black jeans, a cap and no shoes or shirt.

I thought there was an identikit image released but I must have imagined it, can’t find it now. IMO it could be the same person, and perhaps minimally dressed for the reasons you say. And maybe not. Not enough info to know…

Besides describing someone who’s maybe doing it rough, this description matches many attending music festivals. A different demographic altogether but also one that PS finds himself part of.

 

[Trooper]

Police are not able to sit around the table and decide for themselves who they will charge with murder,... it really does require a lot of hard, actionable, verifiable , reliable, evidence.. It requires any theoretical chain capable of being repeated in court , backed by evidence.

And then all this stuff goes off to the Office of the Public Prosecutor, where the Dept. of Public Prosecution hangs out, these are the people who take the Police case to court. So the police investigation team have to convince the OPP and the DPP that what they have is absolutely gold, and platinum, with diamonds thrown in. It has to be the kind of evidence that judge sees clearly for adjudication. By it's nature, it has to be more than someone just saying it happened, a lot more than that. That, on it's own, would not be enough.

Then, and only then, does a judge sign off on the warrant for arrest on the charge of murder.,

It has to be the kind of evidence that a jury sees, and hears and goes , 'yes. .. that was what was done, and he did it. ' .... no one in court has to worry about why he did it, that's for another day, another venue.

Once the OPP and the DPP are satisfied that the police have enough evidence to arrest someone, a warrant is issued, and off they go, banging on doors at 6am, because disturbance is the key , here. They want their arrestee disturbed.

VICPOL are not only convinced that Mrs Murphy is dead, but that she died early that Sunday morning, at Mt Clear, at the hand of Mr. S. These four things, not just him being charged with murder, but the claim of her death, and the location, and the timing points to VICPOL having some colossal , gigantic gold/platinum/diamond/ evidence, of the sort rarely falling into police hands....

 

[Voluspa]

Exactly my thinking too , that disposals shop in Bridge St mall or even bought online, perhaps stocked by BigW or KMart too.
My feeling is the shocked neighbour grasping for words in the tv interview was simply using ‘army uniform ‘ to depict any sort of camouflage riding apparel popular with todays outdoor youth .I think all this conjecture about army cadets is the wrong rabbit hole .

Agreed. Some men like to wear camo attire and even the full uniform for differing reasons - they think it looks cool, or they enjoy bushcraft and hunting, or it evokes a sense of hierarchy/authority/power, or perhaps they're into the cosplay side of things.

Here it could be something so simple as PS thinking it looks good, or camo dirt bike gear was on sale haha.

I think if he was in the army cadets there would've been pictures released by MSM by now.

 

[Rocket333]

Police are not able to sit around the table and decide for themselves who they will charge with murder,... it really does require a lot of hard, actionable, verifiable , reliable, evidence.. It requires any theoretical chain capable of being repeated in court , backed by evidence.

And then all this stuff goes off to the Office of the Public Prosecutor, where the Dept. of Public Prosecution hangs out, these are the people who take the Police case to court. So the police investigation team have to convince the OPP and the DPP that what they have is absolutely gold, and platinum, with diamonds thrown in. It has to be the kind of evidence that judge sees clearly for adjudication. By it's nature, it has to be more than someone just saying it happened, a lot more than that. That, on it's own, would not be enough.

Then, and only then, does a judge sign off on the warrant for arrest on the charge of murder.,

It has to be the kind of evidence that a jury sees, and hears and goes , 'yes. .. that was what was done, and he did it. ' .... no one in court has to worry about why he did it, that's for another day, another venue.

Once the OPP and the DPP are satisfied that the police have enough evidence to arrest someone, a warrant is issued, and off they go, banging on doors at 6am, because disturbance is the key , here. They want their arrestee disturbed.

VICPOL are not only convinced that Mrs Murphy is dead, but that she died early that Sunday morning, at Mt Clear, at the hand of Mr. S. These four things, not just him being charged with murder, but the claim of her death, and the location, and the timing points to VICPOL having some colossal , gigantic gold/platinum/diamond/ evidence, of the sort rarely falling into police hands....

The only thing therefore I can think of that would provide that colossal iron clad evidence is if it was filmed, and/or vital body matter/tissue that you can’t live without was found on something of his.
If they got something from his car or home after his arrest, it wouldn’t be included as it wouldn’t be tested in time for the charge the next day, surely?

 

[Trooper]

The only thing therefore I can think of that would provide that colossal iron clad evidence is if it was filmed, and/or vital body matter/tissue that you can’t live without was found on something of his.
If they got something from his car or home after his arrest, it wouldn’t be included as it wouldn’t be tested in time for the charge the next day, surely?

Bolded by me for emphasis.

No, naturally, it not only wouldn't be included in the matters for the arrest, it could not be included, because it would not have been bought before the OPP or the DPP for their scrutiny of the gathered evidence and it's capacity to back up a charge of murder. Whatever they got from his car, and his home, and his toolbox and shed and what not, all these things are ADDITIONAL to what the police already had , which was enough to issue a warrant for arrest for Murder. With a capital M.

 

[Rocket333]

Bolded by me for emphasis.

No, naturally, it not only wouldn't be included in the matters for the arrest, it could not be included, because it would not have been bought before the OPP or the DPP for their scrutiny of the gathered evidence and it's capacity to back up a charge of murder. Whatever they got from his car, and his home, and his toolbox and shed and what not, all these things are ADDITIONAL to what the police already had , which was enough to issue a warrant for arrest for Murder. With a capital M.

Yeah, I was clarifying that because to not have to rely on evidence from his car, home, shed etc to charge him really brings home the weight & significant of the evidence they already have gathered from external means.

 

[Trooper]

My apologies,, I thought I had clarified it.

Yeah, I was clarifying that because to not have to rely on evidence from his car, home, shed etc to charge him really brings home the weight & significant of the evidence they already have gathered from external means.

 

[Trooper]

Yeah, I was clarifying that because to not have to rely on evidence from his car, home, shed etc to charge him really brings home the weight & significant of the evidence they already have gathered from external means.

Additionally, keeping in mind, the evidence not only points to Mr S< but, before they arrested him they knew Mrs Murphy was dead, that her manner of death was murder, that she died that Sunday morning, at Mr Clear. No equivocation , no ambiguity, nothing opaque or unclear about any of those statements, which are, in my opinion, an amateur opinion, does not happen very often with VICPOL. ....

 

[SleutherGirl]

Additionally, keeping in mind, the evidence not only points to Mr S< but, before they arrested him they knew Mrs Murphy was dead, that her manner of death was murder, that she died that Sunday morning, at Mr Clear. No equivocation , no ambiguity, nothing opaque or unclear about any of those statements, which are, in my opinion, an amateur opinion, does not happen very often with VICPOL. ....

Indeed, I am at a loss to how they may have known that the manner of death was murder. The Apple Watch data can tell them many things, time, location, etc., but not manner of death.

 

[Trooper]

Indeed, I am at a loss to how they may have known that the manner of death was murder. The Apple Watch data can tell them many things, time, location, etc., but not manner of death.

That is the fascinating part of it all, to me. It is really gripping stuff, and points , at least to me it points, to some high grade, industrial strength detective work, in conjunction with some astute and sharp copper on the beat stuff, out of Ballarat, and places nearby.

That claim , made by VICPOL , in no uncertain terms, it was not hinted at, or vaguely referred to as, it was clearly stated, she was murdered. At that particular location, near , and pretty close to this time, which to me, says, the information isn't confined to , or maybe even not associated with , the watch......

 

[SleutherGirl]

That is the fascinating part of it all, to me. It is really gripping stuff, and points , at least to me it points, to some high grade, industrial strength detective work, in conjunction with some astute and sharp copper on the beat stuff, out of Ballarat, and places nearby.

That claim , made by VICPOL , in no uncertain terms, it was not hinted at, or vaguely referred to as, it was clearly stated, she was murdered. At that particular location, near , and pretty close to this time, which to me, says, the information isn't confined , or maybe even not associated with , the watch......

Exactly, and that begs the question, without a body, without the watch, without a suspect, how could they possibly know this?

 

[Trooper]

Exactly, and that begs the question, without a body, without the watch, without a suspect, how could they possibly know this?

That is what will be made plain and clear, at the summary hearing. I don't know how, but I want to know, very much how VICPOL came to their conclusions. I do not doubt the conclusions they reached, and I just have to wait to find out.....

Being a member of the public , unfortunately, does not give me a front row seat at the police discussions..