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

[LemonMint]

I’m following Sam’s case from the very opposite side of the world.

I hope and trust that the Australian police knows much more than has been published by the media (many of those articles being published by tabloids as well).

Crimes do happen, unfortunately, and there are some suspicious things in my opinion, too, but all those scandalous ”news” articles don’t do any favors at all, I think.

If Sam suffered from heat exhaustion, for example, it’s not unusual at all that the search groups didn’t find her. I have been following many cases where the missing person has been found in the area of the last sighting weeks, months or even years after despite of the extensive search efforts.

I’m hoping for the best for Sam and her family but unfortunately things don’t look very promising at this point any longer

 

[green leaves]

I’m very sus on the recent news about the “campers”. IMO
Have walked Woowookarung many times. Never have seen anyone camping there. It’s not advertised as a camping spot, there’s no facilities for camping. The lookout spot mentioned has hard rocky ground.

https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/-/media/project/pv/main/parks/documents/visitor-guides-and-publications/woowookarung-regional-park/woowookarung-regional-park-visitor-guide.pdf?rev=e207c9600c2840759a9e41d5f5a22989

 

[green leaves]

I remember the recent disappearance of Samantha Bulley in the UK. Whilst she was found in the river, the police had decided to stop searching the river days before she was found saying it had already been extensively searched.

I wonder also what types of wild animals live in these forests and if they’d be large enough to be able to move a body? IMO

Brushtail possum would be the biggest animal. Smallish.
Maybe the odd kangaroo. Have never seen one myself there.

 

[BGirl88]

Following.
Sounds like a stalker and not an animal attack, for her to disappear without a trace.
Animals leave drag marks, and possibly blood or bits of torn clothing ?

Hope the very distraught family has answers soon !

Camper recalls strange man lingering near where mum disappeared from

Rebecca Agheli and her partner Michael, had rented a caravan for a weekend away in Ballarat, northwest of Melbourne , last Thursday in the hopes they may come across some gold.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Camper saw Samantha Murphy on day before disappearance
She saw 'strange, disheveled' man in forest earlier

Both Ms Agheli and her boyfriend said they heard strange sounds overnight on Friday, prompting Michael to even sleep with a cheese knife under his pillow.

'On Saturday morning Michael said ''I don't feel comfortable here, we should go, I kept hearing things last night, let's pack up and go'',' she said.

'It takes a lot for a man to be scared.'

Possibly related ?

Last February, Sissy Austin, 29, was battered unconscious by an unknown man as she jogged through nearby Lal Lal State Forest.

The photo at above link is sickening.
Someone is targeting women.
My first thought was robbery, but it doesn't sound like their belongings were taken ?

Wondering if it's the same person -- if foul play happened to Samantha ?
Omo.

It sounds like a scary interaction for the campers but I often am wary of reporting from the DM. The comment from Sissy Austin being beaten by a rock attached to a string sounds gruesome!

 

[imstilla.grandma]

When they arrived on February 1, about 15 minutes from the state forest, Ms Agheli got ready for their gold hunt while her partner scoped out the area.

'He's a big guy, he's not usually scared of anything, but he told me he'd seen a strange, dishevelled man pop out of the bush talking to himself with the crotch on his pants ripped,' she told Daily Mail Australia

She said her partner had warned her of mine shafts in the area and suggested they go elsewhere, but Ms Agheli wanted to have a quick look and wandered a short distance away from the car.

'Then I saw the same guy again even after we'd just driven about seven minutes,' she said.

'His whole face lit up when he saw a woman on his own.

Camper recalls strange man lingering near where mum disappeared from

Rebecca Agheli and her partner Michael, had rented a caravan for a weekend away in Ballarat, northwest of Melbourne , last Thursday in the hopes they may come across some gold.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[they'll get you]

I’m sure the forensic accountants are having a good look into any missing money or gambling problems etc.
The three family members worked closely together….maybe.

Services We Offer | Inland Motor Body works

There’s something about dad imo.

 

[Lucy6226]

I remember the recent disappearance of Samantha Bulley in the UK. Whilst she was found in the river, the police had decided to stop searching the river days before she was found saying it had already been extensively searched.

I wonder also what types of wild animals live in these forests and if they’d be large enough to be able to move a body? IMO

Think you meant to say Nicola Bulley

 

[Chimera]

I wouldn't be. I have kids to worry about. They take precedent. I'd hope he'd be the same if I was the one who went missing. Don't worry about me worry about the kids!! All I'd be thinking about was how my kids were and that they were being taken care of if I was unable to.

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/samantha-murphy-couple-describe-scary-encounter-with-man-close-to-time-mum-vanished/news-story/2ab165e22a021d79fdd5c1e541d19881

A couple who were camping in Ballarat at around the same time that mum Samantha Murphy vanished have said they came across a man in bushland who “scared the hell out of us”.

Aren't Samantha's kids all adults ?
Not that there isn't concern for their well-being.
I'm just saying there aren't any littles at home, correct ?
Tia.
Omo.

 

[SouthAussie]

Is it possible that she made her way there on foot by that time? Is it possible that she chose to disappear?

I have been wondering about the "chose to disappear" angle also. I don't feel too strongly about it because it doesn't seem like the most opportune time to disappear. Not when Samantha was expected to be at brunch in a few hours.
I would have thought she would give herself more leeway in which to get away unnoticed (like perhaps on a school day).

Unless there were some kind of circumstances that made that early Sunday morning the only time she could go.

imo

 

[Noorie]

Hopefully police will take reports of that weirdo lurking in the bushes seriously, especially after the Sissy Austin attack. He needs to be found.

 

[SouthAussie]

ABC Ballarat has put out an article that describes the terrain in which Samantha disappeared. They say it is a place where a person is unlikely to get lost, due to the interconnecting trails and roads that are all over the place.



Located 10 minutes from Ballarat's CBD, it is not a bushland you would typically get lost in.
It is not uncommon for people to be driving through the area.

Gold prospectors often comb the park in search of a lucky find, sightseers can see Ballarat from its lookout, and it is home to Australia's first trail constructed for people with dementia.
Joy riders speed down dirt tracks throwing up clouds of dust, rubbish is dumped in the scrub and stolen cars are set on fire here.

Historical mine shafts and shallow holes from Ballarat's gold exploring days are also dotted through parts of the bushland.
Police say these unused mines, scattered dams and the thick and rugged bush create challenging terrain to canvas.

Inside the bushland where Ballarat mother Samantha Murphy often went running

Dozens of police, SES and townspeople have scoured this park near Ballarat over the past week. Here is what's known about where the missing 51-year-old is thought to have gone running.

www.abc.net.au

 

[TrunkImagine]

Did police complete aerial searches over the area she went running? Because if she was injured and waiting for help somewhere off the track then you'd expect her body heat to be picked up during an aerial search.

 

[annpats]

This is what I can’t get past. I suspect the same. No sightings on that morning is too strange. Based on what we know (very little) and the actions of the search being scaled back (somewhat suddenly) my suspicions are that police are much closer than has been let on. Feel terribly for so many. IMO

She was sighted from a CCTV camera at a pet/animal sanctuary that was near her home and on the route of her run.

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/fresh-concerns-raised-as-search-for-missing-victorian-mum-enters-fourth-day/news-story/e7f5bed414b41c118bfdab214a8f5238

 

[SouthAussie]

Did police complete aerial searches over the area she went running? Because if she was injured and waiting for help somewhere off the track then you'd expect her body heat to be picked up during an aerial search.

Yes, they had aircraft and drones up.

This article says that emergency services were using drones and a helicopter in the aerial search.

Fears mount for missing mum as police probe her computer, associates

 

[SouthAussie]

She was sighted from a CCTV camera at a pet/animal sanctuary that was near her home and on the route of her run.

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/fresh-concerns-raised-as-search-for-missing-victorian-mum-enters-fourth-day/news-story/e7f5bed414b41c118bfdab214a8f5238

This has been discounted. It was somebody else who was running. The person came forward and identified themself.

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/crime/husband-of-missing-mother-samantha-murphy-explains-his-silence/news-story/28126c3b70253082fb2a9611bbd2fa95

 

[BreakingNews]

She was sighted from a CCTV camera at a pet/animal sanctuary that was near her home and on the route of her run.

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/fresh-concerns-raised-as-search-for-missing-victorian-mum-enters-fourth-day/news-story/e7f5bed414b41c118bfdab214a8f5238

This image was refuted as not being Samantha the next day. The actual runner came forward to authorities. So we go back to no evidence of her even leaving home.

 

[green leaves]

She was sighted from a CCTV camera at a pet/animal sanctuary that was near her home and on the route of her run.

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/fresh-concerns-raised-as-search-for-missing-victorian-mum-enters-fourth-day/news-story/e7f5bed414b41c118bfdab214a8f5238

See police statement here

Investigation continues into disappearance of Samantha Murphy - Ballarat East

Detectives from the Missing Persons Squad will today assume primacy of the investigation into the disappearance of…

www.police.vic.gov.au

 

[Cookie389]

She was sighted from a CCTV camera at a pet/animal sanctuary that was near her home and on the route of her run.

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/fresh-concerns-raised-as-search-for-missing-victorian-mum-enters-fourth-day/news-story/e7f5bed414b41c118bfdab214a8f5238

Im certain it has since been confirmed that the footage is not of her. The woman in the footage came forward.

 

[Justoneoftheguests]

I wonder also what types of wild animals live in these forests and if they’d be large enough to be able to move a body? IMO

Definitely not one’s big enough to move a body. Things like possums (cat sized), echidnas, maybe a wallaby or kangaroo. None of them predatory.

The biggest risk from animals would be from snakes and spiders, which are definitely deadly here in Australia and could result in her being disorientated/heading off the track and then becoming unconscious/dying. In some cases this can happen in a matter of an hour or less, especially if she was dehydrated, had other medical conditions (I’ve seen low blood pressure mentioned previously) or panicked and moved about etc.

The bush is thick and it’s possible the would struggle to find her.

The phone pings seem out of line with this though, as does the scaling back of the search. All MOO.

 

[SouthAussie]

<RSBM>

The phone pings seem out of line with this though, as does the scaling back of the search. All MOO.

Samantha's chances of survival, if laying injured/unconscious in the bush, have likely passed now. The searches now will probably be a search and recovery mission. imo


Gordon Dedman, a survival advisor, who played a crucial role in the making of ‘Alone Australia,’ also leads immersive programs in the Australian bush, teaching valuable skills to adventure enthusiasts.
Dedman explained the ‘rule of 3’s’ in a survival setting, stating that “food is the final thing that you prioritise. You can survive three minutes without air, three days without water and three weeks without food”.

Could you survive alone in the bush? - Bushcraft Survival Australia

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bushcraftsurvivalaustralia.com.au