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

[Lucy6226]

This case reminds me of Julie Schutt last year, she went missing for 6 days and then was found.

Heartbroken husband's desperate plea to missing wife

Clifford Schutt said he is in 'bits and pieces' after Julie, his wife of 25 years, went missing in Streaky Bay, South Australia.

www.dailymail.co.uk

I hope this case has the same positive outcome

 

[Marg944]

This case reminds me of Julie Schutt last year, she went missing for 6 days and then was found.

Heartbroken husband's desperate plea to missing wife

Clifford Schutt said he is in 'bits and pieces' after Julie, his wife of 25 years, went missing in Streaky Bay, South Australia.

www.dailymail.co.uk

And in a later article, it is claimed that she survived the 6 days without food and water….

Queensland woman Julie Schutt was found walking towards farmhouse a week after going missing - ABC News

amp.abc.net.au

 

[OptimusLime]

@OptimusLime - agree, I only mention it because those details stick in my head. I haven't come across Tim Watson-Munro etc but I understand what you mean re the difference between helpful info, helpful speculation and things that just muddy the water. You are talking about discernment / evaluation. I just could not *not* mention them because they niggle at me - doesn't mean it needs to be given weight.

Oh, so well written! I'd love to have examples of discernment, evaluation and speculation (for context I was throwing myself under the bus for "speculating " on the husband's interview). A few posts mentioned in my view- don't guage guilt based on interview. I'm not an expert in behaviour analysis, however, have been doing some subjects in criminology in my degree.

 

[Lukey2121]

This case reminds me of Julie Schutt last year, she went missing for 6 days and then was found.

Heartbroken husband's desperate plea to missing wife

Clifford Schutt said he is in 'bits and pieces' after Julie, his wife of 25 years, went missing in Streaky Bay, South Australia.

www.dailymail.co.uk

And SM had the husband convicted and ready for the guillotine. Just because statistics say it‘s usually someone you know, we shouldn’t be ones throwing stones waiting for one hit.

 

[mondayschild]

Seriously not an expert here either ! Hmm, the difference about discernment is probably about how you put together all the data and might get stuck thinking it is the solution (because of the time/effort invested in collating it). I don't exclude things but I might give them hefty pinches of salt too I think it is natural for people to speculate on the husband because so often we see the romantic partner involved - so don't throw yourself under a bus! Maybe what I mean is - when people get very convinced they are right - it becomes inflexible and unhelpful. Or where they are just trying to make money by eliciting fear or giving false hope. I wish the family and the investigators a lot of clarity and luck and also hopeful for positive outcome.

 

[Trooper]

The thing that has stuck in my mind that has been bothering me is that Sam’s daughter said her mum is too strong to give up this fight. That statement has a few possible conclusions you could draw from it. Initially I thought she may perhaps have been fighting a physical or mental health battle. However since the police have said that Sam is physically and mentally very strong I find myself more confused about this statement and its possible meaning. Did anyone else pick up on this? Don’t know why I’m so stuck on it!

oh that struck me as so .. . so . like, what>?? what, who has mum been FIGHTING with??.. I had a dreadful thought of her seeing mum and dad duke it out, that she meant mum held her own in these encounters, It was such an odd thing to say. Yes the circumstance is odd, but even so.. Did she mean a metaphorical fight?? a mental fight?? an actual person to person shirt fronting thing?.. Some nasty stalker sort of thing>>>? It has haunted me, along with her inconsolable grief..

 

[jjleroche]

@nightrider17 the two things that are possibly important clues (relating to your idea re potential stalker or someone who had some criminal intent re SM or family assets) have appeared in two media stories. The first was one very early on that indicated that SM had been home alone over Xmas / new year as she had COVID. She didn't travel with the family to a coastal area - as they did every year - because she was unwell. This means her contacts & interactions over this time within the town could be relevant. Secondly, a brief mention in the paper yesterday that the night prior to her disappearance the adults hosted a dinner party. As in other cases, this sometimes gives people (potential suspects) access to belongings/tech or information re future plans eg planned jog. I'm not sure if I have a working theory but I do think that the phone ping & the phone being turned on & off could be to delete information that could incriminate the possible perpetrator.

I'm starting to think that Samantha spending Christmas and New Year alone, and not travelling with her family to the coast for their annual holiday is rather significant. It sounds as though that was the most recent Christmas and New Year 2023-2024.

IIRC her friend stated that she DID have Covid. I wonder how long her husband and children were on their coastal holiday. Given that school holidays span through to the end of January, it could be quite short, or up to several weeks. As per isolation requirements at that time, she would not have been required to be isolated for a lengthy time.
I agree with you that her contacts and interactions during this time within the town could be relevant.

If she were so ill that she didn't feel able to travel, I wonder if anyone was caring for her. (I imagine various friends would have at least dropped by to check on her.)

I think this question has been asked previously, but I haven't seen an answer. Does anyone know why Samantha took up running (again)?

I had previously thought maybe a snakebite/fall/hit and run would be most likely. I'm now thinking spending Christmas away from her kids, as well as their regular holiday appears out of character for her. Maybe the answer lies somewhere in there. I'm really hoping that the family gets some answers soon. MOO

COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Trooper]

and, oh. well. There is this, What the husband was wearing. A surfers T shirt and board shorts. Old runners. He did not look serious about all this...

 

[eptio]

Just thought I'd share some findings/thoughts regarding the cell tower ping information.

It was said her phone pinged a tower near Buninyong Golf Club, which seems to be a strange location as there is no cell tower there (why not just say 'a tower near Buninyong'?). There is however a cell tower named 'Buninyong Golf Course'.



I think we can assume this is the cell tower police would be referring to. This tower also only serves Optus services, although I'm not sure if other carriers will register pings (perhaps only when there is no service on the main carrier?).

In any case, this tower is on the outskirts of the Ballarat area and would likely service an area 10km+ south/south-west of Buninyong. There are however nearby towers in other directions. So for the last ping to happen at that tower, it would likely need to be have been very close to the golf course OR much further south, along Colac-Ballarat Rd. Colac-Ballarat Rd also descends 200m+ which would allow the signal to travel further. It's also important to note that there is also a tower on the nearby and relatively high Mt Buninyong, which may indicate the ping was closer rather than further to the 'Buninyong Golf Course' tower.

This is the area south along 'Colac-Ballarat Rd'. I've marked the golf course tower in red vs competing nearby towers in blue.



source: Radio Frequency National Site Archive

 

[kiwi50]

Were either Samantha or her husband members of the golf club near where her phone pinged to?

 

[Awakening]

If Samantha did a run on Saturday, as claimed by campers, it’s odd to me that she would run again on Sunday.

I don’t run lost distances but know plenty who do, and they tend to run short distances during the week and then do their long run once on the weekend, and the following day is rest day.

Of course there are variations but it would be very unusual for a runner to do 20km one day and 20km the next.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

And I imagine the plan after the run was to come home and have a shower and get ready for the 11am get together.

 

[Doesitmakesense]

Do You think its is possible for someone to have left the property on foot undetected by the property's own CCTV and access bushland?? OMO

Just wanted your thoughts on this possibility? JMO

I think yes, I know how to get around my house, not set off the motion detectors and know exactly where the blind spots are

 

[ZombieKittie]

Just thought I'd share some findings/thoughts regarding the cell tower ping information.

It was said her phone pinged a tower near Buninyong Golf Club, which seems to be a strange location as there is no cell tower there (why not just say 'a tower near Buninyong'?). There is however a cell tower named 'Buninyong Golf Course'.

View attachment 482245

I think we can assume this is the cell tower police would be referring to. This tower also only serves Optus services, although I'm not sure if other carriers will register pings (perhaps only when there is no service on the main carrier?).

In any case, this tower is on the outskirts of the Ballarat area and would likely service an area 10km+ south/south-west of Buninyong. There are however nearby towers in other directions. So for the last ping to happen at that tower, it would likely need to be have been very close to the golf course OR much further south, along Colac-Ballarat Rd. Colac-Ballarat Rd also descends 200m+ which would allow the signal to travel further. It's also important to note that there is also a tower on the nearby and relatively high Mt Buninyong, which may indicate the ping was closer rather than further to the 'Buninyong Golf Course' tower.

This is the area south along 'Colac-Ballarat Rd'. I've marked the golf course tower in red vs competing nearby towers in blue.

View attachment 482251

source: Radio Frequency National Site Archive

Other cell phone tower maps show one right next to the golf course




Also my understanding is that towers work in a radius not any particular direction. It also hasn't been stated whether that was a triangulated location or just a ping off that tower. If it was just a ping off that tower then she could have been anywhere within the radius of the tower.

Of course I'm happy to be told I'm wrong this just based on my own knowledge and speaking to people who are somewhat knowledgable on this topic.

 

[Lucy6226]

and, oh. well. There is this, What the husband was wearing. A surfers T shirt and board shorts. Old runners. He did not look serious about all this...

I don't think we can read too much into this.
1. It's hot out there
2. If my loved one was missing I wouldn't be thinking about my clothing... probably rock up in something I'd been wearing for the past 3 days!
3. I think his words are more the interesting factor here

All moo

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Re the Julie Schutt case and going six days without food or water, I remember a home owner near where she was found saying that they had thought that someone had been using their garden tap.

 

[they'll get you]

and, oh. well. There is this, What the husband was wearing. A surfers T shirt and board shorts. Old runners. He did not look serious about all this...

Yes Troops the media interview had all the hallmarks of Borce hiding behind his snivelling daughter until he was fronted by a rooky reporter asking ‘Borce, did you kill your wife Karen?’ I‘m sorry guys I have been wrong before, maybe..once?
Karen did not go for a walk either

 

[Trooper]

I don't think we can read too much into this.
1. It's hot out there
2. If my loved one was missing I wouldn't be thinking about my clothing... probably rock up in something I'd been wearing for the past 3 days!
3. I think his words are more the interesting factor here

All moo

I have a petty streak that suddenly errupts.

 

[they'll get you]

I’ve fallen before and my watch asked if I needed assistance & don’t forget you can ask Siri to dial for help.
It appears the coverage was reasonable good.

 

[Trooper]

Yes Troops the media interview had all the hallmarks of Borce hiding behind his snivelling daughter until he was fronted by a rooky reporter asking ‘Borce, did you kill your wife Karen?’ I‘m sorry guys I have been wrong before, maybe..once?
Karen did not go for a walk either

That was where I had seen it before. That ambience of.. ' oh. this is nothing, she's just gone for a walk... trust me.....'