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

[LuluCherry]

Thank you for this, it answers my question about surely they know which way she went because of her own cctv footage. Why would the cctv cut out as you say? I have cctv too & it continuously records, I’m not really understanding the ‘cuts out’ part? Anyone know?

My understanding is that the cctv cameras range didn’t reach the end of the driveway/gate, so they couldn’t see which way Samantha went once she allegedly left the property.

 

[JLZ]

Thank you for this, it answers my question about surely they know which way she went because of her own cctv footage. Why would the cctv cut out as you say? I have cctv too & it continuously records, I’m not really understanding the ‘cuts out’ part? Anyone know?

There are some large properties out that way. I don't know how many acres your CCTV covers?

Edit: I don't mean sheep-station large, obviously. I mean large for residential: multiple acres. Multiple hectares, if it comes to that.

 

[kiwi50]

The police are playing this very close to their chests, probably they and the family have a fair idea why she disappeared, but not saying anything in case she returns.
I don’t have a set in concrete theory, husband doesn’t scream guilty to me yet (lol which they usually do when they appear on tv asking for info on lost wives)
At this point the case reminds me of the woman in UK who was eventually found in river after taking dog for a walk.

 

[jjleroche]

The whole running thing is starting to look a bit fuzzy, to me.. lot of factors that don't sdd up.

She is 50, she is expected at a girls brunch, she is a woman who takes time and trouble over her appearance, she would come home and shower and dress appropriately for this brunch. It was, as her friend said, important, for some reason.

She is 50 and not long recovered , so to speak , from Covid over Xmas, it is summer, 25 C is up there with weather to be concerned about if running, yet she takes no water. She doesn't look like a woman who takes unexpected risks, Taking water would be habitual.

No one has seen her running out on that track. This is a town that runs, like an Antipodean Eugene. Hard to believe she was the only one , the only one out that morning. People drive up from Melbourne, to 'run in the forest'... nuts', I know, but they do.

No one's camera has picked her up. This is the age of camera. On phones, on CCTV, on dashcam , on your watch, ....there are valuable properties around there, with valuable cattle, sheep, possibly, llama's, etc all filmed all the time.

I completely agree with every point you make Trooper.
The running thing IS fuzzy. IMO as a former runner who has known many other runners, I do not believe that she was running anything like 10-20 kilometres daily, as has been stated by friends. The likelihood of sustaining serious joint injury would be extremely high.
Professional long-distance runners who are supported by teams of physios, dieticians and coaching staff, would run those distances daily, mixing it in with cross-training in order to give their bodies a chance to recover.
IMO spending Christmas alone, away from her family (especially her kids) is significant. To completely forego the annual coastal holiday (again, especially being a devoted mother, away from her kids) is another puzzle.
I realise that she had Covid, and was not wanting to pass it on to others, but, as per my previous post and link, at that stage, the isolation period, whilst contagious, was only five days.
MOO

 

[carbuff]

I feel when people are described as strong this is often where they have been through some sort of adversity and they were the person that kept others together i.e. the linchpin. The fact that she is consistently referred to being strong means she has this kind of role for her family and friends. It's how she is seen by others. Sometimes those people suffer silently.

And sometimes they break.

 

[mondayschild]

Re COVID & infection - often people are unwell long past 5 days (especially if it's a second, third infection etc) & if she was responsible & caring type then it might explain the extent of precaution (more than 5 days) & decision to stay home. But it does make me wonder if she was living separately at the time because most of the time within families - as soon as someone is unwell enough to test positive - others that live closely to the person (partner etc) have already been infected.

It also raises the possibility of her recent infection & subsequent recovery being relevant. Recommended that people don't return to strenuous physical activity for about 6-7 weeks after an active infection. Slow & steady. Older women - regardless of previous health conditions - are known to be at increased risk of long COVID which can impact many systems in the body (including mood & perception).

Hopefully we have some more news today.

 

[Trooper]

Really, in all rationale expectation, if she is not found today. alive, then one's expectations perhaps have to be somewhat curtailed.. Tomorrow's temp in that district will be approaching 36 C, this is 98 F, but if a north wind strikes up it becomes deadly... that north wind comes off the Simpson desert, there is nothing between that desert and Ballarat except flat plain. even exposure for 10 mins in that heat is unendurable, if she is without water. Even with water, her chances are slim to none... Her age and gender is against her in these circumstances, sadly. . ..

The usual animal life is also battling for survival out there, and no quarter is given, so that factor has to be slotted in........

 

[Awakening]

What is goin on out there among Australian women of a certain age????

Mate, I’m 47. Way too much to put in a post.

 

[nightrider17]

I am hoping it turns out like the American mum MR who was found, after quite a lengthy period, in New Orleans alive. MOO

 

[jjleroche]

I am hoping it turns out like the American mum MR who was found, after quite a lengthy period, in New Orleans alive. MOO

Initially, I thought things looked awfully grim, but now I'm tending to think that Samantha is alive, but needed to turn the "on" switch to "off" for a while.
Maybe she's been digging deep for a long time (as many of us * "women of a certain age" have) and there's nothing left in her reserve tank. JMO
*Thumbs up to Trooper and Awakening

 

[Karin1974]

There are some large properties out that way. I don't know how many acres your CCTV covers?

Edit: I don't mean sheep-station large, obviously. I mean large for residential: multiple acres. Multiple hectares, if it comes to that.

Good point, it also would depend on where the cameras are located. It’s not possible to approach or leave our property without being caught on the cameras & we made sure there are no blind spots. We can also see the direction you came from & which direction you left to leave. However, we’re suburban & not on a rural property.

 

[nightrider17]

Melbourne volunteers persist in bushland search for Samantha Murphy as police focus on detective work

A week after Samantha Murphy went missing near Ballarat, a handful of determined volunteers are maintaining the search, but harsh terrain and unpredictable mineshafts make excursions deeper into the bushland dangerous.

www.abc.net.au

Looks like they are now focusing on the days leading up to SM's disappearance in addition to accessing data from phone/smart watch from Telecommunication companies. MOO

Would this be to confirm routes taken in previous walks leading up to Sunday? Or who has been contacting her lately? MOO

 

[T-dawg420]

@JLZ no details - again, brief mention in an article here

"they recently moved closer to Ballarat from a rural property outside town"

The property in they are in was sold in 2021 for just over 2 million dollars. Quite a price as the avg house price in Ballarat is somewhere around 500-600k. I wonder if they moved for their business?

 

[leopink74]

Theirs not a lot of info to go with, but my mind keeps circling back to if something happened while running they would have found her during their searches. So that leaves me with two thoughts, she doesn't want to be found or their is an outside influence involved.

100% agree with this.

My thoughts now are that either someone has done something awful and then disposed of Samantha - although when and where I gave zero idea
OR
She has suicided. With this though, surely given her 3 daughters, a note would have been left - otherwise this added pain of not knowing compounds the grief.

I am on the fence re her husband - I have no idea what I would say or how I would dress in his situation, it is not a situation most people are prepared for.

 

[jjleroche]

100% agree with this.

My thoughts now are that either someone has done something awful and then disposed of Samantha - although when and where I gave zero idea
OR
She has suicided. With this though, surely given her 3 daughters, a note would have been left - otherwise this added pain of not knowing compounds the grief.

I am on the fence re her husband - I have no idea what I would say or how I would dress in his situation, it is not a situation most people are prepared for.

Re Samantha's husband, IMO he wouldn't have given a moment's thought to how he should dress for the presser. (He's probably a brilliant spray-painter, and the life of the party, but fashion is not his thing) JMO

 

[Trooper]

It is difficult to believe she would choose to go off into the bush to die , a terrible lonely slow death, prey to all sorts of creatures, a ghastly death in the heat, no she would not do that to herself. I do not believe that for one moment. There are other ways, and she would be the type of woman who checks this stuff out, she and all her friends look like the kind of women who Get Things Done, they run schools, charity shops, local councils, hospitals, businesses, farms, etc... the kind of woman you ask to do things because she is efficient and purposeful. That kind of death would be anathema to her. . IMO.....

 

[Kemug]

The holiday (not) with the family puzzles me a bit too - as you all say, the isolation period now is only 5 days. And she didn't need to exert herself while at the cabin, she could have just taken it easy, and let everybody else take care of the food, etc. You'd think she could have at least joined them for a week, or two.

 

[JLZ]

Re Samantha's husband, IMO he wouldn't have given a moment's thought to how he should dress for the presser. (He's probably a brilliant spray-painter, and the life of the party, but fashion is not his thing) JMO

I have a vision of him heading out for the presser and somebody said, "You're not wearing that? Here, wear this, at least it looks clean." Says more about the company I keep than anything about him.

 

[Kemug]

Re Samantha's husband, IMO he wouldn't have given a moment's thought to how he should dress for the presser. (He's probably a brilliant spray-painter, and the life of the party, but fashion is not his thing) JMO

His dress style and hers, they look a bit of a mismatch to me. Just saying.

 

[JLZ]

She has suicided. With this though, surely given her 3 daughters, a note would have been left - otherwise this added pain of not knowing compounds the grief.

She may have said something to them which they understand in retrospect.