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

[benowens]

Chan

Has anything come of this?

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/woman-details-brutal-attack-20km-from-search-for-missing-samantha-murphy/news-story/59dfd333c2a84db61582e66dec9b7569

Chilling twist in case of mother who went missing while on a run

Local politician Sissy Austin, 29, has revealed how she was battered unconscious by an unknown man as she jogged close to where Samantha Murphy has now vanished.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Chances are she was punched for political reasons.

 

[Greysp]

Praying it's just an insurance scam. A long term business but how much money is in panel beating? Buying a house in the mils in 2021 just as covid comes in. Hoping she's OK and it's just money related.

 

[Greysp]

Chan

Chances are she was punched for political reasons.

The first one maybe. But why would SM,be a political motive?

 

[Greysp]

For those who are thinking family may be involved....
If the police had cctv footage of Samantha leaving the house on day one, then they would also have footage of anyone else leaving the house as well. In addition, they would have been looking at family members' mobile phones to make sure the evidence is corroborated. Hypothetically, if one of the family members had left the premises, according to cctv footage but without their mobile phone then an alibi would be required. It sounds like everything checks out. Hence, there is "nothing suspicious" and any family members being involved can be disqualified. JMO.

But not ruled out publicly

 

[benowens]

The first one maybe. But why would SM,be a political motive?

Perhaps they weren't connected. This case is confusing and I keep going back and forwards on what I believe.

 

[Greysp]

On the theory that someone has killed Samantha ..... they only have 24 hours in the day, just like anyone else, and this limits their capacity to move over the surface of the earth, just as it limits anyone else. They have to set out from a point of home, residence, to intercept with their target, and this takes time and leaves traces. Then they have to return to their base, in a geophysical sense. That is, within a certain radius, due to time constraints we all labour under. Time passes no quicker or slower for killers, or the killed, it follows the same inexorable clock.

On that basis, logically, it is someone local.. Someone who got out early and got home early. I do not think Samantha is going to be found out of state , somewhere up in NSW, or over in South Australia. She is around that area somewhere.

Truck driver? Many trucks go through that area?

 

[imstilla.grandma]

*I don’t even know what to say. How sick!

Locals searching for Samantha Murphy horrified by ghoulish vandalism

The mother-of-three, 51, was last seen leaving her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat East, in country Victoria, to go jogging in Woowookarung Regional Park at about 7am on February 4.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Greysp]

"Murphy is known to family and friends as a mentally and physically strong woman, and her disappearance is said to be out of character."

What we know about missing Ballarat mother Samantha Murphy


It just means that the family weren't AWARE of any MH issues, not that there weren't any. Imo

I think strength might refer to surviving long periods of time in the heat and bush

 

[iamshadow21]

*I don’t even know what to say. How sick!
View attachment 482559

Locals searching for Samantha Murphy horrified by ghoulish vandalism

The mother-of-three, 51, was last seen leaving her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat East, in country Victoria, to go jogging in Woowookarung Regional Park at about 7am on February 4.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Wow, that Reverend's remarks are something else. I mean, he's not wrong, but it comes across as very blunt and insensitive. I'm not religious, but even I expect a bit more kindness and comfort, a little less dismissal of those hanging on to hope from a man of the cloth. Perhaps he thought they wouldn't quote him to an international audience. More fool him.

MOO

 

[Greysp]

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.

This is probably why they say she's strong. Recent illness. Hot day. Rugged terrain. But she's strong.

 

[Greysp]

A runner doing a relatively big run in high heat doesn’t take water? How can that be?

Is she an experienced runner?

Water fountains on the way?

 

[BGirl88]

For those who are thinking family may be involved....
If the police had cctv footage of Samantha leaving the house on day one, then they would also have footage of anyone else leaving the house as well. In addition, they would have been looking at family members' mobile phones to make sure the evidence is corroborated. Hypothetically, if one of the family members had left the premises, according to cctv footage but without their mobile phone then an alibi would be required. It sounds like everything checks out. Hence, there is "nothing suspicious" and any family members being involved can be disqualified. JMO.

Do you think the police / investigators could be saying “nothing suspicious” as a way to see how others react? Perhaps saying “nothing suspicious / nothing sinister” has been shown to let peoples guards down…

 

[Rosegold68]

Interested to see how this one pans out

 

[Dotta]

"The development comes as two campers described an encounter with a strange man near the bushland in which the mother of three went missing.

Possible leads​

Two campers have reportedly informed police they saw the missing mother run past their campsite
the day before she disappeared —

while also reporting an encounter with a 'strange' man in the area.

Melbourne woman Rebecca Agheli told The Australian she and her partner Michael Churchill had a frightening encounter with
a 'strange dishevelled man'
they saw in bushland near where Murphy went missing, the Thursday before her disappearance.

The pair had pulled over near Ballarat Gold Mine, about 5km from Murphy’s home to use metal detectors when they saw the man."

Devastating update in search for missing Ballarat mum Samantha Murphy

The development comes as two campers described an encounter with a strange man near the bushland in which the mother of three went missing.

7news.com.au

 

[jjleroche]

Water fountains on the way?

Unlikely IMO - especially in the forest. From images posted, the roads in the area in which she apparently planned to run are very narrow - I doubt there'd be any drinking facilities en route.

It strikes me as rather odd that she didn't take any water with her. Even though the temperature was cool when she apparently headed off, as a runner with at least some experience, she would probably have checked expected temperatures.

Even if she didn't, it's the middle of summer, and she was planning a longish run as stated at the dinner party the previous evening. Water would surely be a no-brainer.

Maybe she did take water. I suspect that it's been assumed that she didn't take water with her, based on the image of her with the doggy-poo bag. (Maybe she'd put any water bottle down while organising the doggy-poo.) JMO

 

[Charlot123]

Yep. I’m in agreement with this line of thinking.
The separate holiday this year, the wedding rings, the lack of sightings… so many things that in isolation are somewhat benign.
Money and control. I think at this point it’s only a matter of time.
IMO

Wedding rings - we physically grew out of them. And you can't widen the rings that much. So, I don't know what the absence of wedding rings say except for...people gained weight, perhaps?

 

[Voluspa]

Unlikely IMO - especially in the forest. From images posted, the roads in the area in which she apparently planned to run are very narrow - I doubt there'd be any drinking facilities en route.

It strikes me as rather odd that she didn't take any water with her. Even though the temperature was cool when she apparently headed off, as a runner with at least some experience, she would probably have checked expected temperatures.

Even if she didn't, it's the middle of summer, and she was planning a longish run as stated at the dinner party the previous evening. Water would surely be a no-brainer.

Maybe she did take water. I suspect that it's been assumed that she didn't take water with her, based on the image of her with the doggy-poo bag. (Maybe she'd put any water bottle down while organising the doggy-poo.) JMO

People still stuck on the water... Many experienced runners have commented on FB that they never run with their water bottle and don't like holding it. I can understand this. That being said it also makes me think Sam didn't plan on a lengthy run before the brunch, due to having run the day before, the heat forecast and the need to get home, showered and ready for brunch. I think running with water is a matter of personal preference and not completely out of the ordinary.

 

[Dotta]

People still stuck on the water... Many experienced runners have commented on FB that they never run with their water bottle and don't like holding it. I can understand this. That being said it also makes me think Sam didn't plan on a lengthy run before the brunch, due to having run the day before, the heat forecast and the need to get home, showered and ready for brunch. I think running with water is a matter of personal preference and not completely out of the ordinary.

I always take water with me when jogging.
Oh, and a thin bar of chocolate - in case my strength deserts me

 

[Voluspa]

I always take water with me when jogging.
Oh, and a thin bar of chocolate - in case my strength deserts me

Wise! My husband never takes water. I wouldn't put it past him to take a sneaky chocolate with him though.

 

[carbuff]

Even experienced, well-conditioned runners can get dehydrated on a warm day, even if they've never had problems before. We see it every year up here at the Boston Marathon, which is in April and not usually hot at all. But people push themselves and get in trouble. If she was pushing herself more than usual, and/or still feeling the effects of her recent illness, that could have contributed to overheating or dehydration.