Australia Samantha Murphy, 51, last seen leaving her property to go for a run in the Canadian State Forest, Ballarat, 4 Feb 2024 *Arrest* #11

[mrjitty]

Just a thought, what if they actually found the phone earlier eg at Mount Clear? And they kept that up their sleeve or what if they didn’t find her phone but just pretending to have found it there … then they recorded the accused in remand or they have an undercover intel planted to see if he talks in remand , or possibly surveilling others to see if he/they said anything eg “that’s not where I hid the phone” or “that’s not where the phone was” etc.

Also “artifacts “ could be just random things in her wallet eg small photo, keys, ID, lip balm, cards, etc.? Even AirPods too?

Or if that is her phone found in the dam then yes really odd if it indeed was found at that dam, all items together , that he chose to dump them in such an exposed place that could have has many people including the property owners watching him from the house window as I pointed out in my post with images and links two pages ago. he could have at least picked a smaller more discreet side street , or indeed hide it all with the body or dispose of things individually and better so they would never be found. He was someone who grew up in the general area, he should have known it would get hotter weather and possibly dry up the water in the shallow dam. All quite bizarre and somewhat irrational … IMOO

Also sorry so can someone clarify, as we know Apple devices have the “Find My” service, and according to Find your lost Apple device or AirTag with Find My - Apple Support (IN)
It says :
“

If Find My displays “No location found” or "Offline”​

• If Find My can’t display the current location (because the phone is turned off or is otherwise not sending its location), Find My will show the last location sent by the device or the last known location on the Find My network.

And
“The Find My network is an encrypted, anonymous network of hundreds of millions of Apple devices that can help find your stuff, even when it’s offline. Nearby devices send the location of your missing device to iCloud securely, so you can find it in Find My. It’s all anonymous and encrypted to protect everyone’s privacy.”


So sorry am I reading that correctly that if they tried to find her phone it may have shown a last location based off other passers by along that road who also have the Find My app installed or an Apple device ? If so could it have possibly therefore indicated that rough area along that road as the last location and then stopped and therefore they speculated the phone was discarded around that rough area hence requesting to search the properties earlier on.

And perhaps she had AirPods too that were found that also has Find My installed ?

Or maybe I’m wrong .

Thoughts anyone?

it’s really impossible to know what location services she had active and when they last saved a location and what was the location last saved to the cloud that police could access before recovering the device.

i do agree if for instance she was using a fitness app and was running and had service, it is quite likely there is solid location data on the device but it may not have been in the cloud if she never finished the activity for example.

tldr it’s really not possible to say but my guess is they would have got some location stuff from her icloud or google if they could access those.

 

[JLZ]

I agree. When the aim is to not be detected, it seems like a rushed response to leave a wad of serious evidence intact and together. I wonder if the focus on hiding the body caused the phone and wallet to be an afterthought resulting in the need to get rid of all of it quickly. I get putting the phone in water but not leaving it in the wallet with the cards.
Added to that though is the possibility that other stuff was discarded there too. Possibly in the bushes. Wouldn’t you think, if you had the time and means, you’d get rid of them separately and hide them well?

“On Wednesday, police confirmed they had located "some items of interest" during their search.”

Divers search dam as police find 'items of interest' in Samantha Murphy search

Victoria Police have recovered a phone as they search a dam south of Ballarat as part of their investigation into the alleged murder of mother-of-three Samantha Murphy.

www.abc.net.au

What if the dam was his hidey-hole. One day he might go back and collect; meanwhile he could think of his secret things waiting for him.

 

[Rocket333]

What if the dam was his hidey-hole. One day he might go back and collect; meanwhile he could think of his secret things waiting for him.

I was thinking about that but two factors put me off: access & privacy. Wouldn’t you want your hidey-hole to be just yours and somewhere you can go to in private?

 

[JLZ]

I was thinking about that but two factors put me off: access & privacy. Wouldn’t you want your hidey-hole to be just yours and somewhere you can go to when you want in private?

I don't know. Growing up semi-rural myself, my sense of where I could go and be private didn't have anything to do with property rights. I was probably past that by my early twenties, but I was moved to the city by then so it was different.

 

[Dotta]

I think we are overthinking the issue of the phone.

IMO the accused just randomly (allegedly) tossed it during his way to or from the place of body's concealment.

He did it carelessly.
Just the way he treated Samantha.

I hope the phone will be his downfall.
I hope for fingerprints/touch DNA.

JMO

 

[australianwebsleuth]

I think we are overthinking the issue of the phone.

IMO the accused just randomly (allegedly) tossed it during his way to or from the place of body's concealment.

He did it carelessly.
Just the way he treated Samantha.

I hope the phone will be his downfall.
I hope for fingerprints/touch DNA.

JMO

I think he disposed of the body before disposing of the phone. The fact that the phone pinged at 5pm on the day of her disappearance suggests he kept it longer. A body in that heat would decompose rather rapidly.

 

[Rocket333]

I don't know. Growing up semi-rural myself, my sense of where I could go and be private didn't have anything to do with property rights. I was probably past that by my early twenties, but I was moved to the city by then so it was different.

This though isn’t about wanting a quiet space to sit or store a harmless diary etc, this is about being able to go there whenever you want and accessing your secret stash easily and without detection. The site is also someone’s property and the dam is in full view of the house, the neighbours and the road. He wouldn’t be able to just turn up and reminisce without an audience. Anyway, I’m back to thinking it was a semi-impulsive dump on the way home due to urgency.

 

[SouthAussie]

I think we are overthinking the issue of the phone.

IMO the accused just randomly (allegedly) tossed it during his way to or from the place of body's concealment.

He did it carelessly.
Just the way he treated Samantha.

I hope the phone will be his downfall.
I hope for fingerprints/touch DNA.

JMO

Yes, I had forgotten about that single speck of DNA on the knife's shield, from the knife that Bryan Kohberger allegedly used to kill the 4 Idaho students.
Seeing that Sam's phone was encased in a cover, I hope that forensics can find something like that in this case.

And I wonder if PS was stupid enough to remove any bank cards that Sam may have had inside that cover. Leaving his DNA inside the cover.

 

[australianwebsleuth]

Just a thought, what if they actually found the phone earlier eg at Mount Clear? And they kept that up their sleeve or what if they didn’t find her phone but just pretending to have found it there … then they recorded the accused in remand or they have an undercover intel planted to see if he talks in remand , or possibly surveilling others to see if he/they said anything eg “that’s not where I hid the phone” or “that’s not where the phone was” etc.

Also “artifacts “ could be just random things in her wallet eg small photo, keys, ID, lip balm, cards, etc.? Even AirPods too?

Or if that is her phone found in the dam then yes really odd if it indeed was found at that dam, all items together , that he chose to dump them in such an exposed place that could have has many people including the property owners watching him from the house window as I pointed out in my post with images and links two pages ago. he could have at least picked a smaller more discreet side street , or indeed hide it all with the body or dispose of things individually and better so they would never be found. He was someone who grew up in the general area, he should have known it would get hotter weather and possibly dry up the water in the shallow dam. All quite bizarre and somewhat irrational … IMOO

Also sorry so can someone clarify, as we know Apple devices have the “Find My” service, and according to Find your lost Apple device or AirTag with Find My - Apple Support (IN)
It says :
“

If Find My displays “No location found” or "Offline”​

• If Find My can’t display the current location (because the phone is turned off or is otherwise not sending its location), Find My will show the last location sent by the device or the last known location on the Find My network.

And
“The Find My network is an encrypted, anonymous network of hundreds of millions of Apple devices that can help find your stuff, even when it’s offline. Nearby devices send the location of your missing device to iCloud securely, so you can find it in Find My. It’s all anonymous and encrypted to protect everyone’s privacy.”


So sorry am I reading that correctly that if they tried to find her phone it may have shown a last location based off other passers by along that road who also have the Find My app installed or an Apple device ? If so could it have possibly therefore indicated that rough area along that road as the last location and then stopped and therefore they speculated the phone was discarded around that rough area hence requesting to search the properties earlier on.

And perhaps she had AirPods too that were found that also has Find My installed ?

Or maybe I’m wrong .

Thoughts anyone?

You are saying exactly what I have inferred. Her phone switched off was identified by other apple devices close by. Even possibly the defendants phone.

 

[australianwebsleuth]

Yes, I had forgotten about that single speck of DNA on the knife's shield, from the knife that Bryan Kohberger allegedly used to kill the 4 Idaho students.
Seeing that Sam's phone was encased in a cover, I hope that forensics can find something like that in this case.

I wonder if PS was stupid enough to remove any bank cards that Sam may have had inside that cover.

Was his phone in the bottom of a dam for 3 months?

 

[Rocket333]

I think he disposed of the body before disposing of the phone. The fact that the phone pinged at 5pm on the day of her disappearance suggests he kept it longer. A body in that heat would decompose rather rapidly.

Me too. I think he knew to separate the body and the phone and the phone was still in his car later in the day. Is there a benefit to turning the phone back on before submerging it in water? Why can phones be turned on and off by anyone anyway? Everything else can be locked so why not that too?

His Dad is apparently an electrician and telecommunications tech, and PS worked for his Dad from what I understand so he’d know the deal with phone data etc and probably about tech detection dogs.

“So, he (the father) revisited his working life – he holds two trades, one as an electrician and the other as a telecommunications technician.”

Orren's family affair

Orren Stephenson had three kids by the time he was 20, now he's reveling in sharing his AFL revival with those closest to him

www.afl.com.au

 

[Dotta]

Yes, I had forgotten about that single speck of DNA on the knife's shield, from the knife that Bryan Kohberger allegedly used to kill the 4 Idaho students.
Seeing that Sam's phone was encased in a cover, I hope that forensics can find something like that in this case.

And I wonder if PS was stupid enough to remove any bank cards that Sam may have had inside that cover. Leaving his DNA inside the cover.

I bet
he (allegedly) opened this cover/wallet and snooped, maybe looking for some banknotes.

And it might mean possible DNA.
Fingers crossed!

JMO

 

[SouthAussie]

Was his phone in the bottom of a dam for 3 months?

I can only surmise that it was, as the accused would have been stupider than stupid to leave it so close to the dam's edge - when the dam's water would have been visibly shrinking at a later stage.

imo

As a reminder, this is how close to the edge the phone was found.

Major update after discovery of Samantha Murphy's phone

A new update has been shared on the condition of the phone belongint to allegedly murdered mother Samantha Murphy.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Rocket333]

And I wonder if PS was stupid enough to remove any bank cards that Sam may have had inside that cover. Leaving his DNA inside the cover.

“The phone was inside a wallet case, reportedly with Ms Murphy’s credit cards and licence tucked into the adjacent side.”

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/investigators-receive-major-boost-as-sam-murphys-phone-in-nearperfect-working-condition-after-being-found-by-police-last-week/news-story/4fdf7d37b07cc79cca0ca09edc8d47b7

 

[australianwebsleuth]

Former schoolmate lifts the lid on Samantha Murphy's accused killer

In this article you can see a photo with his girlfriend.

He appears to be taking a photo into a mirror. His thumb appears to be on the side button.

It appears to be an iPhone 12. The position of the camera is reversed due to the mirror. The logo appears obscured.

Questions;

1. Could this be another brand of phone?
2. Could Samantha Murphy's turned off phone have been identified at 5 pm because it was close to his phone using the apple technology I have earlier described.
3. Did they identify the accused because his phone was the one that provided the location information for SM phone?
4. Did turning off SM phone actually make it easier for the police to identify him.

Some say that apple encrypts the information but could the service provider identify the ping based on the possibility his phone found the SM phone at 5pm.

Thoughts.

 

[Rocket333]

I can only surmise that it was, as the accused would have been stupider than stupid to leave it so close to the dam's edge - when the dam's water would have been visibly shrinking at a later stage.

imo

As a reminder, this is how close to the edge the phone was found.

View attachment 529700

Major update after discovery of Samantha Murphy's phone

A new update has been shared on the condition of the phone belongint to allegedly murdered mother Samantha Murphy.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Supports the theory that the phone was tossed from some distance rather than thrown in to the middle whilst standing closer to the dam.

 

[australianwebsleuth]

I can only surmise that it was, as the accused would have been stupider than stupid to leave it so close to the dam's edge - when the dam's water would have been visibly shrinking at a later stage.

imo

As a reminder, this is how close to the edge the phone was found.

View attachment 529700

Major update after discovery of Samantha Murphy's phone

A new update has been shared on the condition of the phone belongint to allegedly murdered mother Samantha Murphy.

www.dailymail.co.uk

You said 'es, I had forgotten about that single speck of DNA on the knife's shield, from the knife that Bryan Kohberger allegedly used to kill the 4 Idaho students.'

The point I am making is about the knife of Bryan Kohberger, was it in a dam for 3 months. Meaning is this really relevant given SM phone as we all know was in a dam for 3 months.

 

[Dotta]

Supports the theory that the phone was tossed from some distance rather than thrown in to the middle whilst standing closer to the dam.

I think it was a convenient place to get rid of the phone just on his way.

I doubt this person was devising any grand plans.

He doesn't precisely seem to be a criminal mastermind.

JMO

 

[JLZ]

This though isn’t about wanting a quiet space to sit or store a harmless diary etc, this is about being able to go there whenever you want and access your secret stash easily and without detection. The site is also someone’s property and the dam is in full view of the house, the neighbours and the road. He wouldn’t be able to just turn up and reminisce without an audience. Anyway, I’m back to thinking it was a semi-impulsive dump on the way home due to urgency.

No, he wouldn't be able to do that. He could add to the stash now and then. He could drive past and think, "that's my dam." And one day, who knows, he might have the opportunity to bring it all home.

But my other thought is that he took the body north and planned to take the phone south, but heading south he saw the dam and wanted to be done with it all sooner rather than later.

 

[SouthAussie]

Me too. I think he knew to separate the body and the phone and the phone was still in his car later in the day. Is there a benefit to turning the phone back on before submerging it in water? Why can phones be turned on and off by anyone anyway? Everything else can be locked so why not that too?

His Dad is apparently an electrician and telecommunications tech, and PS worked for his Dad from what I understand so he’d know the deal with phone data etc and probably about tech detection dogs.

“So, he (the father) revisited his working life – he holds two trades, one as an electrician and the other as a telecommunications technician.”

Orren's family affair

Orren Stephenson had three kids by the time he was 20, now he's reveling in sharing his AFL revival with those closest to him

www.afl.com.au

I have never believed that PS had inherited any of his father's previous telecomms knowledge (prior to 2012). It would have been unnecessary as an electrical apprentice. His father's current business was strictly as an electrician.


Before Orren Stephenson began kicking a football around full time he worked as an electrician and a telecommunications technician. Link

Stephenson made his debut in the opening round of the 2012 season against Fremantle Link

His advertising shows only electrical work, no second category. Link