Australia Samantha Murphy, 51, last seen leaving her property to go for a run in the Canadian State Forest, Ballarat, 4 Feb 2024 *Arrest* #12

[Rocket333]

actually, we don't know what car he used, he might have used the girlfriends car......

We sure don’t. It’s only when these questions come up sometimes that you become aware of your assumptions. I’d just assumed he was in a typical tradie ute with a hard canopy and a big toolbox. He could’ve been in anything.

 

[Trooper]

We sure don’t. It’s only when these questions come up sometimes that you become aware of your assumptions. I’d just assumed he was in a typical tradie ute with a hard canopy and a big toolbox. He could’ve been in anything.

I know they took his ute away for examination, .. one could assume that's what he did use, but ....

I can see how he could fit the body in to the tray section, who would know, with that sort of permanent canopy arrangement over the tray.. but gee whiz he'd have to know that a body leaves traces on metal, and it's summer, too.... , UNLESS, he came prepared... which gives a degree of premeditation, ghastly. .

 

[Rocket333]

agreed.

my guess is it will be suspiciously off or in airplane mode for key events.

He’d know to turn his phone off. He’d know it’s a tracker. Someone turned her phone off which indicates tech awareness. He’d be receiving calls though and he’d know he wouldn’t be able to have it off for long as it’d draw attention. Maybe he went straight home from Woowookarung, then ventured out a few times after that, just to stay under the friends & family radar. On whilst home, then off for brief interludes.

 

[Trooper]

He’d know to turn his phone off. He’d know it’s a tracker. Someone turned her phone off. He’d be receiving calls though and he’d know he wouldn’t be able to have it off for long as it’d draw attention. Maybe he went straight home from Woowookarung, then ventured out a few times after that, just to stay under the friends & family radar. On whilst home, then off for brief interludes.

It gets more difficult to believe he kept track of all these monumentally important details, one after the other, many all at once, and be ''heavily intoxicated' at the same time.. I don't believe he was, mainly because of the myriad details, all of which he had to keep a tight reign on, we know he made one , maybe more than one colossal error, but he still kept track of a lot of stuff, for an early Sunday morning after a bender. ..

 

[Kemug]

actually, we don't know what car he used, he might have used the girlfriends car......

Dangerous. She may have found something suspicious. And quite possibly did.

 

[Rocket333]

Dangerous. She may have found something suspicious. And quite possibly did.

I am inclined to think he didn’t use his girlfriend’s Jimny.

This paywalled article references the Suzuki Jimny and says it was still in the driveway on the Friday post arrest. It seems the seized vehicle was his.

A Suzuki Jimny — understood to belong to Mr Stephenson’s partner — remained in the driveway of that home on Friday.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/accused-killer-patrick-orren-stephenson-went-on-massive-bender-night-before-mum-went-missing/news-story/2626da44c0d68d2466fa4c62212e2df

 

[Rocket333]

I know they took his ute away for examination, .. one could assume that's what he did use, but ....

I can see how he could fit the body in to the tray section, who would know, with that sort of permanent canopy arrangement over the tray.. but gee whiz he'd have to know that a body leaves traces on metal, and it's summer, too.... , UNLESS, he came prepared... which gives a degree of premeditation, ghastly. .

He was charged after they spoke to him and seized his car and searched his home/s etc.
The car may have been the clincher.

When they say he’s not cooperating or disclosing anything, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s not talking does it? He was interviewed for a long time so he may well have been talking and spinning tales that served to catch him out, perhaps?

 

[Trooper]

He was charged after they spoke to him and seized his car and searched his home/s etc.
The car may have been the clincher.

When they say he’s not cooperating or disclosing anything, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s not talking does it? He was interviewed for a long time so he may well have been talking and spinning tales that served to catch him out, perhaps?

Generally, when VICPOL say someone is not talking, that's how it is. Not talking to police, I mean. We don't know who he actually IS talking to, if indeed he is talking to anyone... one hopes he spoke with David Tamanika , his Ballarat solicitor, maybe his parents did all the negotiations for him, I don't know.. VICPOL would say , he is co operating, or, he is responding. .. but nothing, in this context , means ... n o t h i n g.

One hopes he is speaking with his big dollar Barristers... that won't turn out well if he is not. Talking to the staff in remand?? maybe, .. talking to fellow remandees?... most likely, one would think, all things being equal, but.. he might be utterly immersed in his own world, in need of no conversation at all with anyone. .....

 

[Porky1]

It never occurred to me that he would put the body in the tray section! do you think??? I just never thought of that possibility until I read your post!!!.. that is one hell of a risk, ....

I need to rethink things!!

you think he bought a cover with him?? prepared the tray, or the back seat, ??

no I don't know, nor does anyone except the Barristers and the DPP and 40 police, etc.. whats on the CCTV< I had to think how it proceeded... I do not think he carried her away from Mt Clear. broad daylight, fully grown woman, hot day... I don't see him doing that on foot. not for long..

The seized ute is a dual cab with a fixed canopy, well kitted out for a 22 year old. Pic in this article. Samantha Murphy's alleged killer's ute seized by police

 

[Rocket333]

DBM

 

[Rocket333]

The seized ute is a dual cab with a fixed canopy, well kitted out for a 22 year old. Pic in this article. Samantha Murphy's alleged killer's ute seized by police

That tray would be like a boiler room on a hot day.

 

[Warshawski]

If he threw from the road, I suggest he parked where the vegetation is high so he wouldn't be seen from the houses up the hill. Then walked back to where he had a view of the dam, and aimed for the middle, but overthrew.
View attachment 535418

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Just want to check that we’re looking at the same dam with both Rocket’s pic above & yours here ?

 

[Warshawski]

If he threw from the road, I suggest he parked where the vegetation is high so he wouldn't be seen from the houses up the hill. Then walked back to where he had a view of the dam, and aimed for the middle, but overthrew.
View attachment 535418

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

Sorry JLZ, I’m not understanding why you say he overthrew. ..

My thoughts were that ‘the thrower’ went for the middle, fell short, and as the dam dried up it became apparent in the silt / mud at waters edge.

I’ll just also say that I think it was a ridiculous place to dispose of the phone if you don’t want it found. .. which brings into question, was it meant to be found; was it not put there by .

 

[Warshawski]

I don't think so. Look at the imprint of it in the mud to the left of the police marker. Flat to the ground.

View attachment 535485
Her muddy phone was found on Wednesday beside a dam

You can even watch the police picking it up in the video in this link. Flat to the ground.

View attachment 535487

Phone found near dam belonged to Samantha Murphy

That looks like it wasn’t even slightly in the dam when found !

Yes reports of the dams drying up etc, but that looks like a pretty ordinary bank of a small waterhole / dam, close to the shrubs along the fence line & road.

I’m not convinced that phone was in water for long. Actually do I recall a report that said it was found ‘near a dam’ (imo) . The more I think about this ‘phone finding’ the more I think there’s something ‘fishy’.

 

[Warshawski]

You can walk around the side of the property and get in, very easy. But this dam, possibly property could have some significance, so many dams around, but this one was chosen



View attachment 535517

Wow, I have’nt seen this photo & it’s gives a totally different perspective.

That does look like a dam that has lost a lot of water. I’m intrigued to know the depth of those banks as it looked nothing like as steep as that in Police photos of the ‘find’.

And are we saying the ‘clearing’ beside the road was done by Police ? Why didn’t they clear it all ?

 

[LeahBee]

I don't think the perp was concerned about the phone NEVER being found. Just as long as it couldn't be tracked, and all physical evidence and the phone itself would presumably be destroyed by the time it was found. Ofc we now know data may be retrievable but perp could have thought spending even a few days in a muddy dam would destroy it.

Also not surprised the cards stayed in, I have a little folding wallet and have to fight to get my cards out. If it's got a button clasp and a magnet it's also not weird it would be closed.

As for the media being there, doesn't take long for news to spread of a police/investigator presence somewhere and for the press to get tipped off.

I just don't find where the phone was found or the condition it was in to be fishy. But I also don't have a very exciting imagination so that's just me.

All imo

 

[Rocket333]

Just want to check that we’re looking at the same dam with both Rocket’s pic above & yours here ?

Sorry, I made an error and was using the wrong dam in my first comparison post. This is the right one and it’s the dam we know; the bigger dam with the high blackberry bushes along the fence on the road.

 

[Rocket333]

Wow, I have’nt seen this photo & it’s gives a totally different perspective.

That does look like a dam that has lost a lot of water. I’m intrigued to know the depth of those banks as it looked nothing like as steep as that in Police photos of the ‘find’.

The dam has lost a lot of water. You can see more of the size and the exposed slope in the photos from various media below. If the phone went in close to the side, it could easy lodge near the top of the slope. I think it was found where the pink arrow is in the photo attached.

 

[Rocket333]

I don't think the perp was concerned about the phone NEVER being found. Just as long as it couldn't be tracked, and all physical evidence and the phone itself would presumably be destroyed by the time it was found. Ofc we now know data may be retrievable but perp could have thought spending even a few days in a muddy dam would destroy it.

I just don't find where the phone was found or the condition it was in to be fishy. But I also don't have a very exciting imagination so that's just me.

All imo

I think so too. I think he was flying by the seat of his pants and needed to just ditch it, literally.

 

[SouthAussie]

The dam has lost a lot of water. You can see more of the size and the exposed slope in the photos from various media below. If the phone went in close to the side, it could easy lodge near the top of the slope. I think it was found where the pink arrow is in the photo attached.

This is why I think the phone was found on the opposite side of the dam that you are thinking.
Because the strip of dried mud is narrower on the roadside of the dam, as shown in the photo of the police officer striding toward the phone, after the dog found it.
The strip of dried mud is not as wide as on the side of the dam where you are thinking the phone was found.


Police discover what appears to be mobile phone during fresh search for missing Ballarat mum Samantha Murphy's body

From your linked photos ... see the difference in the widths of the dried mud on either side of the dam?