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]

From your linked photos ... see the difference in the widths of the dried mud on either side of the dam?
View attachment 535978

Just to clarify, I think the phone was up the other end of this photo. I’m trying to find a whole dam shot at that level on the day. Is that what you mean too, or are you actually referring to the (northern?) end of the dam with the red box on it?

 

[Rocket333]

Did PS work for his father? They’d have similar work vehicles don’t you think? Perhaps no company decals too.
The enclosed tray would hold electrical supplies and tools ready for all the jobs.

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

Patrick Stephenson, 22, was this week charged with allegedly murdering Samantha Murphy on February 4 after she left her Ballarat home, in Victoria, for a morning run.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[SouthAussie]

Just to clarify, I think the phone was up the other end of this photo. I’m trying to find a whole dam shot at that level on the day. Is that what you mean too, or are you actually referring to the (northern?) end of the dam with the red box on it?

I can't place exactly where on the dam, but I think it was on the roadside due to the narrow strip of dried mud along there. I have tried to gauge as many indicators as I can from the photos of the doggy discovering the phone.

 

[SouthAussie]

Did PS work for his father? They’d have similar work vehicles don’t you think? Perhaps no company decals too.
The enclosed tray would hold electrical supplies and tools ready for all the jobs.

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

Patrick Stephenson, 22, was this week charged with allegedly murdering Samantha Murphy on February 4 after she left her Ballarat home, in Victoria, for a morning run.

www.dailymail.co.uk

I was wondering about the vehicles yesterday. The photo of PS' vehicle doesn't show the make of the vehicle, it is covered by the bullbar. But the one at the house is a Ford.

I was wondering if they were both the same make, because I wanted to see if PS' vehicle contained a computer that would produce telematics for the investigators. But it is too hard (for me) to tell the make of PS' vehicle.

 

[Rocket333]

I can't place exactly where on the dam, but I think it was on the roadside due to the narrow strip of dried mud along there. I have tried to gauge as many indicators as I can from the photos of the doggy discovering the phone.

That’s why I did the overlay - to ascertain where the phone was lying based on the close-up media shots of the phone on the bank on the day. I reached this conclusion as the police, the dog, and the phone are all there on the southern end closest to the road. You can see the red box on the northern end as a reference point. I think we’re agreeing.

 

[SouthAussie]

That’s why I did the overlay - to ascertain where the phone was lying based on the close-up media shots of the phone on the bank on the day. I reached this conclusion as the police, the dog, and the phone are all there on the southern end closest to the road. You can see the red box on the northern end as a reference point. I think we’re agreeing.

Yes, sorry. I think I had your pink-arrow photo turned around in my mind, and thought you were pointing to the away-side of the dam. Apologies.

 

[Rocket333]

I was wondering about the vehicles yesterday. The photo of PS' vehicle doesn't show the make of the vehicle, it is covered by the bullbar. But the one at the house is a Ford.

I was wondering if they were both the same make, because I wanted to see if PS' vehicle contained a computer that would produce telematics for the investigators. But it is too hard (for me) to tell the make of PS' vehicle.

I think the ute photo being used in the media articles is just an example of a similar ute, and not his actual ute. The caption says, “Police have seized a white ute. (Nine)”.

I was thinking that if he worked for his father, there’s probably a higher likelihood that they had the same work utes (as attached in my previous post). Is it a Ford Ranger?

Samantha Murphy's alleged killer's ute seized by police

www.9news.com.au

 

[SouthAussie]

I think the ute photo being used in the media articles is just an example of a similar ute, and not his actual ute. The caption says, “Police have seized a white ute. (Nine)”.

I was thinking that if he worked for his father, there’s probably a higher likelihood that they had the same work utes (as attached in my previous post). Is it a Ford Ranger?

Samantha Murphy's alleged killer's ute seized by police

www.9news.com.au

I think (judging by other photos in the article) the ute photo was probably copied from his social media.

It is possible they had the same make of ute. But I know the tradies that I do work for have a variety of work vans and utes of different makes. Their purchase depended on what was available and appropriate at the time. Unlike larger organisations that may purchase a fleet of vehicles from a specific dealer, all of the same make.

 

[JLZ]

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

Yes, that's the northernmost one of the three. You can't see the boomerang shape because of foreshortening. If you click on the Google Maps link you can walk down and see the other two dams further down the road; or if you turn the angle you can see the greenish house nearer than the red one.

 

[JLZ]

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 .

I understand Rocket to be saying the phone was found at the end of the dam away from the road. Then if the thrower aimed for the middle, he didn't fall short. I think he didn't account for the adrenaline and put a little too much strength into the throw.

Maybe it was put there by someone who had every right to be on the property. No need to worry who saw them mucking about down there. But I find it simpler to think that the killer, who had the phone in his possession and had to use a car to dispose of the body anyway, stopped and threw it from the road.

 

[Rocket333]

I understand Rocket to be saying the phone was found at the end of the dam away from the road. Then if the thrower aimed for the middle, he didn't fall short. I think he didn't account for the adrenaline and put a little too much strength into the throw.

Maybe it was put there by someone who had every right to be on the property. No need to worry who saw them. But I find it simpler to think that the killer, who had the phone in his possession and had to use a car to dispose of the body anyway, stopped and threw it from the road.

I agree with this. I think it was thrown from the road on the corner of the property. The phone was found in that area and that’s where it appears the major excavation work focussed. Trooper said in a recent post that the bushes were quite high and that they blocked visibility of the dam from the road. So to stand on the side of the road and throw the phone from the corner of the block outside the bushes you’d be needing to, quite blindly, pitch it up high enough to go over the bushes, travel a bit of a distance and hit the water.
On the image attached the pink arrow points to the phone site, and the red crosses are possible spots from where it could’ve been pitched. You can see the excavator and cleared bushes on this image too. One red cross is on the road on the corner of the property, and the other is inside the property (or neighbouring property) accessed via climbing a fence.
Phone falling into the bushes might have been part of the motivation to clear the bushes.

 

[Karin1974]

There are no facts or evidence that we know of to say PS did it. Where is your proof to say he put the phone in the dam ?

IMO - Some of us take the police statement that PS acted alone as fact, we also believe that due to this, PS put the phone there. There is no ‘evidence’ as such, we’re merely taking the police at their word & if PS did in fact act alone, it’s pretty obvious that rolling on from that is that he did put the phone there. MOO

 

[Karin1974]

another mystery to me. Folks do all sorts of different things to me, who knew??... I would not dream of carrying my wallet, cards, etc in the same holder as my phone. Lose one and you lose the lot.. then again, maybe Samantha was not as clumsy as me, ....this sound more probable even as I type.

IMO - If I’m going somewhere that I don’t want to take my handbag, I’ll put my licence & debit card (which also serves as a credit card) into my phone case, I also know lots of people who do this, I wouldn’t even say it’s unusual. People are different is all.

 

[JLZ]

I agree with this. I think it was thrown from the road on the corner of the property. The phone was found in that area and that’s where it appears the major excavation work focussed. Trooper said in a recent post that the bushes were quite high and that they blocked visibility of the dam from the road. So to stand on the side of the road and throw the phone from the corner of the block outside the bushes you’d be needing to, quite blindly, pitch it up high enough to go over the bushes, travel a bit of a distance and hit the water.
On the image attached the pink arrow points to the phone site, and the red crosses are possible spots from where it could’ve been pitched. You can see the excavator and cleared bushes on this image too. One red cross is on the road on the corner of the property, and the other is inside the property (or neighbouring property) accessed via climbing a fence.
Phone falling into the bushes might have been part of the motivation to clear the bushes.

I don't agree with your crosses as tossing points. The top one, he'd have to cross a barbed wire fence to get there. The bottom one, I think it would be really hard to see from there--I can't get Google car in the exact spot, but it's looking like this:

Google Maps

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

www.google.com

. . . it looks like the water might have been covered in reeds before the bulldozer and hackers came in.

 

[Karin1974]

100%. Mine drives me mad sometimes trying to get cards out as the pockets are so tight. Mine would not budge if I flung it anywhere. Maybe the sturdiness depends on the quality of the case. Sam’s appeared relatively intact (thankfully).

IMO - Mine’s the same, it was a struggle to get the phone into the case in the first place & it’s a struggle every time I use it to hold cards as when I try to get those cards out to use them it can be a comedy of errors!

 

[Scooby-Doo]

IMO - Some of us take the police statement that PS acted alone as fact, we also believe that due to this, PS put the phone there. There is no ‘evidence’ as such, we’re merely taking the police at their word & if PS did in fact act alone, it’s pretty obvious that rolling on from that is that he did put the phone there. MOO

Police have said he acted alone in the murder, but have not come out and said the accused has put the phone in the dam, and he needs to be linked to the dam, otherwise there is a good chance someone else has place the phone in there.
And If tests on the phone come back that the phone was put in there after the accused was in prison, then again someone else has done it
If the police suspect others involved, they would be keeping their mouths shut
Everyone has an opinion on this case and my opinion is there is more to this, with others involvement.
The accused has to be found guilty as well in a court of law, otherwise he could walk out as a free man

 

[Rocket333]

I don't agree with your crosses as tossing points. The top one, he'd have to cross a barbed wire fence to get there. The bottom one, I think it would be really hard to see from there--I can't get Google car in the exact spot, but it's looking like this.

Just an idea JLZ based on that end of the dam being a focal point of the search. You can see the access point to the adjoining property in the attached photo. It’s not impossible given the top of the fence is wooden and not particularly high. I don’t think that happened as it’s too visible and too much trouble, but it offers an alternative that enables closer access to the dam and better visibility of the dam. I am considering the bushes on the corner being chosen to hide the parked car too.
In an earlier post, quoted below, Trooper notes that in reality the bushes were much higher and thicker than we can see on Google, and this made it hard to see the dam from the road.

the bushes that lined the road on the fence line of the dam, were much higher and thicker than in the pic further up the thread , on the day of the find, at the dam, that blackberry barrier was hacked down and back, and raked over, by VICPOL,... It would have been hard to see that dam from the road, unless one got a glint of water coming up to it, but standing next to it, no.....this is how I recall it.....

The alternative that you’re suggesting (correct me if I’m misunderstanding) is that it was thrown from further up the road at a greater distance?
@Trooper might be able to let us know if the bushes were dense all along that fence or if there were breaks?

 

[Rocket333]

Makes you wonder if there was a report of things being thrown out of the car along this stretch of the road, or sightings, or evidence of a few stops occurring.
The first photo attached is of the police dog searching the paddock just down from the dam where the phone was found. The second is of the police accessing the neighbouring paddock beside the dam & scaling the barbed wire fence @JLZ.

“On Wednesday, police conducted a small-scale search along Slaughterhouse Road and Buninyong-Mt Mercer Road. About 12 officers searched the area, scouring long grass and scrub on the roadsides and in the edges of paddocks.”

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

 

[Rocket333]

IMO - Mine’s the same, it was a struggle to get the phone into the case in the first place & it’s a struggle every time I use it to hold cards as when I try to get those cards out to use them it can be a comedy of errors!

Same! Samantha’s looks secure, in tact, and like it was baking into the dried mud. Even when the officer held it upside down, the cards didn’t appear to fall out or slide.