Still Missing Australia - Samantha Murphy, 51, last seen leaving her property to go for a run in the Canadian State Forest, Ballarat, 4 Feb 2024 *Arrest* #13

[Rocket333]

If it goes to trial, he may have to deal with his family knowing a lot more.

He sure will, and he’s in a bit of a bind. Going to trial is the highest‑risk option he can take, because everything will be laid out, but it’s also the only one that lets him keep pretending.

I’ve always had the sense Stephenson looked up to his dad, and in the early court mentions I only recall his mum and a sister attending or being mentioned in the media. His parents packed up and moved away quickly, which shows the impact it was having on them from the beginning — maybe it was obvious even then. Anyway, it’ll be interesting to see who turns up when the trial starts.

 

[BreakingNews]

He sure will, and he’s in a bit of a bind. Going to trial is the highest‑risk option he can take, because everything will be laid out, but it’s also the only one that lets him keep pretending.

I’ve always had the sense Stephenson looked up to his dad, and in the early court mentions I only recall his mum and a sister attending or being mentioned in the media. His parents packed up and moved away quickly, which shows the impact it was having on them from the beginning — maybe it was obvious even then. Anyway, it’ll be interesting to see who turns up when the trial starts.

That is what happens if you dont plead guilty. You have to go to trial where dirty laundry is shared. Sure will be interesting who among his family or friends will be in court to show their support for him. Innocent until proven guilty, though.

 

[Ron Jeremy]

If he admits anything, he’d have to deal with his family knowing, and he can’t and won’t go there. So he’ll keep lying and denying and praying it all holds together. Staying quiet seems to have always felt a lot safer than telling the truth.

I reckon you’ve hit the nail on the head with the denial Rocket..he doesn’t want his family to know he’s capable of such a thing.. I still reckon we will all be surprised at how much the police have on this guy when and if it comes out! He and his defence team would know what cops have on him and still pleads not guilty! More front than Myer!

 

[HoneyBunOne]

I reckon you’ve hit the nail on the head with the denial Rocket..he doesn’t want his family to know he’s capable of such a thing.. I still reckon we will all be surprised at how much the police have on this guy when and if it comes out! He and his defence team would know what cops have on him and still pleads not guilty! More front than Myer!

Agreed, along with a pride/ego/cockiness thing IMHO.

 

[Rocket333]

I reckon you’ve hit the nail on the head with the denial Rocket..he doesn’t want his family to know he’s capable of such a thing.. I still reckon we will all be surprised at how much the police have on this guy when and if it comes out! He and his defence team would know what cops have on him and still pleads not guilty! More front than Myer!

I’m with you Ron & Honey. I reckon his confidence has always been pretty ambitious. I also wonder what else is ticking along in the background or happening for him at the same time, like with the bike‑crash situation which was running in parallel. For me it just doesn’t feel like this is Stephenson’s only issue, and there may be other legal threads being handled more quietly at the same time, which is not unusual in situations like this. Might help to explain why his parents exited stage left so fast? When it all eventually comes out, I’ll be curious to see how much has been sitting under the surface or parked on the next table the whole time.

 

[HoneyBunOne]

I’m with you Ron & Honey. I reckon his confidence has always been pretty ambitious. I also wonder what else is ticking along in the background or happening for him at the same time, like with the bike‑crash situation which was running in parallel. For me it just doesn’t feel like this is Stephenson’s only issue, and there may be other legal threads being handled more quietly at the same time, which is not unusual in situations like this. Might help to explain why his parents exited stage left so fast? When it all eventually comes out, I’ll be curious to see how much has been sitting under the surface or parked on the next table the whole time.

Agreed,. I do wonder if there were issues here and there, likely intensifying, that lead to this, and his parents had had enough. It was extrodinarily fast that they left town.

 

[Rocket333]

Agreed,. I do wonder if there were issues here and there, likely intensifying, that lead to this, and his parents had had enough. It was extrodinarily fast that they left town.

The speed his parents left Victoria was pretty extraordinary. Perhaps there's been various issues bubbling away for a while and his arrest caused them to hit their limit.

It’s interesting to think the court’s probably already pulled together the big summons batch for that sitting period, and the jurors who’ll eventually end up on this trial are somewhere in that mix. Makes it feel like things are getting real. Everyone involved must be getting a little twitchy.

 

[Kemug]

It's been quite a while, but I seem to recall that P-OS is the only son among 3 adult children? Historically a man would have been more invested in his son, for reasons that were legitimate centuries ago. It's just about died out now I should think, but probably lingers on in certain trades and circumstances. It's possible that P-OS's dad, and especially because of both being good at football, felt a particularly strong bond with his son. I'm not saying he didn't/doesn't love his daughters just as much, or that mum didn't/doesn't love all her children equally, and as much as their dad. It's very hard to quantify or even describe love isn't it? I think what I'm trying to say is that P-OS's father may feel an extra disappointment and bitterness (assuming guilt, of course).

 

[Melt71]

The speed his parents left Victoria was pretty extraordinary. Perhaps there's been various issues bubbling away for a while and his arrest caused them to hit their limit.

Or.... perhaps they were trying to avoid something I am sadly familiar with, by someone close to me being charged with a serious offence. Media track innocent people down, camp outside their homes, bang on their doors and behave appallingly. There is no respite, even in your own home and when people try to maintain some normalcy they can be followed and heckled. And that's before you get to the locals who stare and whisper... I would have recommended the parents pack up and leave, too.