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 #5

[crhedBngr]

I hope he advises where her body is so the family can put her to rest.
I'm so sorry Sam
A person should be able to be safe in their surroundings, going about their life, and not be hurt.
I'm humbled that VicPol was able to make an arrest and did a good job.

Yes, Kudos to VicPol!

Well done!

 

[SLouTh]

God, what a waste of a life. I can't fathom what would make someone throw their whole life away at age 22. He had the whole world ahead of him.

I was thinking the same thing …..

The big question is still WHY????
Police must have substantial evidence for a murder charge.

IMO

 

[BGirl88]

Pardon my ignorance, but what evidence is required to charge a person with murder if they haven’t got a body yet? Can someone simply admit to it?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Press conference expected at 3.45pm.
Not long to go. It's 3.30 now so another 15 mins.

 

[OptimusLime]

Press conference expected at 3.45pm

Thanks for posting this, sending this to my parents. My mum is in tears!

 

[Trooper]

Pardon my ignorance, but what evidence is required to charge a person with murder if they haven’t got a body yet? Can someone simply admit to it?

In Victoria, Australia, a person can be charged with murder even without a body. While having a body makes securing a murder conviction easier, the law does not require it. Here’s how it works:

1. Circumstantial Evidence: When there is no body, the prosecution relies on circumstantial evidence. This type of evidence doesn’t directly prove the elements of the offense but allows the jury to infer further facts that lead to a finding of guilt. The Crown does not need to prove how the victim died or what caused the death; they only need to demonstrate beyond reasonable doubt that the accused person committed murder.

 

[jessicalouise]

I will say I was suspicious as anyone of MM based purely on the statistics of when a woman goes missing. Now that someone else has been charged however I feel the need to defend him a bit- some people really are just incredibly reserved and/or good at keeping up appearances. I myself, after losing a very close family member, was told repeatedly in the days and weeks after how I "seemed to be doing okay" (often in a sort of veiled judgmental tone, as if I should feel bad for appearing so "normal") when in reality I was a complete mess and my life was falling apart. Someone's behavior/appearance does NOT always line up with how they are really feeling and oftentimes it's not even an indicator at all.

I think in situations like these people are trying to look for any clue. No one can absolutely be sure of anything and I don’t think people had accused with any certainty. But the fact he’s not a hysterical mess makes me have more sympathy in a way because it means he’s yet to properly grieve. Like it’s not real to him yet. I’ve felt that way about loved ones up until the moment of the funeral when it all came gushing out.

 

[Trooper]

Pardon my ignorance, but what evidence is required to charge a person with murder if they haven’t got a body yet? Can someone simply admit to it?

Another factor,, there may be no body to recover, and convincing statements have been made that make that a probable outcome, that is, the body may have been completely destroyed, for example, by fire, .......

 

[jessicalouise]

Also my theory is that the police didn’t public rule MM out so the real perp would think he was either off the hook or it was a tactic by police for him to become complacent and relaxed if the possiblity of the husband was still up in the air.

Police probably have to be a whole lot more tactical these days.

 

[drsleuth]

MM’s demeanour does not come across as someone who has lost a wife or whose wife has been missing. The only thing I can surmise is it must be shock and it hasn’t truly hit home for him yet.

I feel so awful for the family.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-victoria/man-arrested-over-disappearance-of-samantha-murphy/news-story/ff3bfc5a3fc3c310a2c164c6d372d618?amp

Direct quotes from Mick

On Thursday afternoon, Ms Murphy’s husband, Michael, said he was just trying to remain brave for everyone.

“God, the adrenaline with everything that’s been going on, it’s just trying to be brave for everybody,” he said.

“It’s something that we wouldn’t want anyone to experience.”

“It hasn’t been good for a while, nearly five weeks, but we’re doing as good as we can, it’s a brave face.”

I actually worry about his health, looks like he's holding his chest...........

 

[investigatefred]

I think in situations like these people are trying to look for any clue. No one can absolutely be sure of anything and I don’t think people had accused with any certainty. But the fact he’s not a hysterical mess makes me have more sympathy in a way because it means he’s yet to properly grieve. Like it’s not real to him yet. I’ve felt that way about loved ones up until the moment of the funeral when it all came gushing out.

I thought the same. Trying to keep it together for the children, keep their household running, the business running. He's had much stress over the last month without his life partner and I don't think it's fully hit him yet. He will grieve in time, in his own way. JMO

 

[mamamama9873]

oh SNAP, hestia, just thinking that too,. what on earth was in it for him to murder a 51yr old woman? a woman jogging thru the bush, sticking to the trail??

so strange. What could the motive possibly have been?
I think we are mostly in agreement that it was a planned murder, not an accidental hit and run, so why on earth would he murder a murder a woman more than twice his age (likely to not be sexually motivated)?

 

[BGirl88]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-victoria/man-arrested-over-disappearance-of-samantha-murphy/news-story/ff3bfc5a3fc3c310a2c164c6d372d618?amp

Direct quotes from Mick

On Thursday afternoon, Ms Murphy’s husband, Michael, said he was just trying to remain brave for everyone.

“God, the adrenaline with everything that’s been going on, it’s just trying to be brave for everybody,” he said.

“It’s something that we wouldn’t want anyone to experience.”

“It hasn’t been good for a while, nearly five weeks, but we’re doing as good as we can, it’s a brave face.”

The poor man, I feel so much emotion for this family.

 

[OptimusLime]

He doesn’t appear to come from a bad background.

Obviously he interesting to see if drugs had been involved. He might have had a night on the town on the Saturday.

I don’t know many 22yr olds that are up at 7am on a Sunday.

His town is south of Ballarat, so wondering if he was on his way home early.

 

[fauhjdsh]

Music festival? ..must be hit and run..

 

[Skyboy90]

I’m fairly sure there is two PS’s.

Careful posting links to the other folks. Media will pick it and and accuse the wrong one.

It’s not the grilld guy above.

 

[iamshadow21]

so strange. What could the motive possibly have been?
I think we are mostly in agreement that it was a planned murder, not an accidental hit and run, so why on earth would he murder a murder a woman more than twice his age (likely to not be sexually motivated)?

People of all ages from infants to the very elderly can be and are victims of sexual assault. It's not about a metric of youth and attractiveness, it's about power.

MOO

 

[OptimusLime]

Music festival? ..must be hit and run..

Feb Fever

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That was going on during the weekend of her disappearance. It was in Ballarat CBD.

 

[lucar85]

Grill'd accused of exploiting staff through low-paid traineeships

Australian burger chain Grill'd is accused of using government-subsidised traineeships to keep its young workers on low wages, despite nearly all the employees saying the training is not worthwhile.

amp.abc.net.au

Not the same guy

 

[Trooper]

so strange. What could the motive possibly have been?
I think we are mostly in agreement that it was a planned murder, not an accidental hit and run, so why on earth would he murder a murder a woman more than twice his age (likely to not be sexually motivated)?

Difficult to think of a motive.. of course, the law does not require a motive to convict, or to charge, for that matter, but it is something that we, as the general public are always curious about. Because it is a worry, murder without motive. Even more so than one with motive. Awful to think he could work himself up to such hate, for a stranger, at 22. Maybe she saw him doing something he didn't want seen, although, at 7am on a Sunday morning, what could that be? ... Maybe the sight of a women, free, enjoying herself, running along easily, looking at home in the forest was offensive to him. God alone knows what goes thru killer's minds. .