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 #6

[SouthAussie]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/hyperlocal/everybody-appearing-at-ballarat-magistrates-court-friday-march-8/news-story/142ff23f3e6408da57b431ed63407a8c?amp

They put the accused at the top of the list of people appearing in court today. Not in alphabetical order, not in court-time order (the suppression hearing is at 11am).

Probably trying to make a point about how high profile this case is and how they want the suppression lifted.

imo

 

[drsleuth]

Interesting article on suppression orders

Should suspects in criminal cases be publicly named?

Dr Marilyn McMahon from Deakin University discusses the pros and cons of publicly naming suspects in criminal cases and why the issue is so hotly debated.

this.deakin.edu.au

 

[Voluspa]

On MCV it says he has no representation? I thought he had a lawyer?

Q10502257

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Without commenting on the specifics of the current case, Criminologist Xanthe Mallet said people who commit crimes of 'this nature' generally commit them in areas where they feel comfortable.

'We call it a comfort zone and so the police will be taking all of that into consideration,' she told Today.

'Somewhere where they are going to feel confident and comfortable to commit a criminal act.

'The police have been working very hard to find Samantha's remains, not only for the investigation, but also obviously for Samantha's family.'

Search for mum's body intensifies as expert explains a killer's motive

Police will continue their search for the body of missing mum Samantha Murphy after a man was charged with her murder.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[investigatefred]

Is this the fire you are asking about?

‘Like a freight train’: Bushfire that threatened homes south of Ballarat treated as suspicious

Firefighters continue to battle two bushfires, while communities in Victoria’s west narrowly avoided a much worse outcome after temperatures on Wednesday peaked later in the day.

amp.theage.com.au

I only saw it to be referred to as the "Ross Creek" fire, so I'm not sure.

I found the below articles that included mention of Ross Creek-

Firefighters continue to battle Ross Creek bushfire - 3BA

After a difficult night for residents in the Newtown area, the bushfire threat to communities has been reduced. Yesterday, a...

www.3ba.com.au

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/goulburn-valley/multiple-fires-in-koonoomoo-as-victoria-braces-itself/news-story/480f5323bd82b002771281858308363b

 

[crhedBngr]

Hi guys, I’ve been following Websleuths for a long time although decided to join in now as Samantha’s case has really shook me as it has everyone else. I noticed in the presser the other week, when the detective said that even if perp didn’t take the phone, they can track gps movements from the car etc. As they have stated that Samantha was removed from the area when they did the press conference, maybe they have tracked his car and hopefully they can find her this way if he isn’t opening up to where she is.

Welcome to Websleuths!

 

[imstilla.grandma]

I only saw it to be referred to as the "Ross Creek" fire, so I'm not sure.

I found the below articles that included mention of Ross Creek-

Firefighters continue to battle Ross Creek bushfire - 3BA

After a difficult night for residents in the Newtown area, the bushfire threat to communities has been reduced. Yesterday, a...

www.3ba.com.au

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/goulburn-valley/multiple-fires-in-koonoomoo-as-victoria-braces-itself/news-story/480f5323bd82b002771281858308363b

https://www.facebook.com/vicemergency/posts/pfbid0mMSDxWSPgwkcp58vmGRLEaGw68YTJq9HRzVz9Xcwk8pBASXjJUYMe3b5nMYwv6PQl

 

[Trooper]

Another thing, ( I should be doing VICPOL PR ) is , stranger/stranger murder is the hardest crime of all to solve, there just isn't a clear starting point, if there are no witnesses, so congrats to VICPOL on such a swift arrest.

 

[Trooper]

<modnsip - quoted post was removed>
VICPOL have specifically stated it was NOT a hit and run. ..

 

[ausleauther]

It's got those I know what you did last summer vibes

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Speaking to ABC News Breakfast on Friday morning, the Ballarat mayor, Des Hudson, said the arrest had offered some “closure”.

“I think the fact that Sam was a mum, had young kids, or young teenagers, and just disappeared without any trace, it really sparked the emotion of our community and communities from everywhere,” Hudson said.

“Samantha will never come home to her family [and] they will never have a beautiful mother, a beautiful wife to be with them as [they] go forward.”

Police said they were not looking for anyone else at this stage in connection to the alleged murder.

Samantha Murphy: Patrick Stephenson identified as alleged killer of Ballarat woman

Magistrate lifts order which prohibited naming son of former AFL footballer accused of murder

www.theguardian.com

 

[SouthAussie]

Yes 3AW is talking a lot about this this morning too.

Yes, I notice that 3AW had a lawyer speaking about it ...


Partner at Thomsom Geer Laywers, Justin Quill criticised the granting of the order and says he suspects the order will be lifted this morning.

“If you’re going to ask me what’s the reason for it [being granted], my answer to that is no good reason … we consider there just wasn’t a proper basis for making a suppression order in that case,” he told Tom Elliott.

Lawyer slams magistrate for issuing suppression order for Samantha Murphy's alleged murderer

Victoria has been labelled the nation’s suppression order capital following the controversial news a suppression order had been granted for the man accused of allegedly murdering Samantha Murphy. Partner at Thomsom Geer Laywers, Justin Quill criticised the granting of the order and says he...

www.3aw.com.au

 

[followtheleader]

VICPOL have specifically stated it was NOT a hit and run. ..

Not a hit and run, absolutely, but IMO that doesn’t rule out a vehicle being involved, e.g, hit her then did something deliberate after the fact that ended her life, moved her etc.

The only thing that gives me pause is the fact that there is only one charge. As we know the police often file multiple charges to get one to “stick”, if there were further events after the fact I feel like they would have laid additional charges.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Mayor Cr Des Hudsontold Sky News Australia on Friday morning he knows the accused killer’s family and they are “lovely people”.

“We are a tight community,” he said.

“I do know the family, they’re lovely people - I don’t know the 22-year-old per se individually but I certainly do know the family and it’s tough for them as well.

“Not only (for) Samantha Murphy’s family but also the family of the 22-year-old and what they will be feeling at this time as well so I urge the community to be kind with their comments.”

“Some of that speculation, some rumour mongering, some of the innuendo that was placed especially using social media – I put out some comments saying ‘be kind Ballarat’,” Cr Hudson said.

“Let’s let the investigative process take its course, there are professional investigators, and these types of investigations take time to analyse lots of lots of pieces of evidence that comes from the community, so let the professionals do their work."

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/crime/theyre-lovely-people-mayor-of-ballarat-implores-community-to-be-kind-to-family-of-alleged-samantha-murphy-killer/news-story/5f104a8b4841608415d7127afaf72d59

 

[SouthAussie]

.
The vigil for Sam tonight is at the Eureka Stockade Memorial Garden at 7pm.
It is being put on by volunteers in her search.

I remember yesterday hearing a volunteer search leader (forget her name now, but I have seen her speaking about the search before) speaking on Triple J news. She said they would seek police input on whether or not they should continue to search for Sam.

Vigil for Samantha Murphy to be held, as local community mourns - 3BA

A vigil to remember Samantha Murphy is set to be held in Ballarat tonight, as the community mourns. A 22-year-old...

www.3ba.com.au

 

[mondayschild]

Given the alleged murderer was already named in the media - the suppression order seems pointless to media/community. However, I can understand the magistrate imposing it so as to uphold "natural justice". It would be weird if that had not occurred. That's the point.

 

[SouthAussie]

Given the alleged murderer was already named in the media - the suppression order seems pointless to media/community. However, I can understand the magistrate imposing it so as to uphold "natural justice". It would be weird if that had not occurred. That's the point.

I think the magistrate did it as a knee jerk reaction ... erring on the side of caution for the time being.

Could you imagine if everyone who was arrested and charged had their name suppressed?
Because that is what the magistrate basically did. "He was arrested and charged, suppress his name (for the interim period)".

imo

 

[BGirl88]

Hi guys, I’ve been following Websleuths for a long time although decided to join in now as Samantha’s case has really shook me as it has everyone else. I noticed in the presser the other week, when the detective said that even if perp didn’t take the phone, they can track gps movements from the car etc. As they have stated that Samantha was removed from the area when they did the press conference, maybe they have tracked his car and hopefully they can find her this way if he isn’t opening up to where she is.

Yes good point. Hopefully his car has Gps computerin it so that they can track his movements overthepast 5 weeks. And look into his phone data in more detail.

 

[drsleuth]

I wonder ......

Did he show up for work on Monday morning, or did he have some time off?

Was he not somewhere where he should have been on Sunday morning?

Has he recently got a new phone?

So many questions that we won't have answers to for a long time IMO

 

[Cedars]

Mayor Cr Des Hudsontold Sky News Australia on Friday morning he knows the accused killer’s family and they are “lovely people”.

“We are a tight community,” he said.

“I do know the family, they’re lovely people - I don’t know the 22-year-old per se individually but I certainly do know the family and it’s tough for them as well.

“Not only (for) Samantha Murphy’s family but also the family of the 22-year-old and what they will be feeling at this time as well so I urge the community to be kind with their comments.”

“Some of that speculation, some rumour mongering, some of the innuendo that was placed especially using social media – I put out some comments saying ‘be kind Ballarat’,” Cr Hudson said.

“Let’s let the investigative process take its course, there are professional investigators, and these types of investigations take time to analyse lots of lots of pieces of evidence that comes from the community, so let the professionals do their work."

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/crime/theyre-lovely-people-mayor-of-ballarat-implores-community-to-be-kind-to-family-of-alleged-samantha-murphy-killer/news-story/5f104a8b4841608415d7127afaf72d59

Funny, but I think the only reason a news outlet is publishing this is because of the suppression order, otherwise it'd be full on speculation, pointless comments like 'he seemed such a nice guy', photos from his elementary school, etc.

JMO