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 #8

[ProfCluezo]

Ok so it’s got to be PS then, we are assuming…on the balance of probabilities… only question is whose phone did he use. His own? Or SMs? Are others thinking that in his “bender-Ed” state of mind it did not occur to PS that any info on his phone could be used as evidence against him? Or similarly for SMs phone? Could PS have snap-chatted something to someone?? Thinking this could not be recovered? Now you see it, now you don’t, type of thing….??!! Surely not some kind of live stream….? Is it possible PS’s phone may have been linked to a family iCloud or some such thing? And been found by someone else…? Or…??!!

Are any websleuthers aware of research on the recording habits of murderers…? How it’s done, preferred methods etc??? Could it have taken police a while to potentially open a password protected file for example…?

 

[Dotta]

We still know nothing about:

- was the accused coming home from the bender in his car at this time? (7/7.30 a.m.)

- if yes,
was he coming alone?
Or was he coming with friends?
Or was he coming home with his girlfriend?

- was the accused jogging/running alone
(after previously coming home)
in the area still too hyped up after the bender?

The Saturday "bender" was reported in MSM,
and I think it was allegedly the decisive factor in this tragedy.

If he was with mates, well, they could allegedly be prime witnesses.

All speculation, of course.

JMO

 

[ProfCluezo]

Can anyone imagine what would/could possibly motivate a 22 year old to potentially kill an innocent woman in front of witnesses?

Surely such a deliberate attack, committed knowingly in front of witnesses, would be extraordinarily unlikely?

Unless PS may have been trying to prove something… to someone…?

 

[Minaka]

I have no idea if this is allowed or not, but it definitely serves the purpose of illustrating how ridiculous the concept is of a victim texting or recording their last shocking and surprising moments.
Discretion advised hence the spoiler button.

Spoiler

Fictional episode featuring texting during a murder

 

[Dotta]

Can anyone imagine what would/could possibly motivate a 22 year old to potentially kill an innocent woman in front of witnesses?

Surely such a deliberate attack, committed knowingly in front of witnesses, would be extraordinarily unlikely?

As would be mates’ silence on such matters, I am assuming?

Or, am I desperately out of touch when the kinds of “mate-y” loyalties that occur in these kinds of circles?

My answer is:

ALLEGEDLY!!!!

Drunken bravado.
Chasing a lone woman with a car.
Hitting her.
Sick fun of a youth.

Who knows what a person allegedly full of drugs and alco has in his/her mind?

I'm now following on WS a case of 3 teens accused of throwing rocks at motorists and killing a woman driver.

They were travelling in a car and hurling stones at other cars.
They even took a photo of a hit car and a victim
Sick!!!!!!

JMO

GUILTY CO - Alexa Bartell, 20, killed in car when thrown rock struck windshield, possibly connected to similar cases in Denver area - 19 Apr 2023

https://kdvr.com/news/local/she-really-left-a-mark-friend-mourns-woman-killed-in-rock-attack/ JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — Friends of 20-year-old Alexa Bartell, the woman killed by a thrown rock in Jefferson County, remember her as someone who left a mark. According to the Jefferson County...

www.websleuths.com

 

[ProfCluezo]

It is incredibly sick Dotta.

A very sad reminder of how debased human beings can be.

Senseless. Hideous. Horrifying.

 

[jjleroche]

Ok so it’s got to be PS then, we are assuming…on the balance of probabilities… only question is whose phone did he use. His own? Or SMs? Are others thinking that in his “bender-Ed” state of mind it did not occur to PS that any info on his phone could be used as evidence against him? Or similarly for SMs phone? Could PS have snap-chatted something to someone?? Thinking this could not be recovered? Now you see it, now you don’t, type of thing….??!! Surely not some kind of live stream….? Is it possible PS’s phone may have been linked to a family iCloud or some such thing? And been found by someone else…? Or…??!!

Are any websleuthers aware of research on the recording habits of murderers…? How it’s done, preferred methods etc??? Could it have taken police a while to potentially open a password protected file for example…?

IMO Samantha may have taken a video of him (maybe playing "chicken" with her/threatening her with a weapon) with her phone), and immediately sent it (probably to her husband) with accompanying audio of what was happening.
All complete speculation. MOO

 

[ProfCluezo]

How would the murder have been captured though… allegedly??

 

[Dotta]

IMO Samantha may have taken a video of him (maybe playing "chicken" with her/threatening her with a weapon) with her phone), and immediately sent it (probably to her husband) with accompanying audio of what was happening.
All complete speculation. MOO

But her husband was worried only when the wife didn't return for brunch.
At first her disappearance was NOT suspicious.

So, I guess no photo/message was sent to husband or other family members.

In fact,
there was NO contact according to MSM.

JMO

 

[Minaka]

There is a long standing hypothesis that concludes that one of us has already solved this mystery as we have a large sample group.

Wikipedia link to Wisdom of the crowd

 

[ProfCluezo]

There is a long standing hypothesis that concludes that one of us has already solved this mystery as we have a large sample group.

Wikipedia link to Wisdom of the crowd

Thanks so much Minaka for sharing this, I haven’t come across it before…

So are you saying we can collectively rest our case now? And reconvene in August?

 

[Dotta]

Old fashioned BrainStorming

 

[Minaka]

Thanks so much Minaka for sharing this, I haven’t come across it before…

So are you saying we can collectively rest our case now? And reconvene in August?

Due to the sample size, and responses, at least one poster is correct to some degree. Given the incredible amount of posts to this topic you can also apply the optimal stopping method.

Very indepth article

Video that explains it more easily

 

[ProfCluezo]

Loving these resources Minaka! Thank you

Who knows, we could treat it like a raffle… ?!

Whoever closes in on the theory closest to the actual truth wins the prize… ?

 

[Minaka]

Thanks so much Minaka for sharing this, I haven’t come across it before…

So are you saying we can collectively rest our case now? And reconvene in August?

Yes, pretty much. One of us has solved it. In August we will find out who.

edit: I love a mystery as much as the next person, but maths says one of us has already worked it out. Maybe not the finer details, but someone has got it. I'll still continue to post my hypothesis, however at this point I believe the widsom of the crowd has nailed it, whatever that is.

 

[touch]

IMO there is no video or anything else as conclusive as that. It took quite a while from his arrest to the murder charge, they could have charged him immediately at arrest if there was video evidence.
I think that several smaller pieces of evidence all pointed to him then the final bits needed to be sure came after arrest - maybe when searching his car or house?

 

[BreakingNews]

Thank you for informative answer
It makes sense.

I was simply surprised that if, as a poster suggested, Police have such explicit evidence of deliberate murder, the case should drag.

JMO

Also all courts in Australia are overloaded. Sometimes simply finding a court date is the problem.

 

[Moonstrawbs]

I apologise in advance if I've missed this/if this is a stupid question... BUT is there no affidavit?

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

Then, why to wait almost half a year for the next Court session?

EXACTLY my question.

Seems VICPOL has all(much)of the evidence they need...
And I DO trust their ethics...

But then.....
Why delay the inevitable judicial process?

Seems they have him "dead to rights".....

Why then cannot there be a speedier resolution?

As some sleuthers have responded here...
I, too, am sitting on a MULTITUDE of cases...
waiting for resolutions...
Some are from at least a decade ago...
I recognize patience is necessary...
acknowledging full due process...

Therefore.... what is different with this case?

Just wondering...

 

[EricAcaciaAvenue]

I think people need to remember this is still very early days in this investigation, not even 2 months.

This is true of course, but what is quite unusual in this case is that a suspect has been arrested and charged with murder, with Police making quite firm statements that they know (a) the victim is dead and (b) that it was a deliberate killing; but there is no information at all about a basic theory of the case.

That is pretty rare I think - normally there would be, either through police making information public or from the known facts, some outline understanding on the part of the press/public as to the nature and basis of the charge - motive/relationship, forensic/electronic evidence, discovery of body etc.

Whereas here - unless the Police have gone totally nuts - it is apparent that they must have some absolutely crucial evidence, the nature of which is not known at all. Which is going to prompt curiosity!