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

[Rumination1]

for her families sake does anyone think the recent outing from the remand was in order for him to point out where her body is ?

 

[Scooby-Doo]

for her families sake does anyone think the recent outing from the remand was in order for him to point out where her body is ?

No, they have already searched thoroughly there. They won't find her there

 

[JLZ]

for her families sake does anyone think the recent outing from the remand was in order for him to point out where her body is ?

I think if that were the case, and they couldn't find her body from his pointing out, there would have been another search and that would have been reported.

And also, maybe we would have heard that he's changed his plea.

 

[SouthAussie]

Again, I don't believe we know this for sure, unless I missed it.

It could be a pro-bono case, or maybe even a legal aid luck-of-the-draw situation. (I believe someone mentioned it pages ago - that all lawyers go in the pool to do their share of free legal aid for those that can't afford it)

PS' barrister - Moya O'Brien - is on the list of Legal Aid Preferred Barristers in Victoria.

Who is on the Criminal Trial Preferred Barrister List

Barristers on this list are able to represent legally aided accused in criminal trials.

www.legalaid.vic.gov.au

16 Jan 2025:
Stephenson's lawyer Moya O'Brien told the court her client still suffered from those injuries ....

Major update on Sam Murphy's alleged killer as he appears in court and unveils a dramatic change

 

[Andieinsyd]

What was he doing there at 8.00am on a Sunday morning ? he was living with the girlfriend, house sitting, 14 klms down the road. His parents live at Mt Clear. This was where he had been living before playing house down the road a ways... But there must be some reason why he was where he obviously, according to police was situated. At Mt Clear. We know that Mrs Murphy was jogging out and back, but what was he there for?

It is reasonable to assume that he was unaware of Mrs Murphy's running route, and habits. That it was coincidental. That is ,he didn't know she was running that track, she didn't know anything about him nor know he would be at the Mt Clear section of the track.

Unless his story is, he was never near Mt Clear at all. .. but that then presupposes that VICPOL made up the entire story, which seems absurd, mainly because they have a great stake in finding who did this, and it is no use arresting the wrong person, as the killing would go on. And for VICPOL to invent the story it requires an awful lot of coppers to agree, (a) to the story and (b) to perjure themselves. Bad move for one's career. I, frankly, do not see that as a rational possibility . Too many involved, not all policewere from one station or section. Homicide, Missing Persons, Dog squad, SES, the public , Army cadets, etc.. Everybody has to agree to lie. Others may see it differently.

Or. .. his story is, he was, yes , at Mt Clear, and saw nothing. Heard nothing. Knows nothing.

And , therefore, there must be solid evidence that he was there, at Mt Clear, at 8am, on that warmish Sunday morning. Otherwise the whole thing falls apart. And equally, solid evidence that shows murder, and not accident, or manslaughter, or just bad luck.,

Little bit late to this one but seems he has a roof top tent on his car. Perhaps indicating that he likes camping and being in the bush and can just drive in and pop up his roof tent and make a night of it. So he may have spent the night out there and was just getting moving that morning.
https://www.news.com.au/national/vi...s/news-story/845d1eecde887e2b0ad3bdeebbc8d0a1

 

[Spectrix]

Little bit late to this one but seems he has a roof top tent on his car. Perhaps indicating that he likes camping and being in the bush and can just drive in and pop up his roof tent and make a night of it. So he may have spent the night out there and was just getting moving that morning.

Good spot, that's a totally plausible scenario.

 

[Kemug]

That's quite clear - they're funding his defence. Even if other sentiments aren't factored in (which seems unlikely), the financial argument is self-evident. JMO

They're decent people apparently, and supporting and funding him whether they think he is innocent or not. But we don't know what he feels - maybe he is grateful, maybe he just thinks it's their duty. We know so little about him really, although he certainly seems to be no angel.

 

[FromGermany1]

Little bit late to this one but seems he has a roof top tent on his car. Perhaps indicating that he likes camping and being in the bush and can just drive in and pop up his roof tent and make a night of it. So he may have spent the night out there and was just getting moving that morning.
https://www.news.com.au/national/vi...s/news-story/845d1eecde887e2b0ad3bdeebbc8d0a1

I would wonder, why his girlfriend wouldn't have said (IF), that he was absent for the rest of the night from the home, which they babysitted. How ignorant can one pretend to be?

 

[SouthAussie]

They're decent people apparently, and supporting and funding him whether they think he is innocent or not.

Sooner or later people run out of money to keep on defending their accused son.

This might be why his defence barrister representation shifted from Paul Galbathy to Moya O'Brien.

Paul Galbathy is not listed as a Legal Aid barrister. Moya O'Brien is.

(as per my previous post)

 

[Porky1]

Little bit late to this one but seems he has a roof top tent on his car. Perhaps indicating that he likes camping and being in the bush and can just drive in and pop up his roof tent and make a night of it. So he may have spent the night out there and was just getting moving that morning.
https://www.news.com.au/national/vi...s/news-story/845d1eecde887e2b0ad3bdeebbc8d0a1

Iam not sure it is. It could be storage. If he was inebriated, setting up the tent in the very dark bush, late at night, doesn’t seem practical when he could sleep in the ute.

 

[Nikynoo]

I recollect he was charged w murder via a deliberate act which may mean there was no vehicular involvement at all. Yes a vehicle before or after the fact as transport etc . What if it was a gun or a knife or strangulation that killed her. Could there be proof he even for example sat on her to point of not being able to breathe??
Whatever it was , it happened in that bush and they have gone there to get him to confess or explain a scene . His story will need to be hole proof to defend him or riddled w errors to further implicate him. Give it time … no this has happened maybe he ll plea

Would it not be classed as a deliberate act if the vehicle was driven under the influence of drink or drugs?

I also want to add, the imo we shouldn’t think too much about the deliberate element. IMO this muddies the waters and narrows our thinking.

 

[SouthAussie]

Would it not be classed as a deliberate act if the vehicle was driven under the influence of drink or drugs?

I also want to add, the imo we shouldn’t think too much about the deliberate element. IMO this muddies the waters and narrows our thinking.

The police called it a deliberate attack, not a deliberate act.

On Thursday, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said police would allege Ms Murphy died in a "deliberate attack" in the Ballarat suburb of Mount Clear.

Patrick Orren Stephenson named as Samantha Murphy's accused killer after suppression order ends

The man charged with murdering Victorian woman Samantha Murphy can be revealed as Patrick Orren Stephenson, after his lawyer dropped a bid to have the 22-year-old's name suppressed.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Scooby-Doo]

Would it not be classed as a deliberate act if the vehicle was driven under the influence of drink or drugs?

I also want to add, the imo we shouldn’t think too much about the deliberate element. IMO this muddies the waters and narrows our thinking.

The question was asked by the media to VICPOL if a vehicle was involved, which was met with "no comment".

In cases where someone dies in a vehicle accident caused by a drug-or-alcohol affected driver, there is a legal precedent for 'murder' (rather than say culpable driving or manslaughter) charges, on the basis that a reasonable person would know that taking drugs and then driving and hitting someone would likely cause their death.

I am not alleging this is what happened in this case. But it's one explanation of why a murder charge might be considered

 

[Andieinsyd]

Really interested and concerned also for the other woman who was attacked jogging a year before Sam. No one has been arrested for that attack but it sounds like it has had a major impact on the victim. Description is Caucasian male, black jeans and a cap, no shirt or shoes. There may be no connection between the two attacks and if not I really hope that perpetrator is brought to justice as welll.

 

[Spectrix]

In cases where someone dies in a vehicle accident caused by a drug-or-alcohol affected driver, there is a legal precedent for 'murder' (rather than say culpable driving or manslaughter) charges, on the basis that a reasonable person would know that taking drugs and then driving and hitting someone would likely cause their death.

I am not alleging this is what happened in this case. But it's one explanation of why a murder charge might be considered

I'm struggling to imagine how VicPol would describe a drunk driving accident as a "deliberate attack", even if it does constitute murder?

 

[Nikynoo]

The police called it a deliberate attack, not a deliberate act.

On Thursday, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said police would allege Ms Murphy died in a "deliberate attack" in the Ballarat suburb of Mount Clear.

Patrick Orren Stephenson named as Samantha Murphy's accused killer after suppression order ends

The man charged with murdering Victorian woman Samantha Murphy can be revealed as Patrick Orren Stephenson, after his lawyer dropped a bid to have the 22-year-old's name suppressed.

www.abc.net.au

Ah, I see. I’m not seeing it just yet. Very curious as to what evidence the police have.

 

[Spectrix]

Really interested and concerned also for the other woman who was attacked jogging a year before Sam. No one has been arrested for that attack but it sounds like it has had a major impact on the victim. Description is Caucasian male, black jeans and a cap, no shirt or shoes. There may be no connection between the two attacks and if not I really hope that perpetrator is brought to justice as welll.

That was Sissy Austin. The attacker was carrying what she described as a rock tied to a branch, which strikes me as a Neanderthal era weapon.
She was running in the Lal Lal state forest.
It's some distance away from Canadian, but coincidentally RIGHT NEXT TO SCOTSBURN

 

[Spectrix]

Ah, I see. I’m not seeing it just yet. Very curious as to what evidence the police have.

According to media, they found her phone in a dam, and PS was doing some suspicious searching on the internet so he's obviously guilty.

In all seriousness though, I'm also very curious what their evidence might be.
In August 2024, both the prosecution and defense sought a 12-week adjournment in order to review what was described as an "unprecedented" brief of evidence.

It seems to me that if they need an "unprecedented" brief of evidence to make their case, it's unlikely they have any sort of smoking gun. The fact that PS has plead not guilty adds to the intrigue.

 

[KathPlumber]

I would wonder, why his girlfriend wouldn't have said (IF), that he was absent for the rest of the night from the home, which they babysitted. How ignorant can one pretend to be?

Maybe they had had a fight somewhere while he was under the influence and he was sleeping it off in the Ute

 

[BreakingNews]

Iam not sure it is. It could be storage. If he was inebriated, setting up the tent in the very dark bush, late at night, doesn’t seem practical when he could sleep in the ute.

I think it is relatively easy to set up. My son had this. Very sensible at the time. He'd go to a party, drink too much and camp in 4wd and drive home next day. Or he'd use it when working away from home.