EXCLUSIVE: Investigators say Patrick Orren Stephenson, 22, displayed troubling behavior long before Samantha Murphy disappeared. CCTV and witness statements suggest he had an unusual fixation on her routines and locations. Hours before her final run, neighbors spotted him lurking near her street. Experts say this pattern of obsession explains why authorities fear Samantha Murphy never left his sight alive. Click the link below for a breakdown of the suspect’s disturbing behavior.👇
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Major update in search for missing mother Samantha Murphy who vanished while jogging near Ballarat
A renewed search is underway for missing Victorian mother Samantha Murphy, with new intelligence pointing investigators to Enfield State Park, south of Ballarat.
The 51-year-old was last seen alive when she went for a run on the morning of February 4, 2024 in the Canadian State Forest.
In March, police charged 23-year-old tradesman Patrick Orren Stephenson with Ms Murphy’s murder, but her body has not been found.
A number of extensive searches have taken place including in the Canadian State Forest and Buninyong Bushland Reserve.
The last search focused on the Enfield State Forest, 30km south of Ballarat, at Grenville in September 2024.
The location is approximately a 15-minute drive from Buninyong, where Ms Murphy’s phone was found buried in the mud on the edge of an agricultural dam.
Police have warned the public to stay away during the new search as the area is littered with dangerous mine shafts.
‘Detectives from the Missing Persons Squad are undertaking a targeted search in the Ballarat area as part of the investigation into the disappearance of Samantha Murphy,’ Victoria Police said on Wednesday.
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A new search is underway by police working on the case of missing mother Samantha Murphy south of Ballarat
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She vanished while on a morning jog in the Canadian State Forest in February 2024
‘Since February 2024, police have regularly undertaken a range of enquiries and small-scale searches as part of the current investigation.
‘We are not in a position to supply further specific details.’
Ms Murphy’s disappearance led to an outpouring of grief in the Ballarat community and the nation, with an influx of volunteers joining multiple earlier searches.
Detective Inspector Dave Dunstan said earlier this year police had worked tirelessly to find Ms Murphy.
‘While nothing can erase their grief and loss, being able to return Samantha to her family has always been incredibly important to us,’ he said.
‘I want to reaffirm to the community that the Missing Persons Squad remains committed to doing everything we can to locate Samantha … we still believe we can locate her.
‘This year we will continue to conduct searches in the Ballarat area, including searches in areas highlighted by intelligence derived from a number of sources.’
He called on locals using areas of interest to be aware of their surroundings and contact police immediately if they believe they may have come across her remains.
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Numerous searches have already been carried
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Her devastated family (pictured with husband Mick) are still no closer to answers
‘There is nothing we want more than to return Samantha to her family and we remain committed to doing this,’ he said.
Stephenson pleaded not guilty to murder in November 2024 when he elected to fast-track his criminal trial.
He is the son of Orren Stephenson, who played 15 AFL games for Geelong and Richmond between 2012 and 2014.
Detectives to continue ‘targeted search’ for missing Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy
Detectives are returning to a state park near Ballarat to continue a “targeted search” as part of the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Victorian woman Samantha Murphy.
On Wednesday, Victoria Police confirmed it had searched Enfield State Park, about 30 kilometres south of Ballarat.
A spokesperson said the search is continuing Thursday, but would not provide any further details.
Ms Murphy, aged 51 at the time she went missing, was last seen alive on February 4, 2024, when she left her home in Ballarat for a morning run.
Her body has not been found despite a number of police and community searches.
In March last year, Ballarat man Patrick Orren Stephenson was charged with the murder of the mother of three.
On Wednesday night, Victoria Police released a statement saying detectives from the Missing Persons Squad were searching in the Ballarat area.
“Since February 2024, police have regularly undertaken a range of enquiries and small-scale searches as part of the current investigation,” the statement said.
“We are not in a position to supply further specific details of today’s operational activity at this time.”
Police have asked members of the public not to join the search at this time.
Mr Stephenson, 23, has been scheduled to face the Supreme Court on April 8, and has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.
The trial will take place in Ballarat and is expected to last about six weeks.
