An upcoming court hearing over the alleged murder of Samantha Murphy might finally provide some answers into the mother-of-three’s disappearance.
Patrick Orren Stephenson, 22, is set to face court for a committal hearing on Thursday over the alleged murder of Ms Murphy.
Ms Murphy vanished without a trace after she left her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat East, Victoria, on the morning of February 4.
The 51-year-old set out for her morning run at 7am, through the nearby Woowookrung Regional Park – a 14km route she had done countless times before.
In early March, almost five weeks after Ms Murphy’s disappearance, police charged Stephenson with her alleged murder despite her body never being found.
On Sunday, Ms Murphy’s family, friends, and the wider Ballarat community marked six months since her disappearance.
Many are hoping this week’s hearing will begin to answer questions as to why Stephenson allegedly killed her.
Questions remain as to whether Stephenson will appear in court, what his lawyers will argue and the location of Ms Murphy’s body.
Samantha Murphy, 51, vanished without a trace after she left her home in Ballarat East, Victoria, for her morning run on February 4 (pictured)
Her family, friends and the wider Ballarat community are hoping a committal hearing on Thursday will begin to answer questions into her disappearance and alleged murder (pictured, Ms Murphy’s husband Mick (left) and daughter Jess (right))
‘Everyone’s on edge for the case to see where things go from here,’ a former schoolmate of Mr Stephenson told the Herald Sun.
‘It’s a big “small town”. If you’re not somehow connected to any part of the case, someone you know is.
‘People are talking about it, but come next week the whole town will be going wild about it again.’
The case is one of the highest priority criminal investigations for Victoria Police, with the missing persons squad working tirelessly to compile compelling evidence for the trial.
A breakthrough in the case came after police searched a dam at a property south of Buninyong, approximately 14km from her home, on May 29.
Officers located a mud-splattered mobile phone in a wallet at the water’s edge, believed to have been found by a police tech detector dog.
In a statement issued shortly after the mobile phone was found, police said they had located some ‘items of interest’ during the search for the missing mum.
The phone, along with other items found in the search, underwent forensic testing with sources confirming the device belonged to Ms Murphy.
Many were hopeful the phone would lead to Ms Murphy’s body, however, police have remained tight-lipped on the evidence found on the device.
Police launched a series of ‘targeted searches’ in bushland and on properties across the area, with hopes of locating the missing mum’s body or finding crucial evidence to strengthen the case.
In early March, almost five weeks after Ms Murphy’s disappearance, police charged Patrick Orren Stephenson (pictured) with her alleged murder
A breakthrough in the case came after police searched a dam at a property south of Buninyong, approximately 14km from her home, and found Ms Murphy’s phone
Police allege Stephenson ‘deliberately attacked’ Ms Murphy in Mount Clear, about 7km into her run.
Stephenson, who has no connection to the Murphy family, was charged with murdering the mother-of-three on March 7.
He is the son of former AFL player Orren Stephenson, who played 15 games for Geelong and Richmond between 2012 and 2014.
It is understood Stephenson, who remains in custody, has reserved his right to silence.
