March 7th, 2024Man charged with murder of missing Ballarat mum Samantha Murphy

Detectives from the Missing Persons Squad have this afternoon charged a 22-year-old man with the murder of missing Ballarat East woman Samantha Murphy.

Victoria Police arrested the man shortly after 6am on Wednesday at his Scotsburn home south of Ballarat. He was questioned by police before being charged with one count of murder and was to face the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court this afternoon.

Ms Murphy, 51, went missing on February 4 after leaving her Eureka Street home for a morning run. Despite a significant investigation and extensive searches of the Canadian Forest area, no trace of the mother of three has been found.

“Police are yet to recover Samantha’s body and the investigation remains ongoing,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said.

The last sighting of Ms Murphy came from CCTV footage outside her own home. She was wearing a maroon running shirt, black leggings, and an Apple watch. Ms Murphy’s phone, watch, and headphones have still not been found.

Her home is close to the northern border of the Woowookarung Regional Park, or Canadian Forest, where she was known to run.

Detectives are continuing to appeal for anyone who has CCTV or dashcam footage to contact Crime Stoppers.

Detective Acting Superintendent Mark Hatt, Crime Command: “Our thoughts today are with Samantha’s family and friends.

“Since Samantha’s disappearance at the start of February, a significant search and investigation has been undertaken in an effort to find her.

“This has included a dedicated and committed investigative effort led by the Missing Persons squad and also involving detectives from right across Crime Command, Counter Terrorism Command and Western Region.

“This has been further supported by a range of specialist resources from across Victoria Police.

“To get to a position where we have been able to charge someone is testament to the commitment and dedication from all those areas.

“We have also had exceptional support from many people in the Ballarat community, particularly local search volunteers and members of the SES and CFA.

“I know that Samantha’s disappearance has had a profound impact on the Ballarat community and I want to thank all of those people who have assisted police in many different ways over the past month.”