Missing woman Samantha Murphy was a strong advocate for missing people, pets and cars in her local community before she herself disappeared without a trace.
The 51-year-old mother-of-three went missing after leaving her home on February 4 to go jogging at Woowookarung Regional Park, near Ballarat, Victoria.
His Ballarat community has rallied around the missing corridor with the same devotion Murphy had to reuniting families with their loved ones, dogs, cats and cars.
She shared countless posts on Facebook in 2021 and 2022 to raise awareness about helping families find their missing loved ones, and once even shared information about a stolen respirator.
Ms Murphy also posted about her 10-week-old puppy Ruby after she went missing on May 18, 2021, but was later found.
‘Ruby just got back. Dirty and frozen and in need of lots of hugs!! Thank you all very much for sharing and supporting… Very happy family. “A tired dog with a full belly and now sleeping soundly,” she wrote.
“Thank you all so much for sharing and supporting.”
However, in another blow to the missing mother’s family, it was revealed that Ruby had disappeared from the house again, just four days after Mrs Murphy went missing. Unfortunately, the dog was hit by a car and had to be put to sleep.
Samantha Murphy regularly shared posts about missing pets, people and cars on her Facebook. She disappeared from her home in East Ballarat on February 4.
Ms Murphy took to social media in 2021 asking for help finding Ruby after the then 10-week-old puppy escaped from her family’s previous home in nearby Navigators.
Samantha Murphy poses for a photo with her husband Mick, above.
In an ironic twist, the last image of Murphy shared with the public by Victoria Police appears to show her disposing of Ruby’s excrement.
Police will consider Samantha Murphy’s disappearance “suspicious”
Dozens of locals continue to search for Ms Murphy, who disappeared in what Victoria Police are now officially calling “suspicious” circumstances.
Chief Commissioner Shane Patton told Radio 3AW on Wednesday the search for Murphy had reached a new stage.
“It is certainly unusual that we have not been able to locate any trace of her or any other evidence during that period of time,” he said.
“It’s suspicious, whether that means there’s foul play involved or not I don’t know, but obviously detectives are investigating a matter where a woman has been missing for a significant period of time.”
A smiling Mick Murphy is pictured with police last Friday, the day after his wife Samantha’s dog Ruby went missing. It is understood the dog was euthanized
Detectives from Victoria Police’s Missing Persons Unit attended Murphy’s property on Wednesday morning.
Detectives spent more than an hour inside before leaving.
The East Ballarat property is at the center of the investigation. It is where Ms Murphy was last seen on February 4, while she was out for a morning run.
Ms Murphy’s husband Mick Murphy, who continues to be supported by family members, is understood to be co-operating with the specialist unit, attached to Victoria Police’s Homicide Squad.
Former homicide detective Charlie Bezzina told Sunrise on Thursday morning that detectives would be “full steam ahead” following up on possible sightings of the missing mother.
‘They would be interviewing a large number of people who have called with information, possible sightings. And this is typical of this type of investigation,’ he stated.
“There are several sightings by well-intentioned people, but every piece of information is followed up and that takes staff, resources and time.”
Mr. Bezzina was asked how often someone in the missing person’s inner circle had something to do with their disappearance.
‘It’s a matter of looking at all aspects, who lives in the area? Do we have other criminals in the area? Has she been put in a house or has she left of her own free will? Did these leave of their own free will? You have to keep track of these things and go where the evidence takes you,” said the former detective.
Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Murphy had anything to do with his wife’s disappearance.