The presentation of evidence against the alleged killer of Ballarat mother Samantha Murphy has been described as “unprecedented” in its size.
Patrick Orren Stephenson, 22, appeared in Ballarat Magistrates Court on Thursday charged with the alleged murder of Ms Murphy.
Via video link, Stephenson, dressed in white, emerged from Melbourne’s assessment prison clean-shaven, having previously had a full beard.
The court heard police had collected a huge amount of evidence against the suspected killer, including a “large amount” of CCTV footage.
Stephenson’s lawyer, Moya O’Brien, told the court that both sides were requesting a three-month adjournment due to the large amount of evidence in the brief.
“It has been described as an object of unprecedented size,” he said.
Magistrate Mark Stratmann granted the request but expressed concern about the length of time Stephenson would remain behind bars.
“Three months is a long time for the customer and the community,” he said.
In early March, almost five weeks after Ms Murphy disappeared, police charged Patrick Orren Stephenson (pictured) with her alleged murder.
Stephenson, who sat silently throughout the 15-minute hearing, spoke only once when Stratmann asked if he could see and hear the court.
“Yes, your honor,” he replied.
He will not return to court until November 16, when Stratmann said he expected any issues related to the case to be “aired out.”
The court heard that his defence team was working with prosecutors to reduce disclosure evidence so the case could move more quickly.
Stephenson will reconnect via video link, sparing him a potential confrontation with Ms Murphy’s friends and family.
No one seemed to tune into the courtroom to support Stephenson.
Ms Murphy’s husband, Mick Murphy, was not seen on video link or in court on Thursday.
Ms Murphy disappeared without a trace on the morning of February 4 after leaving her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat East, Victoria.
The brief hearing did not yield any information on how police presented their case against Stephenson.
The judge denied the media access to documents relating to the case and the additional driving charges.
Ms O’Bryan declined to comment on the case as she left court.
While Stephenson’s arrest for the alleged murder provided some relief to the Ballarat community, it has not provided any answers as to where Ms Murphy’s body was dumped.
Samantha Murphy, 51, vanished without a trace after leaving her home in Ballarat East, Victoria, for her morning run on February 4 (pictured)
Samantha Murphy is believed to have been killed while out for a jog.
Ms. Murphy’s disappearance sparked a massive community effort in the days that followed to try to find her.
The 51-year-old set out for a 7am run through nearby Woowookrung Regional Park, a 14km route she had done countless times before.
In early March, nearly five weeks after Ms Murphy disappeared, police charged Stephenson with her alleged murder even though her body was never found.
On Sunday, Ms Murphy’s family, friends and the wider Ballarat community marked six months since her disappearance.
Many expected this week’s hearing to begin answering questions about why Stephenson allegedly killed her.
Ms Murphy’s husband Mick (left) and daughter Jess (right) faced the media for information in the days after she disappeared.
A breakthrough in the case came after police searched a dam on a property south of Buninyong, about 14km from her home, and found Ms Murphy’s phone.
The case is one of Victoria Police’s highest priority criminal investigations, with the missing persons squad working tirelessly to gather evidence for the much-anticipated trial.
A breakthrough in the case came after police searched a dam on a property south of Buninyong, approximately 14 kilometres from his home, on May 29.
Officers located a mud-spattered mobile phone in a handbag at the water’s edge, believed to have been found by a police technology sniffer dog.
In a statement issued shortly after finding the mobile phone, police said they had located some “items of interest” during the search for the missing mother.
The phone, along with other items found in the search, were subjected to forensic testing and sources confirmed the device belonged to Ms Murphy.
Many hoped the phone would lead to Ms Murphy’s body, however police have remained tight-lipped about the evidence found on the device.
Police have launched a series of “targeted searches” in the bush and on properties across the area, hoping to locate the missing mother’s body or find crucial evidence to strengthen the case.
If the preliminary hearing goes ahead as expected, the murder trial in Victoria’s Supreme Court is unlikely to begin until mid to late next year at best.
The process could be further delayed by new evidence from homicide detectives, who are continuing to investigate the case in the hope of finding Ms Murphy’s body.
Police allege Stephenson “deliberately attacked” Ms Murphy at Mount Clear, about 7km from her race.
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.
Stephenson is understood to have reserved his right to remain silent.
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