An upcoming court hearing into the alleged murder of Samantha Murphy could finally provide some answers about the mother of three’s disappearance.
Patrick Orren Stephenson, 22, is due in court for a preliminary hearing on Thursday for the alleged murder of Ms Murphy.
Ms Murphy disappeared without a trace after leaving her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat East, Victoria, on the morning of February 4.
The 51-year-old set out at 7am for her morning 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 expect this week’s hearing to begin answering questions about why Stephenson allegedly killed her.
Questions remain about whether Stephenson will appear in court, what his lawyers will argue and where Murphy’s body will be located.
Samantha Murphy, 51, vanished without a trace after leaving her home in Ballarat East, Victoria, for her morning run on February 4 (pictured)
Her family, friends and the wider Ballarat community hope a preliminary hearing on Thursday will begin to answer questions about her disappearance and suspected murder (pictured, Ms Murphy’s husband Mick (left) and daughter Jess (right))
“Everyone is anxious to see how the case develops from here,” said a former schoolmate of Stephenson. Herald of the 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 next week the whole city will be crazy again.”
The case is one of Victoria Police’s highest priority criminal investigations and the missing persons squad is working tirelessly to gather compelling evidence for the 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 silent on 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.
In early March, almost five weeks after Ms Murphy disappeared, police charged Patrick Orren Stephenson (pictured) with her alleged murder.
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.
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, who remains in custody, is understood to have reserved his right to remain silent.
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