Key points: All the information you need to know about Samantha Murphy’s disappearance
KEY POINTS
- Samantha Murphy, a 51-year-old Ballarat woman and mother of three, was last seen leaving her home on February 4 to go for a run
- A 22-year-old Ballarat man was arrested over Ms Murphy’s disappearance early on Wednesday morning
- Police say the man is not linked to the Murphy family
- No trace has been found of Ms Murphy, despite weeks of extensive searches by emergency services and concerned community members
WHO IS SAMANTHA MURPHY?
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.- She is married to Michael Murphy and the couple run a car repair business near their Ballarat East home
- Ms Murphy has been described as a caring friend, a valued Ballarat community member and a dedicated mother
- Her eldest daughter Jess described her as a “really strong woman” during a press conference
- She is physically strong and had been training for an upcoming race by doing 15km runs
ARREST INFORMATION
- A 22-year-old Ballarat man was arrested at his home at around 6am on Wednesday
- He remained in police custody as of 11am on Thursday and has not yet been charged
- He is not linked to the Murphy family
- Police have not revealed any further information, such as where he was arrested or if they expect to make any further arrests
- The investigation is ongoing and police are calling for information from the public
- Police in Victoria can only hold people in custody after an arrest for a reasonable time before issuing charges, however the law does not state what a reasonable time is
MS MURPHY’S DISAPPEARANCE
- She left her Eureka Street home in Ballarat East to go for a run about 7am on February 4, 2024
- Officers do not know the exact route Ms Murphy took on her run
- Her family members reported her missing that morning
- She was last seen wearing black half-length leggings and a maroon or brown singlet
- She had her smartwatch and phone when she left her home
PREVIOUS POLICE STATEMENTS
- On February 23, Detective Acting Superintendent Mark Hatt said officers were doubtful she was still alive
- He said police were looking into the possibility that Ms Murphy’s body was moved from where she vanished
- He said police were keeping an open mind about Ms Murphy’s disappearance but the most likely scenario was that it involved one or more parties
SEARCH DETAILS
- Members of Victoria Police, the State Emergency Service, the Country Fire Authority and concerned locals have scoured the greater Ballarat area for several weeks
- Areas of focus have included Ballarat East, the Canadian Forest area and Mount Helen
- Search areas include dense forest, private land and walking tracks
HOW CAN THE PUBLIC HELP?
- Anyone who has seen Ms Murphy or has information about her disappearance and is yet to speak to detectives should do so immediately
- People with CCTV or dash-cam footage from the area at the time are asked to come forward
- Police have acknowledged the high level of public interest in the case and on Thursday said it was “critical” that any speculation did not impact their investigation.
