Samantha Murphy: Crash expert to be called to give evidence in murder trial of Ballarat mother
An expert on road crash reconstruction will be among the witnesses prosecutors are expected to call to give evidence in Samantha Murphy’s murder trial.
Patrick Orren Stephenson, 23, is set to face a murder trial in the Supreme Court after he pleaded not guilty to the missing mother’s murder.
He has been charged with Ms Murphy’s murder at Mount Clear, near Ballarat, after she disappeared on February 4, 2024.
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Prosecutor Raymond Gibson KC said police members and a DNA expert were among their list of proposed witnesses.
He said an expert in road crash reconstruction, Robert Hay, a digital data expert and phone data specialist Matthew Sorrell would also be called as witnesses.
Judicial Registrar Tim Freeman said a trial date had been proposed for September.
The matter will return to court on March 6.
Ms Murphy’s remains are yet to be found, despite several searches by police and members of the Ballarat community.
