The Ballarat community has gathered at a vigil to mourn Victorian mum Samantha Murphy, a day after 22-year-old Patrick Orren Stephenson was charged with her alleged murder.
Police allege Stephenson killed Murphy that day at Mount Clear.
Ballarat Mayor Des Hudson said there was an “outpouring of emotion” at the vigil last night.
Hudson said some people didn’t know Murphy but were in tears.
He said the community hoped Murphy’s body would be able to be returned for the family to have a “proper, respectful burial and a celebration of her life”.
“Everybody had enormous empathy for Mick Murphy, Samantha’s husband, and then also the children as well,” Hudson said.
He explained why he thought the story touched so many people locally, nationally and internationally.
“I think it’s the fact that Sam was a mum of three. She set out on a Sunday morning to go for a peaceful jog to one of our regular recreational areas and she should have been able to do that without any interference and without becoming subject to violence.
”This was potentially something that was senseless, that didn’t need to happen.
“Everyone just says the same, what a beautiful human being that she was.”
He said people in the community were still searching in hopes of finding something that would lead to her body.
”This does not end for the Murphy family.
“They will live with this for the rest of their years.
“Every year there will be moments of celebration at Easter and Christmas and birthdays that Samantha will no longer be a part of, and that seat at the table will forever be empty.”
Stephenson faced Ballarat Magistrates Court yesterday morning, where an interim suppression order that prevented the publication of his name, address, and date of birth was lifted.
A witness told The Age police were visiting venues in the Ballarat CBD to collect footage of Stephenson, allegedly from the night before Murphy disappeared.
Stephenson is the son of ex-AFL player Orren Stephenson.
