A 22-year-old man has been arrested over the disappearance of a missing mother who has been dubbed Australia’s Nicola Bulley who went on a run and never returned.
Mother-of-three Samantha Murphy, 51, has been missing since February 4 after leaving her house in the city of Ballarat in Victoria, southern Australia, to go for a nine-mile run in a nearby park.
Despite extensive searches, no trace of Ms Murphy has been found in over a month.
The man who has now been arrested over her disappearance is also from Ballarat, 70 miles north-west of Melbourne, but he is not connected to Ms Murphy’s family, according to police.
He has since been identified as Patrick Stephenson and charged with murder.
Ms Murphy’s case eerily resembles the disappearance of Nicola Bulley, 45, who vanished while walking her dog on a riverside path in Lancashire on January 27, 2023, sparking a massive search.
Ms Bulley’s body was found in the nearby waterway three weeks later, just over a mile downstream. An inquest last June concluded that she had drowned after accidentally slipping into the icy river.
Mother-of-three Samantha Murphy (pictured), 51, went missing on February 4 after leaving her house in the city of Ballarat in Victoria, Australia
There have been extensive searches for Ms Murphy, but no trace has been found of her in over a month
Ms Murphy (pictured) left her home in Ballarast to go for a nine-mile run in a nearby park and has not been seen since
Victoria Police appealed to anyone who has CCTV or dashcam footage to come forward (pictured: a volunteer group prepare to search for Ms Murphy in bushland near her home town of Ballarat)
Her case eerily resembles the disappearance of Nicola Bulley (pictured), 45, who vanished while walking her dog on a riverside path in Lancashire on January 27, 2023, sparking a massive search
The arrest in connection with Ms Murphy’s disappearance marks the first significant breakthrough in the case that has sent shockwaves across Australia.
Police last month indicated it was unlikely Ms Murphy will be found alive, with detectives investigating if her body had been moved.
There have been extensive searches in the park and the surrounding area, but so far there has been no trace of her and local police said today the investigation remains ongoing.
‘We understand that there is a continued high level of interest in this investigation and concern about disappearance, however it remains critical that any speculation does not impede any aspects of the investigation,’ a spokesperson for Victoria Police added.
‘Detectives are continuing to appeal for anyone who has CCTV or dashcam footage and is yet to speak to police to come forward. Anyone who sights Samantha is asked to call triple zero (000) immediately.’
Early reports suggested Ms Murphy’s phone had pinged off a phone tower in the town of Buninyong, which is around nine miles from Ballarat, at 5pm on the day she disappeared – but these are yet to be confirmed.
Detective Acting Superintendent Mark Hatt said police were keeping an open mind about Ms Murphy’s disappearance but said the most likely scenario was that it involved one or more parties.
Police have ruled out any type of medical episode and there is nothing to indicate she had left the area on her own accord.
‘Unfortunately given the time and the fact we’ve found no trace of her, we do have severe concerns and are very doubtful that she is still alive,’ Det Supt Hatt said.
Police were also looking into the possibility that Ms Murphy’s body was moved from where she vanished, he added.
A number of people have been questioned over her disappearance, including family, friends and colleagues but Det Supt Hatt wouldn’t be drawn on the number of suspects in the case.
Police released this image of Ms Murphy from the morning she vanished. Detectives believe ‘one or more parties’ are behind her mystery disappearance
Police last month indicated it was unlikely Ms Murphy will be found alive, with detectives probing if her body was moved (pictured: her husband Mick Murphy leaving a local police station)
Ms Murphy (pictured with friends) left her home in Ballarat East to go for a 14km run in nearby Woowookarung Regional Park at about 7am on February 4
Mr Murphy (left) held his own press conference last month where he admitted his family was doing ‘the best we can under the circumstances’. His eldest daughter Jess (centre), 22, begged the community to keep searching
Samantha Murphy from the Australian city of Ballarat has been missing since February 4 after going for a run
He did clarify that Ms Murphy’s husband, Mick, was not a suspect ‘at this stage’.
‘Everyone in relation to Samantha is a person of interest in our investigation. We’re speaking to everyone that was in her life,’ he said.
Mr Murphy held his own press conference last month where he admitted his family was doing ‘the best we can under the circumstances’.
His eldest daughter Jess, 22, begged the community to keep searching.
‘Mum’s a really strong woman, and she’s far too determined to give up this fight. Mum, we love you so much, and we miss you,’ she said.
‘We need you at home with us. Please come home soon. I can’t wait to see you and to give you the biggest hug when I do. And to tell you off for giving us so much stress. I love you.’
