Two days of searching the Ballarat region for missing mother Samantha Murphy, a fortnight following police discovery of her phone on the brink of a dam, have Victoria Police officials working.
Last spotted leaving her house on Eureka Street in Ballarat East, the 51-year-old mother headed for a run in the Canadian State Forest early on February 4.
She has not yet been located, but Patrick Orren Stephenson, 22-year-old charged with her suspected murder, was arrested on March 8.
As part of their inquiry on her disappearance, police spent today and yesterday doing another “targeted” search in the Ballarat region.
The search comprised Missing Persons Squad detectives as well as several types of professional police resources.
Police advised about five o’clock that the search was over and stated they would not be looking tomorrow.
“Since February, police have regularly undertaken a range of enquiries and small-scale searches as part of the current investigation,” police stated.
“Also advised of the search is Samantha’s relatives. ”
At this point, we are not in a position to provide more particular information on the operational activity.
“Several objects found during a 29 May Buninyong search are currently being forensically examined. There are no updates on this process.”
On May 29, police searched a private dam close to Slaughterhouse Road, south of Buninyong, for Samantha’s iPhone.
Just five miles separated the dam from the phone tower where her mobile last pinged.
Following police discovery, her husband Mick Murphy was called. He claimed he knew right away it belonged to her.
Data from the gadget is intended to guide them to Samantha’s body.
