Desperate search for Ballarat mum Samantha Murphy who vanished after Sunday morning jog
Emergency crews are scouring bushland as part of the effort to find the missing Ballarat jogger who was last seen on Sunday.
Police & Courts
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The search effort for missing jogger Samantha Murphy switched to a new part of Ballarat during the fourth day of the extensive search.
The effort will now move to Mount Helen, a southern suburb of Ballarat fringed by bushland.
The area is popular with runners and cyclists.
Members of search and rescue squad, uniformed officers, the mounted branch, canine teams and personnel from the State Emergency Service and Country Fire Authority are involved.
The search had previously centred on the Woowookarung Regional Park, formerly known as Canadian Forest, and other forested areas around the city.
It comes as police released new CCTV footage of Ms Murphy in the hope more people will come forward with information.
It was captured on Eureka St about 7.16am on Sunday, near the intersection of Warrenheip Rd – just minutes after she is believed to have set off.
The footage shows Ms Murphy running north-east towards Yankee Flat Rd.
Police appealed for residents in the nearby areas to review their CCTV footage between the hours of 7am and 11am for any sign of Samantha.
Police said fresh information on the direction in which Ms Murphy had been running on her Sunday morning jog had led them to Mount Helen.
Meanwhile, earlier on Wednesday SES crews shifted their focus to an area of walking track near her Ballarat East home.
During this search they found items near tree guards.
“Items located today during the search for Samantha have been assessed and at this time are not believed to be related to her whereabouts,” a police spokesperson said.
It comes as the missing mum’s family and friends hit out at “malicious” remarks on social media surrounding her disappearance.
“You have no idea what you are talking about,” Ms Murphy’s daughter wrote on Facebook.
“Be quiet and think before you post.”
A mate of Ms Murphy also defended the family, calling people “trolls”.
“I’m just trying to defend people who are being hurt by malicious comments,” she wrote.
Mr Murphy told the Herald Sun on Wednesday that he was not concerned about the negative commentary.
“I don’t even look online so I’m not worried about it,” he said.
“I’m doing OK, it’s just a whole time thing.”
When asked whether he wanted to clarify any details, Mr Murphy declined.
“I’ve been speaking with the police and I’ve been advised not to say anything,” he said.
Early on Wednesday it was confirmed that crews would prioritise locating a “phone, watch or earpods” in their fourth day of searching for Ms Murphy.
The widespread search was sparked after the 51-year-old left her home on Eureka St in Ballarat East about 7am on Sunday, February 4, but failed to return.
During the four-day extensive search both emergency services, volunteers and worried friends and family have scoured more than 600 hectares of terrain including forested areas in Brown Hill, Canadian, Mount Clear and bushland near Buninyong Golf Course where her phone last pinged.
Dozens of police officers from the dog squad, mounted branch and air wing joined the SES, CFA and Parks Victoria personnel to search areas within the Woowookarung Forest where Ms Murphy was known to run.
Local police said the search had garnered what is probably the largest community response ever in the Ballarat region, with residents steadily arriving at Buninyong Police Station for directions each day.
Ms Murphy’s husband Michael on Tuesday remained hopeful that his wife would be found safe.
Speaking to the Herald Sun, he said he was “not too bad under the circumstances”.
“It’s just up in the air, we don’t know,” Mr Murphy said.
“It’s just a whole time thing at the end of the day.”
The panel beater said his wife ran in the area every day.
The couple own and operate Inland Motor Body Works, a smash repairs business in Delacombe, with Ms Murphy listed as the head of administration and the “backbone of the office” on the company’s website.
Ballarat couple Brendan and Tamara Burt volunteered for the search on Wednesday.
“I’m a mum of three, I just want her to be home with her kids,” Ms Burt said.
“It would be pretty sad if anything happened.”
She said she knew Samantha from the area and that everyone in town knew someone who knew her.
A beloved member of her local community, Ms Murphy has been involved with the Ballarat Centre of Music and Arts for more than two decades.
It’s understood two of her children were enrolled at the art school over the years.
Director Paula Heenan told the Herald Sun her friend was a “giving’ person.
“She will do anything for anybody, she’s been a good parent helper,” she said.
“She adores her children, absolutely adores her children.”
Ms Heenan said she remained “hopeful” as the BCMA community continued to assist with the search for Ms Murphy on Tuesday morning.
“There’s a lot of people in the community looking in different areas,” she said.
“There’s a lot of very concerned people looking for someone we love very much.”
Acting Inspector Lisa Macdougall said Ms Murphy went for a run most days and was familiar with the Woowookarung State Forest and surrounding areas.
“The area of search isn’t completely remote, we are on the outskirts of Ballarat, and it’s not that far from urban areas as well,” she said.
“Obviously yesterday (Sunday) was a hot day … (that) raises the urgency of the search for us and obviously we account for the fact that that will have an impact on someone’s health.”
Ms Murphy was last seen wearing black leggings and a maroon/brown-coloured singlet.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman could not confirm whether Ms Murphy’s disappearance was deemed suspicious.
“At this stage the investigation remains ongoing and inquiries are still being made,” she said.
Anyone who sees Ms Murphy is urged to contact Ballarat East police station on (03) 5336 6000.
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