Samantha Murphy: How police surveilled her alleged killer in Mount Clear two weeks ago
Sunday February 4, 7:00 am: Mother-of-three Samantha Murphy was last seen leaving her Eureka Street home in Ballarat East while she was running.
7:16 am: She is captured on a neighbor’s CCTV footage wearing a brown shirt and black mid-length leggings.
11am: Mrs. Murphy doesn’t show up to a planned brunch with family. She is reported missing to the police.
Monday February 5: Victoria Police launch a public appeal to find Ms Murphy. A search area has been established just outside the suburb of Buninyong, about 14 kilometers from where Ms Murphy was last seen and close to her home. Police revealed Ms Murphy’s mobile phone had pinged in Buninyong
Tuesday February 6: Mrs. Murphy’s husband, Mick, tells the media that things are “not going that bad under the circumstances.” He was pictured speaking to police as the desperate search continued. The search expanded to include more than 100 specialist police officers, SES crews and teams from Forest Fire Management Australia and Parks Victoria.
Wednesday, February 8, 12:30 p.m: A Search party found possible evidence near a hiking trail in Woowookarung Regional Park
1:45 p.m: Mick Murphy shows up at the roped off area in Woowookarung Regional Park and appeared visibly stunned as he was turned away by officers. Police said the items found in bushland were not linked to her whereabouts.
Police later released what they initially believed to be CCTV footage of Ms Murphy leaving her property and heading north-east towards Yankee Flat Road near the junction with Warrenheip Road.
Thursday afternoon, February 8: A runner came forward to reveal that they are the person seen in the CCTV footage, ruling out a key line of inquiry.
Friday February 9: Victoria Police are stepping up their efforts with the arrival of officers from the Missing Persons Unit.
Saturday February 10: Researchers scale back the search, saying a full search will only resume if new information emerges.
Sunday February 11: As police scale down the search, local residents continue their own search by scouring the area in small groups.
Monday February 12: Cin Hobbs, administrator of the Facebook group ‘Find Samantha Murphy’ – which amassed thousands of members within days, announced she was removing the group because it had ‘served its purpose’.
Tuesday February 13: Daily Mail Australia reveals Mrs Murphy’s beloved dog Ruby went missing.
Wednesday February 14: Victoria Police Chief Constable Shane Patton confirms detectives are treating Ms Murphy’s disappearance as suspicious.
Detectives from the Victoria Police Missing Persons Unit spend an hour on the Murphy family property.
It is revealed that Ruby has died.
Monday February 19: Mick Murphy makes a public plea, saying, “We please have Sam home.”
He claims his family is “doing the best we can under the circumstances.”
Thursday February 21: Dozens of detectives from specialized units are assigned to the case.
Friday February 22: Police admit ‘one or more parties’ are most likely behind her disappearance, as the hunt moves to a new location on Mount Clear based on new phone data analysis.
Wednesday March 6: Man, 22, is arrested
Thursday March 7: The man is charged with murder and must appear in court, where no application for bail will be made