Samantha Murphy: police end targeted search as they examine phone found in dam near Ballarat
This article is more than 1 year old
Forensic assessments being carried out on ‘items of interest’ found in search for missing woman
Victoria police have ended their search of farmland south of Ballarat amid forensic testing of “items of interest”, after finding a phone at a dam during their investigation into missing woman Samantha Murphy.
Murphy, 51, was last seen nearly four months ago, when she left her Ballarat East home to go for a run on 4 February.
In March police charged 22-year-old Patrick Stephenson with Murphy’s murder after arresting him in the nearby farming town of Scotsburn.
Samantha Murphy: ‘items of interest’ found in new search for Ballarat woman months after she disappeared
Read more
In a major development in the search for Murphy, police on Wednesday said “items of interest” had been found in Buninyong, about 11km south of Ballarat.
Footage and photographs from the scene show officers lifting what appears to be a phone on the bank of a dam, although police would not confirm what the items of interest were. Footage also showed some searchers hugging each other after seeing the object at the dam.
Murphy’s phone last pinged off a tower in Buninyong tower at 5pm on the day she went missing.
On Thursday morning police said the search of the area had concluded.
Murphy disappeared after leaving her home to go for a run in February. Composite: VIC Police
Police had cordoned off the area on Wednesday and said items they found would be forensically tested.
“The items were located during today’s targeted search, which involved investigators and other specialist units from across Victoria Police and assistance from the AFP,” police said on Wednesday.
They said further information would be provided after the testing was completed.
Detectives had scoured areas of the regional Victorian city after announcing the renewed search.
Murphy’s family had been advised of the search, police said.
Police said detectives had conducted a range of inquiries and small-scale searches as part of the investigation.
Past searches have zeroed in on Enfield state park, about 25km south of Ballarat, and Buninyong. Searches have also focused on the Woowookarung regional park, known by locals as the Canadian forest, on the south-eastern fringe of Ballarat.
Stephenson is due to appear at the Ballarat magistrates court on 8 August.
Murphy’s family reported the mother of three missing when she did not return home from a 7am run on Sunday 4 February. She had told family and friends she planned to go for a 14km run.
News
🚨 LATEST UPDATE Authorities say Zamil Limon’s car remained parked in the same campus lot for more than 14 hours after he was reported missing. Inside the vehicle, investigators noted a phone charger still plugged into the dashboard
As the investigation into the disappearance and death of University of South Florida (USF) doctoral student Zamil Ahamed Limon deepens, authorities have revealed that his vehicle sat stationary in a campus parking lot for more than 14 hours after he…
He left the door unlocked; A neighbor says Zamil Limon’s apartment door was slightly open when deputies arrived, something they say had never happened before. Investigators later collected two evidence bags from the kitchen counter — items that may clarify what happened in the hours before the remains were found on the Howard Frankland Bridge
A small but striking detail has emerged in the investigation into the deaths of two University of South Florida (USF) doctoral students: the apartment door of Zamil Ahamed Limon was found slightly ajar when law enforcement arrived — something neighbors…
🚨 DEVELOPING Deputies responding to a call encountered Hisham Saleh Abugharbieh, roommate of Zamil Limon. Authorities say he remained inside the home for nearly 20 minutes before SWAT convinced him to step outside — wearing only a towel. Investigators say what happened in those minutes is now part of the case timeline
On the morning of April 24, 2026, a domestic violence call in the Lake Forest community — just north of the University of South Florida (USF) Tampa campus — brought deputies to a residence tied to 26-year-old Hisham Saleh Abugharbieh…
They disappeared just one hour apart: Police say Zamil Limon was last seen at 9:00 a.m. leaving his Tampa apartment. At 10:00 a.m., Nahida Bristy was spotted near the Natural & Environmental Sciences Building. Investigators now believe the missing 60-minute window may hold the answer to everything
“They disappeared just one hour apart.” Police say Zamil Limon was last seen at 9:00 a.m. leaving his Tampa apartment. At 10:00 a.m., Nahida Bristy was spotted near the Natural & Environmental Sciences Building. Investigators now believe the missing 60-minute…
🚨 LATEST UPDATE Authorities confirmed the remains discovered on the Howard Frankland Bridge belong to 27-year-old doctoral student Zamil Limon. Investigators say the discovery came while they were already examining the timeline of his disappearance
🚨 LATEST UPDATE Authorities confirmed the remains discovered on the Howard Frankland Bridge belong to 27-year-old doctoral student Zamil Limon. Investigators say the discovery came while they were already examining the timeline of his disappearance — and that breakthrough rapidly…
🚨 DEVELOPING: Deputies say Hisham Saleh Abugharbieh, roommate of Zamil Limon, refused to open the door for nearly 20 minutes when SWAT arrived. When he finally stepped outside, investigators say the situation quickly escalated
🚨 DEVELOPING: Deputies say Hisham Saleh Abugharbieh, roommate of Zamil Limon, refused to open the door for nearly 20 minutes when SWAT arrived. When he finally stepped outside, investigators say the situation quickly escalated — leading to his arrest in…
End of content
No more pages to load
