Samantha Murphy Ballarat * Patrick Orren Stephenson Charged With Murder

[Kurve]

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The Murder of Rebecca Young - Ballarat

The Murder of Hannah McGuire - Ballarat * Lachie Young

17

Lachie Young

Age

25

Ht

189cm

Wt

81kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.5

3star

K

6.4

3star

HB

4.1

3star

M

3.3

3star

T

1.8

4star

MG

220.3

3star

D

9.0

2star

K

5.5

2star

HB

3.5

2star

M

1.0

1star

T

2.0

3star

MG

210.0

3star

D

11.2

3star

K

6.2

3star

HB

5.0

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

1.8

4star

MG

219.6

4star

charged



Allegedly

 

[shorsky]

At this point in time there is no body recovered so the arrest and murder charge have achieved nothing for anyone. They went too early for no reward…

In the absence of further information, I’m not convinced that we can say this.
Whilst I accept they would’ve been under a lot of pressure for a break-through, I don’t believe Police will have made a move to arrest, recklessly.
I’m pretty sure they’re aware of what’s at stake - however we don’t know what may’ve been going on or ‘threatening’ to occur, particularly if he got wind of someone who may have provided intel.

 

[hathound]

however we don’t know what may’ve been going on or ‘threatening’ to occur, particularly if he got wind of someone who may have provided intel.

Yes this is a good point that may have been a factor in bringing the charge against him so early.

 

[hathound]

Open up the tool box to turf it and the phone's ping can be picked up by a power for a minute or two until it goes under the water and shorts out?

Is that really what would happen with a modern iPhone Pro? Firstly this phone would be reasonably waterproof? Secondly the dam would be fresh water and not conductive? If the phone remains waterproof, would the signal really be impeded by the water that much? How far under the water would be needed to sufficiently block the signal? Maybe need myth busters on this.

On the other end of the spectrum I once (decades ago) purposely destroyed my non smart phone (an Ericsson or Motorola or something) by putting it in a small salt bath container. I could literally hear it frying, so totally destroyed it electronically.

It would be a laugh if it turned out that the phone turned on only because POS was getting a good solid grip on it for a hard toss into the dam.

 

[Spectrix]

Whether they arrested him too early is a very interesting topic. I was surprised myself it was so early without a body

At this point in time there is no body recovered so the arrest and murder charge have achieved nothing for anyone. They went too early for no reward…

Victoria Police are very tight lipped about this case and it's easy to imagine that their evidence is scant.

For all we know, they may have gotten wind of (for example) POS having filmed himself with SM, and decided to move in with both the arrest and multiple search warrants fearing he may dispose of evidence.

Whatever they recovered was at least enough for a murder charge. I guess the question is whether VicPol have enough for a conviction.

There is a Committal Hearing in August. The prosecution will present their evidence to a magistrate, the magistrate will then decide if the matter will continue to trial.

 

[Spectrix]

If the phone remains waterproof, would the signal really be impeded by the water that much? How far under the water would be needed to sufficiently block the signal? Maybe need myth busters on this.

Not very far at all, the phone would likely lose signal in the first few centimetres of water.

 

[DirtyLeeds]

Hi ‘Dirty Deeds’ ( I feel a bit rude addressing you such ) agree re the potential sentencing impacts - no body no parole - but perhaps he’s got plenty of time yet to come clean on that. As distressing as it is for Sam’s family, I expect the lawyer for POS (if he has one) is advising to say nothing until they get the brief of evidence at least. For a 22 year old, he certainly seems to display huge resilience on this occasion.

However, I’m interested to hear your thoughts & theory, given your local knowledge. e.g.

Do you know POS?
Do you know anyone who knows him?
Is he someone who / whose reputation you’ve previously been aware of ?
Do you know anyone where he’s done work / worked with him ?
Do you know of his relationship with his family members ?
Was there perhaps conflict due to ‘big nights out’ / late for work etc. ?

Similarly, re Samantha ?

We heard of restraining orders, within the family or against external parties ?
If external - grounds for ?

I’m not trying to be a rumour monger ( and most everyone has stuff they don’t want made public ) but I’m trying to get my head around reasons for what seems the most inexplicable of appallingly sad situations. Mind you, I’m sure the police have all these answers & more - sadly they’re just not sharing with me

'Dirty' is complimentary!! Unfortunately have zero connection to either family other than a person who works for me is one of Mick's oldest mates. The Murphy's up here are an old family, probably back to the 1870's, so everyone knows one! POS's family only came up here for his dad's footy career, less known. I'm well connected at one of his former schools and the word from staff was that he was 'troubled', hence his changing schools at year 10. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful, but the reason for his alleged actions is still very much 'up in the air'....

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

he was 'troubled', hence his changing schools at year 10.

Unfortunately many kids are “troubled” at that age, including my own son*. It’s a difficult age.

(*straightened out later TG)

 

[31550]

Was it off, as in physically turned off and powered down, or had it been placed in something like an aluminium or metal tool box, where any ping eminating from the phone couldn't be picked up by a tower?

As, for all intents and purposes, the phone had disappeared off the network an incoming call would bounce to voice mail as if it was turned off.

Open up the tool box to turf it and the phone's ping can be picked up by a power for a minute or two until it goes under the water and shorts out?

That's not completely out of the question if you ask me. I'm not a regular iPhone user, and I have occasions tried to turn an iPhone 'off' by holding the power button (as you do on Androids), and it doesn't actually power them off completely.
So maybe the phone was inside something acting as a Farady chamber and blocking the signal. (Toolbox, esky, metal case etc.) and got pulled out or fell out? It would not stay active under water for more than a few seconds I reckon. The dam had receded maybe 20-30cm?

Another thing I've wondered is whether the phone was 'out of range' for a period of time. (Mick said it was turned off when he called). So, if the phone was well South of Buninyong, would it be out of cell tower range? Would it come back into cell tower range if someone was heading North toward Buninyong?

Perhaps a local can do some experimenting with phone signal on that road? The Aus Phone Towers app will help. What's the cell phone reception like down in Durham Lead?

 

[gymjam]

Google Earth this morning has various roads, between various points blocked from street view. Including the main road through Scotsburn to just south of Back Creek, Buninyong to Mt Mercer Rd - the dog-leg north/south section that runs past the farms adjacent to where the phone was discovered - until the first road to the right, part of Scotchman Lead Road and Colac to Ballarat Road,.

if you zoom in on live google earth you can see the narrower sections of road are that blocked from street view as well. in the snip I have posted the yellow lines are the sections of road that are now blocked from street view. they have not been applied by me - I assume law enforcement have done so.

IMO the roads and areas from Yerowee river/bridge (white pin) to the alleged-offender houise-sitting accommodation should be subjected to an intensive search. loads of dams present too.

 

[gymjam]

1/ Southbound is away from Ballarat
2/ POS played for Redan FC, check out the club, and what sponsorship has to do with this is beyond me
3/ Any further south and you've entered another Shire, Golden Plains and road side collection becomes extremely unlikely as these are 'rural' properties, effectively small businesses
4/ Held captive? Really? Where ? At the house he was sitting with his GF?
5/Everything for sale along that stretch is Land/Acreage, and what's your point?
6/ Finally there are multiple collection days across Ballarat for different bins....

Hope I've answered your questions

yep south-bound is away from Ballarat. Google Earth provides good generalized views of the area. I think my point about south-bound was POS traveling north, but then swerving to south-bound lane to ditch the phone.

sponsorship could provide links between the Murphy family and the club POS was connected to

The Google Earth snip I viewed showed that day and date the rubbish receptacles were placed out for roadside collection at the address where the phone was located

Held captive at any place the POS had access to. Perhaps sheds at the property he may have been house sitting? Girlfriends don't often venture into sheds. Sheds often contain items that can be used for covering other items.

Maybe some of the 'for sale' properties were vacant in February 2024 or later.

I have placed a snip of the Golden Plains boundaries - easy to see where the boundaries are when viewed live https://www.goldenplains.vic.gov.au/golden-plains-shire-accessibility-map

https://www.goldenplains.vic.gov.au/golden-plains-shire-accessibility-map. Shows there is a possibility of Ballarat council's bin receptacles being placed road side further south - even to Yerowee Bridge area where there is a left turn-off that takes a traveler directly back to the Scotsburn area which is where POS was house-sitting.


Thanks for your input.

 

[gymjam]

That's not completely out of the question if you ask me. I'm not a regular iPhone user, and I have occasions tried to turn an iPhone 'off' by holding the power button (as you do on Androids), and it doesn't actually power them off completely.
So maybe the phone was inside something acting as a Farady chamber and blocking the signal. (Toolbox, esky, metal case etc.) and got pulled out or fell out? It would not stay active under water for more than a few seconds I reckon. The dam had receded maybe 20-30cm?

Another thing I've wondered is whether the phone was 'out of range' for a period of time. (Mick said it was turned off when he called). So, if the phone was well South of Buninyong, would it be out of cell tower range? Would it come back into cell tower range if someone was heading North toward Buninyong?

Perhaps a local can do some experimenting with phone signal on that road? The Aus Phone Towers app will help. What's the cell phone reception like down in Durham Lead?

I have wondered if the level of mud contained within the dam water may have a detrimental impact on cell connection? Is it known what time Mr Murphy tried to call Samantha?

There was a new cell tower installed December 2023 that covered 18 square kms surrounding Lucas. It is 16+ direct kms from Lucas to the phone location. https://www.marthahaylett.com.au/media/media-releases/better-mobile-coverage-for-ballarat/

Here is a coverage link - need to know what network was used

Telstra 3G / 4G / 5G coverage in Ballarat, Australia - nPerf.com

Compare the network coverage of mobile operators and check their performance at home !

www.nperf.com

 

[jason_recliner]

The Reddit threads are hilarious! What a bunch of clowns! Great for a laugh if anybody here hasn't popped their head in yet

 

[Percel]

At this point in time there is no body recovered so the arrest and murder charge have achieved nothing for anyone. They went too early for no reward…

How long do you sit off someone on the off chance he returns to the body?

If he has hidden SM down a shift or similar, why would he go back?

 

[31550]

I have wondered if the level of mud contained within the dam water may have a detrimental impact on cell connection? Is it known what time Mr Murphy tried to call Samantha?

There was a new cell tower installed December 2023 that covered 18 square kms surrounding Lucas. It is 16+ direct kms from Lucas to the phone location. https://www.marthahaylett.com.au/media/media-releases/better-mobile-coverage-for-ballarat/

Here is a coverage link - need to know what network was used

Telstra 3G / 4G / 5G coverage in Ballarat, Australia - nPerf.com

Compare the network coverage of mobile operators and check their performance at home !

www.nperf.com

Water would be more a problem than mud. Cell phones don't like water.

I don't trust the coverage maps provided by Telstra. They indicate there is good coverage all over, when in reality coverage is OK on main roads, but intermittent at best once you hit the dirt tracks and hills. That's why I am looking for the 'on-the-ground' experience. It's pretty much all Telstra outside the urban areas, with no Vodafone or Optus AFAIK. Does anyone know what carrier SM used? The main towers are only at Canadian, Buninyong and Yendon - there are going to be at least pocket 'black spots' if not major areas where there is little or no signal. Anywhere more than about 5km from a tower may not get a reliable signal all the time. We also know that not all towers were fully operational on the day SM disappeared. So it's quite possible the phone was 'out of range' for a time, without necessarily moving.

 

[Kurve]

How long do you sit off someone on the off chance he returns to the body?

If he has hidden SM down a shift or similar, why would he go back?

The cops were on Greg Lynn for about a year but there were covid lockdowns through that period.

 

[Sqotty from office works]

The Reddit threads are hilarious! What a bunch of clowns! Great for a laugh if anybody here hasn't popped their head in yet

What sort of things,
Blatant stupidity or salacious type rumours

 

[jason_recliner]

What sort of things,
Blatant stupidity or salacious type rumours

A little from column A, a little from column B

 

[31550]

What sort of things,
Blatant stupidity or salacious type rumours

Well that's 99% of the internet covered in those two categories.

 

[31550]

You're not throwing a phone in a case 30m and being confident in where it's landing.

Happy to borrow your phone or anyone else's to test this theory.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

You're not throwing a phone in a case 30m and being confident in where it's landing.

Out in the quiet countryside you'd hear the Plop!

 

[gymjam]

Water would be more a problem than mud. Cell phones don't like water.

I don't trust the coverage maps provided by Telstra. They indicate there is good coverage all over, when in reality coverage is OK on main roads, but intermittent at best once you hit the dirt tracks and hills. That's why I am looking for the 'on-the-ground' experience. It's pretty much all Telstra outside the urban areas, with no Vodafone or Optus AFAIK. Does anyone know what carrier SM used? The main towers are only at Canadian, Buninyong and Yendon - there are going to be at least pocket 'black spots' if not major areas where there is little or no signal. Anywhere more than about 5km from a tower may not get a reliable signal all the time. We also know that not all towers were fully operational on the day SM disappeared. So it's quite possible the phone was 'out of range' for a time, without necessarily moving.

The tower in Buninyong is a hop skip n jump literally, from the residence the alleged offender was house-sitting.

edit to add map with pointers. the buninyong tower is on bount buninyong rd - the red colour. orange dot is house-sitter location


5.2 from phone to tower or phone to house-sitting location. top line is tower.

 

[Percel]

Just put an iPhone 5 in a leather cased and threw it down the oval, in Canberra so a rugby field. 30 metres comfortably, and reasonable accuracy, was actually 35…..

Little bored today in the wet

 

[gymjam]

How long do you sit off someone on the off chance he returns to the body?

If he has hidden SM down a shift or similar, why would he go back?

murder offenders quite often return to their chosen disposal site.

 

[31550]

The tower in Buninyong is a hop skip n jump literally, from the residence the alleged offender was house-sitting.

edit to add map with pointers. the buninyong tower is on bount buninyong rd - the red colour. orange dot is house-sitter location

View attachment 2009396
5.2 from phone to tower or phone to house-sitting location. top line is tower.
View attachment 2009404

Playing around with the AUS Phone Towers app it seems the Buninyong tower has quite limited reach to the south. If you were travelling south on the Mt Mercer Rd you would soon lose the Buninyong tower, but you would have good coverage from the Goldfields towers, because of the topology, and also because Goldfields have more frequencies.

 

[Sqotty from office works]

Just put an iPhone 5 in a leather cased and threw it down the oval, in Canberra so a rugby field. 30 metres comfortably, and reasonable accuracy, was actually 35…..

Little bored today in the wet

Was that left or right handed?
Asking for a detective friend