Samantha Murphy: 22-year-old man charged with murder of missing Australian woman

A 22-year-old Australian man was on Thursday (Mar 7)charged with the murder of Samantha Murphy,who was last seen leaving her home over a month ago. The police in the Australian state of Victoria said that the woman from the city of Ballarat was allegedly killed in a “deliberate attack”.

Charges against 22-year-old

On Thursday afternoon, the 22-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at a magistratecourt in the Australian city where the judge heard about the issues around the case due to his young age. He was later charged with one count of murder.

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According to the media reports, the accused is the son of a former Australian Football League (AFL) player. The 22-year-old was arrested on Wednesday (Mar 6) from his home in Ballarat.

During the brief hearing, the Scotsburn man was present in the court following his arrest on Wednesday morning, wearing an orange hi-vis shirt. His lawyer claimed that his client was at risk of self-harm.

About the case

Murphy, 51, was last seen when she left her house to go on a run on February 4 at around 7:00 am (local time). However, when she failed to show up for a brunch until afternoon the police launched a massive search operation.

The Victoria police chief commissioner, Shane Patton, said that they will allege that Murphy’s murder was a “deliberate act” and occurred on the day she disappeared near Mount Clear.

“I’m not going to go into the details, motive or any of those further details in regards to what has or hasn’t happened when she has (allegedly) been killed. I will simply say he has been charged with murder, which by its definition means it was an intentional act,” Patton told reporters.

He also said that the accused had not yet disclosed the location of the victim’s body and called on the public to come forward with any information which may help police locate it.

Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz remanded the accused in custody, who will reappear for a hearing on August 8.

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The Victoria police chief thanked dozens of officers from multiple law enforcement agencies involved in the search but said that their work is “far from over”. Patton said that they will continue their investigation.

“I know that Samantha’s disappearance has had a profound impact on the Ballarat community,” Patton noted.

The 51-year-old, mother of three, was last seen on security cameras in her driveway. Murphy who was carrying her watch, phone, and headphones is yet to be found. However, the police previously warned that it is unlikely that she was still alive.

Samantha’s husband, Mick said he felt “relief” after hearing a man had been charged, reported the local media.

Murphy played an active role in the Ballarat community and her friends and family have closely followed her case with many volunteering to join the search.

(With inputs from agencies)