1 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 1: From The Australian. I'm Claire Harvey. We're hoping you're having 2 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:18,800 Speaker 1: a great holiday break and today we're bringing you one 3 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: of our favorite episodes. 4 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:20,799 Speaker 2: From the year. 5 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:26,280 Speaker 1: This episode originally aired on March eighth, when Australians were 6 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 1: enthralled by a bush mystery. What happened to Ballarat mum 7 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,520 Speaker 1: Samantha Murphy, a twenty three year old man, the son 8 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:37,839 Speaker 1: of a former Australian rules player, has been charged for 9 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:41,840 Speaker 1: her murder, but searchers by police have so far failed 10 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 1: to locate her remains. Patrick Orn Stevenson appeared in Victoria's 11 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:50,599 Speaker 1: Supreme Court in late November, where he pleaded not guilty 12 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: to the chargers. The Front will return with all new 13 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: episodes on Monday, January thirteen. Just hit follow or subscribe 14 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:09,680 Speaker 1: to make sure you don't miss an episode. 15 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:16,040 Speaker 2: The Australian Bush It has forever lurked, not just at 16 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 2: the edges of our towns and cities, but our collective 17 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 2: subconscious a place of almost indescribable beauty and at the 18 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 2: same time a black hole, a more a haunted landscape that, 19 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:35,199 Speaker 2: in the blink of an eye, can snatch us away 20 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 2: without a trace. It is a place where ghosts lurk, 21 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:45,680 Speaker 2: bogie men, monsters, and for centuries it has become almost 22 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 2: mythical in our literature, art and films. This fear is 23 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:55,919 Speaker 2: manifested in the psychopath at the Heart of Wolf Creek, 24 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 2: it's the omniscient villain in the latest Eric Banner movie 25 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 2: Force of Nature, and it's most hauntingly embodied in the 26 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 2: classic nineteen seventy five film Picnic at Hanging Rock. The 27 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 2: pan pipe's theme by George Zamfiir is enough to send 28 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 2: a chill down Australian's spines, and this anxiety gripped us 29 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 2: all over again when Ballarat mother of three Samantha Murphy 30 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 2: fifty one, seemingly vanished into thin air after she took 31 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 2: off for a routine early morning jog into the bush 32 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 2: near her home in early February. For a month, we 33 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 2: followed every detail of the search for sam the police 34 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 2: and volunteers scouring the bush near her home, these vast 35 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 2: tracts of land outside the old Goldfield town with names 36 00:02:55,000 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 2: like the wou Wookeerung Regional Park and Mount Clear. We 37 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:04,520 Speaker 2: witnessed the tears of the family, the broken heart of 38 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:08,360 Speaker 2: her daughter Jess just On behalf of my dad. 39 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: And myself and my siblings. 40 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:13,480 Speaker 2: I just really liked the bank out. Family and friends 41 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 2: were just the continuous love and support. 42 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 1: It's really helping us to get through and to keep 43 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:22,919 Speaker 1: us strong and to keep us motivated, to keep looking 44 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: and keep moving forward. 45 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 3: Mom's a really strong woman and she's far too determined 46 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 3: to give up this fight. 47 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 2: I know she's out there somewhere. As each night fell, 48 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 2: we sensed with dread that Samantha was out there in 49 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 2: the dark. Was she yet another of that long line 50 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 2: of Australians lost to the bush? Then suddenly the answer. 51 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 4: Detectives from the Missing Person Squad yesterday morning at six 52 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 4: am arrested a twenty two year old Scottsburned man. They 53 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 4: arrested him at his home address and took him into custody. 54 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 4: The man was interviewed over a number of hours. A 55 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 4: number of search warrants have been executed as a result 56 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:16,720 Speaker 4: of those investigations. He has today been charged with the 57 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 4: murder of Samantha. 58 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 2: At a press conference on Thursday, the Chief Commissioner of 59 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 2: the Victorian Police, Shane Patten, delivered the news the nation 60 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 2: had been dreading. 61 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 4: We will be alleging that murder occurred at Mount Clair 62 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:35,719 Speaker 4: on the day she disappeared. In the interview with the suspect, 63 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 4: he has not disclosed to police where Samantha's body is. 64 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 4: I want to be very clear, I'm limited what I 65 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 4: can say given that there has now been a charge 66 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 4: of murder aid. 67 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:50,600 Speaker 2: Last week on the front we brought you a very 68 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 2: different kind of police press conference fronted in Sydney by 69 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 2: homicide detectives and the New South Wales Police Commissioner. In 70 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 2: that instant, police had obtained the cooperation of the suspect, 71 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 2: serving policeman beau Lamar Condon, and alleged the suspect had 72 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:13,480 Speaker 2: told them where to find the bodies of murdered couple 73 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:18,680 Speaker 2: Jesse Baird and Luke Davies. The level of detail New 74 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 2: South Wales Police divulged about that matter was extraordinary, surprising 75 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:30,359 Speaker 2: even veteran crime reporters. In this matter, Shane Patten batted 76 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 2: away almost every question about detail, eventually making this pointed remark. 77 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:40,600 Speaker 4: Again, I'm not going to go into the evidence and 78 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 4: speculate about the evidence. So in Victoria, when someone's charged, 79 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:52,839 Speaker 4: irrespective of what people's views may be, the details of 80 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 4: that evidence are tested in court. Not a press conferences. 81 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 2: For the past thirty three days, the Australian's reporters have 82 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 2: been in Ballarat trying to talk to Samantha Murphy's family 83 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 2: and everyone else in a town gone wild with frustration 84 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:12,800 Speaker 2: and suspicion. 85 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 3: There was no apparent reason for Samantha Murphy, a fifty 86 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:21,960 Speaker 3: one year old mother who loved her three children, who 87 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 3: lived in a comfortable house in East Ballarat, to disappear. 88 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 2: Damon Johnston is The Australian's Victorian editor. 89 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:35,160 Speaker 3: The circumstances of her last appearance were that she left 90 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 3: the family home shortly after seven am on Sunday, February four, 91 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 3: dressed in her jogging gear. This is something she did 92 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 3: a lot, so ostensibly she appears to have been very 93 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 3: much your quintessential Ossie mum, raising a kids, raising a 94 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:55,600 Speaker 3: family and staying fit. And the inexplicable nature of her disappearance, 95 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:58,599 Speaker 3: the fact that there was nobody found despite all the 96 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 3: police searchers, I think, has led to what is ultimately 97 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:07,160 Speaker 3: a tragedy, also being a mystery that's captivated the nation. 98 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 2: It's been thirty four days since Samantha Murphy was last seen. 99 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 2: That gap has prompted questions about whether the police were 100 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 2: moving fast enough. 101 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 3: I'm sure there was a lot of action going on 102 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 3: below the waterline, so to speak, over the last thirty 103 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 3: three days. That said, the initial messaging from Victoria Police 104 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 3: was somewhat confusing. It left the perception that they weren't 105 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 3: treating it seriously enough in that first few days or 106 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 3: maybe that first week. Now clearly that's changed over the 107 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 3: last two to three weeks, where they've deployed their expert investigators. 108 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:50,800 Speaker 3: The language that Victoria Police has used has changed. And 109 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 3: two weeks ago they tragically announced that they were looking 110 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 3: for a body and that they believed that she had 111 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 3: been her remains had been removed by one or more people. 112 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 3: So the police approach to this did escalate in public, 113 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:06,440 Speaker 3: and I think it would be premature to judge the 114 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 3: police too harshly. Because we now have a charge laid. 115 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 3: We'll wait for the courts to determine the fate of 116 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:16,160 Speaker 3: that charge, but we just need more information before we 117 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 3: assess the police investigation. 118 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 2: I think during that long wait for information, detectives repeatedly 119 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 2: asked for Victorians to stop unhelpful speculation about the case, 120 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:34,960 Speaker 2: particularly about their theories on who might have taken Samantha. 121 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:40,680 Speaker 3: The vacuum has been filled with speculation and online gossip. 122 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:43,560 Speaker 3: Ballaratza town of about one hundred and twenty thousand people, 123 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 3: so it's big, but not that big. The Murphys were 124 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 3: a high profile couple. They ran a successful panel beating 125 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:55,560 Speaker 3: business and on one hand, it's only human nature for 126 00:08:55,760 --> 00:09:01,480 Speaker 3: people to speculate, but now, obviously with modern technology, it enables. 127 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:03,120 Speaker 2: That to go like wildfire. 128 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 1: Coming up. What we know about motive and method in 129 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 1: the alleged murder of Samantha Murphy. While I've got you. 130 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: As this story develops, the Australian subscribers will be the 131 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:19,600 Speaker 1: first to know. Join us at the Australian dot com 132 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,959 Speaker 1: dot a U for the best reporting and analysis, live 133 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 1: updates direct to your phone, newsletters and special events. Check 134 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 1: us out at the Australian dot com dot AU and 135 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: we'll be back after this break. 136 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:44,840 Speaker 2: Samantha Murphy's family found out about the arrest on Wednesday night. 137 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 2: On Thursday, just before they spoke to the media, police 138 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:54,680 Speaker 2: told the family they'd charge the man with murder. That 139 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:58,680 Speaker 2: should have caused some pause for those who'd speculated about 140 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 2: family members not or involvement. Shane Patten again made it 141 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 2: clear the family was not under suspicion and said police 142 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 2: believe the man in custody is not known to the 143 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:14,960 Speaker 2: family at all. 144 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 4: Samantha's family has been advised of this tragic news this 145 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:23,559 Speaker 4: afternoon by detectives from the Missing Person Squad, and obviously 146 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:27,319 Speaker 4: this is a tragic outcome knowing that she has been murdered. 147 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 4: Our thoughts and support are with her family and I 148 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 4: do just want to say something about the family since 149 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:38,679 Speaker 4: the outset. In these cases, it's often that the family 150 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 4: come under scrutiny. They have been cooperative with us, they 151 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:46,440 Speaker 4: have provided everything we needed and they have had no 152 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:48,319 Speaker 4: involvement whatsoever in this matter. 153 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 2: Asked if he was known to Samantha, Murphy, Patten said this. 154 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:58,000 Speaker 4: I don't have that knowledge. I don't believe that to 155 00:10:58,000 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 4: be the case. 156 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:03,840 Speaker 2: A man whose name was suppressed by the court appeared 157 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 2: before Ballarat Magistrate's Court and police opposed bail. He has 158 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:12,280 Speaker 2: not yet been required to enter a plea and has 159 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:16,960 Speaker 2: not been convicted of anything. Police haven't yet disclosed an 160 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:22,560 Speaker 2: alleged motive or method for Samantha's death. They won't say 161 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:26,559 Speaker 2: if there was a sexual element to the crime. Only 162 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:30,600 Speaker 2: that they believe she died in Mount Clear, a suburb 163 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 2: on Ballarat's outskirts. The nation has suffered a string of 164 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:40,160 Speaker 2: shocking crimes already this year. A mother and child, then 165 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:44,240 Speaker 2: the father, were stabbed to death in Sydney, allegedly by 166 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:49,680 Speaker 2: a martial arts instructor known to the family. The murders 167 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:52,720 Speaker 2: of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies on the eve of 168 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 2: Mardi Gras devastated Sydney's LGBTI community. Now the search for 169 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:07,360 Speaker 2: Amantha Murphy's remains somewhere out there in that haunted landscape. 170 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 1: You can read all the nation's best news, sport, politics 171 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 1: and business anytime at the Australian dot com dot a 172 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:18,240 Speaker 1: u