Samantha Murphy’s husband Mick scours bushland alone in hope of finding the police search site – as missing jogger’s family reveal how they have been left in the dark by cops
The husband of missing mother-of-three Samantha Murphy faced a desperately lonely drive through bushland as he tried to find where police were searching for her body.
Mick Murphy was spotted driving his distinctive blue ute through bushland near the Buninyong Bushland Reserve on Wednesday afternoon, unaware that police had already called off the search.
Mr Murphy shook his head when Daily Mail Australia asked him if he knew anything about the search for his now presumed dead wife, amid claims he and his family have been cut off by police.
Samantha Murphy’s daughter Jess breaks down in tears during a press conference with dad Mick on February 8
Cadaver dogs, police on motorcycles and dozens of officers on foot had swarmed the same bushland hours earlier in what was described as a “major” new search for Ms Murphy’s body.
The location was about 10km from where the 51-year-old last left her home on Eureka Street, Ballarat East, about 7am on February 4.
Patrick Orren Stephenson has been charged with murder
Mr Murphy appeared distraught as he rolled down his window to answer Daily Mail Australia’s only question.
He gave a thumbs up as he drove away.
Murphy’s father John ‘Pud’ Robson later told Daily Mail Australia he was also unaware of the search.
“I know everything about everything,” he said.
Mr Robson said police have not shared any information with his family since detectives charged 22-year-old Patrick Orren Stephenson with Ms Murphy’s murder on March 6.
This included any working theories detectives may have about how and why Ms. Murphy might have been killed.
“We’re in the dark, buddy. We have no idea what’s going on. Mick is in the same boat as us,” he said.
Mr Robson said he and his wife were no closer to achieving the closure they desperately needed.
“They didn’t tell us anything,” he said.
Samantha Murphy’s body remains missing
Police on dirt bikes helped cover ground on rugged terrain Wednesday
Police are searching for the body of missing woman Samantha Murphy in Buninyong on Wednesday
Mr Robson, who is in his 80s and still works as a truck driver, said he remained hopeful for the day police picked up the phone and told him they had finally found his daughter’s body.
It is not the first time that police have kept Ms Murphy’s family out of major developments in the case.
Stephenson’s arrest resulted surprised the family.
“My wife just texted me to say it had been on the radio,” Mr Robson said at the time. “We weren’t told and apparently Michael wasn’t told either.”
At the time, Mr Robson said if his daughter was alive, he would have heard about it.
“I can only hope that we get some closure,” he said.
Mick Murphy appears shocked after landing on another search site on February 7
The search for Samantha Murphy continues
On Wednesday pPolice teams involved in the new search included members of the Missing Persons Unit, specialist officers from the Search and Rescue Unit, Mounted Unit, Dog Brigade, Public Order Response Team and motorcyclists from the Road Policing Command.
Detective Acting Chief Inspector Mark Hatt said police remain committed to ‘doing everything we can to locate her and return (Ms Murphy) to her family’.
“Since Samantha’s disappearance, extensive searches have been conducted in the Ballarat area and today we will be focusing on some of the bushland in Buninyong,” he said.
‘We will be using a range of specialist resources, but whilst we search for Samantha’s body we ask that the public do not attempt to join in today’s search.’
The Buninyong area was previously identified by police as a location of interest after Ms Murphy’s phone pinged near the Buninyong Golf Club.
Stephenson – the son of former AFL player Orren Stephenson – remains in custody and will appear in court again for a mention on August 8.