Samantha Murphy: Why cops may never get vital clues from her phone

Detectives could face another hurdle in their investigation into Samantha Murphy’s disappearance if her loved ones don’t know her iPhone’s passcode.

The mother-of-three’s phone was found near Slaughterhouse Road, south of Buninyong, near Ballarat in Victoria, on Thursday.

The 51-year-old disappeared without a trace on the morning of February 4 when she left her home to go for a run in Ballarat East.

Although her remains have not been found, the recovery of her phone is seen as a major milestone in the investigation, with detectives hugging and cheering after it was found covered in mud next to a dam.

Even if the phone has been damaged in the four months since Ms Murphy was last seen, the data will reportedly still be accessible.

But researchers may have trouble accessing the phone if no one can provide the correct passcode.

The mother-of-three’s phone was found near Slaughterhouse Road, south of Buninyong, near Ballarat in Victoria on Thursday

According to Apple: ‘Devices locked with a passcode are protected by encryption with a passcode, and Apple cannot help remove the passcode without wiping the device.

“For security, Apple requires and verifies legal documentation before we can assist with a deceased person’s account.

“This typically includes a death certificate, but may also require a court order or other documentation. The requirements vary per country and region.’

Her phone may be able to provide medical data from the time of her disappearance.

It comes after Mrs Murphy’s husband Mick said he knew immediately the phone belonged to his wife.

Mick Murphy (pictured in April) says he immediately recognized an iPhone found next to a dam that belonged to his missing wife Samantha, who is believed dead

Police called Mr. Murphy shortly after the iPhone was discovered.

Mr. Murphy told it 9News he knew immediately it was his wife’s.

The phone was found next to a dam, three miles from the telephone tower, where the device last pinged before going silent.

The device will probably be found by a technical police sniffer dog.

In a statement issued shortly after the mobile phone was found, police said they had found some “important items” during the search for the missing mother.

The phone, along with other items found in the search, underwent forensic testing with sources confirming the device belonged to Ms Murphy.

Samantha Murphy (pictured with her husband Mick) vanished without a trace after leaving her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat East, Victoria, on the morning of February 4.

The breakthrough led to a silent celebration between the researchers, who quietly high-fived, hugged and shook hands (photo)

Officers found the mud-splattered mobile phone in a wallet at the water’s edge of a dam on a property south of Buninyong, about 14km from Ms Murphy’s home.

The owner of the property near the dam, who asked to remain anonymous, said police contacted him about three weeks ago asking for permission to access his land.

The man said officers returned Wednesday and told him they were going to conduct a line search along the road.

“A dog found something on the bank and they came to me and asked me and my wife to make a statement,” he said.

The man said police were interested in the levels of his dam.

‘I didn’t see anything suspicious there. We don’t have cameras. But yeah, I think one of those tech dogs found it,” he said.

The man said detectives came to talk to him about a month after Ms. Murphy’s disappearance, but only returned in recent weeks.

“They just asked me if I had seen anything suspicious,” he said.

Daily Mail Australia understands police are still searching for Ms Murphy’s missing watch and headphones, or a possible murder weapon (pictured, a map of previous search areas)

Daily Mail Australia understands police are still searching for Ms Murphy’s missing watch and headphones, or a possible murder weapon.

In early March, almost five weeks after Ms Murphy’s disappearance, 22-year-old local man Patrick Orren Stephenson was charged with her alleged murder.

Police allege Stephenson ‘deliberately attacked’ Ms Murphy in Mount Clear, about seven kilometers into her run on a route she had completed ‘countless’ times.

Stephenson, who has no ties to the Murphy family, was charged on March 7 with the murder of the mother of three.

He has yet to enter a plea and will appear in court on August 8.