Eerie theory emerges about missing mum Samantha Murphy as search called off
Despite an exhaustive, month-long search, the Victorian mum-of-three has not been found.
Missing mum Samantha Murphy has "no secrets" that she could be running from and police are likely hunting a killer in their investigation into her disappearance, which is now in its fifth week, a veteran crime expert has warned.
Murphy, 51, left her home in Ballarat on February 4 to go on a run in the Woowookarung Regional Park and despite an exhaustive, month-long search, the mother of three has not been found.
The hunt for answers has involved the missing persons squad, specialist commands and hundreds of Ballarat locals, with multiple theories emerging over her whereabouts — most recently that she fell down a mine shaft. But according to one veteran crime reporter, there's only one true explanation.
Expert's grim theory on missing mum
John "Sly" Silvester said that Murphy's disappearance was not "orchestrated". "It’s not a disappearance as such or someone who’s orchestrated their disappearance," he told 3AW.
"We know it’s not self-harm or a medical issue. Why? Because the area has been searched, and they’re very confident if someone has fallen down one way or another, they would have been found. So that leaves you with the suggestion of foul play and probably murder."
Samantha Murphy likely not hiding from any 'secrets'
While some 300 locals have pooled their efforts to look for the mother, among them may just be the killer, Sylvester theorised.
"Police will also be considering that one of those searchers is the (alleged) killer in that they have inculcated themselves into that situation to be seen as part of the community, but also keeping an eye on what’s going on," he explained, adding that Murphy likely has no skeletons in her closet that she could be running from.
"The victim has no secrets," he said of police's investigation. "You have to go deep into that person to find out potential enemies or what could have happened."
Murphy's body 'could be in a mine'
Meanwhile, esteemed mine shaft explorer Raymond Shaw, who has been helping police in the search for Murphy, said that her body could be lying in one of the 5000 mine shafts that are hidden beneath Ballarat.
"I think there could be anywhere between 4000 and 5000 gold mines just underneath the town," Shaw told Nine's Under Investigation.
Some of the mine shafts are 100 metres deep, Shaw said, adding that he believes it's possible one of them contains her body. Former Victorian detective Damian Marrett agreed the theory is plausible. "They could be a great place to conceal a body or a crime after the fact … and you'd probably never find it," Marrett told the program.
The new theories come as the 300 person-strong volunteer-led search for Murphy was cancelled this week over a catastrophic fire danger in the area. Volunteer group Ground Crew were also forced to postpone this weekend’s search, with those leading the hunt making the call to ensure "more strain" isn’t placed on SES and CFA volunteers.
"Due to the current bushfires and catastrophic fire warnings, we have made the decision to postpone this week’s search efforts for Samantha Murphy," a search organiser posted to Facebook.
Police revealed they were looking at "everyone" as a "person of interest in investigations".
"At this stage [Ms Murphy’s husband] is not [a suspect]. Everyone in relation to Samantha is a person of interest. In our investigation we are speaking to everyone that was in her life,” Detective Acting Superintendent Mark Hatt said last week.
Police have ruled out the possibility of a medical episode and added they hadn't seen any evidence to indicate "she left the area of her own accord".
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