It was a simple Sunday morning ritual that thousands of Australian women do every week without a second thought – lacing up the running shoes, kissing the family goodbye, and heading out for a refreshing jog through the familiar bushland.

But for Samantha Murphy, the 51-year-old fitness-loving mother-of-three from Ballarat East, that ordinary February morning in 2024 became the last time her loved ones would ever see her alive.

More than two years later, the pain remains as raw as the day she vanished. Her phone has never pinged a tower again. Her body has never been found. And her devastated husband, Michael “Mick” Murphy, still clings to the desperate hope that somehow, somewhere, his beloved “Sam” will come home.

“We want Sam home please,” Mick said in an emotional plea just weeks after her disappearance, his voice cracking under the unbearable weight of uncertainty. “We are doing the best we can under the circumstances.”

Those simple, gut-wrenching words – spoken as the family stood outside Ballarat West Police Station – captured the heartbreak of a household shattered in an instant. Today, as the second anniversary of Samantha’s vanishing passes with fresh searches yielding nothing and her accused killer’s Supreme Court trial looming on April 8, 2026, Mick’s desperate appeal echoes louder than ever.

Samantha, a vibrant, strong-willed woman known for her infectious smile and dedication to her family, left her Eureka Street home around 7am on February 4, 2024, for her regular morning run into the nearby bushland. She never returned.

The loving mum who ‘would never switch her phone off’

To those who knew her, Samantha was the heart of the Murphy family. A dedicated wife and proud mother to three grown children, including daughter Jess, she lived an active, outdoorsy life in the historic gold-rush city of Ballarat, about 100km northwest of Melbourne.

She was a creature of habit – her morning runs were sacred, a time to clear her head and stay fit. Her phone, family members insisted, was always on and connected to mobile towers. “She would never switch that phone off,” her uncle Allan Robson told reporters in those early, frantic days. “That phone was always hooked up.”

When hours turned into days with no word, the family knew something was terribly wrong. Samantha simply didn’t vanish into thin air.

Her uncle and aunt, Allan and Janice Robson, voiced what many were thinking: foul play was almost certainly involved. They speculated she may have been stalked because of her predictable running routine, or that a robbery gone wrong could explain the sudden disappearance – the Murphys were known to be financially comfortable, and Samantha “would have put up a bloody good fight.”

Daughter Jess added her own poignant message: “Mum’s a really strong woman and she’s far too determined to give up this fight. I know she’s out there somewhere, so if you could please continue to search for her and give us something to work with we’d really appreciate it.”

Police quickly labelled the case “suspicious” and “highly concerning.” Chief Commissioner Shane Patton described the total lack of trace after days as “unusual,” adding: “It’s certainly unusual when we haven’t been able to locate any trace of her or any other evidence within that period of time.”

A search of the family home was conducted, but nothing sinister was found. Hundreds of tips poured in. CCTV was reviewed. Sniffer dogs and ground teams combed the bushland. Yet Samantha had seemingly evaporated.

The arrest that brought a murder charge – but no body

The breakthrough, when it came, was both shocking and incomplete.

On March 6, 2024, Patrick Orren Stephenson, then 22 (now 23), from the Scotsburn area near Ballarat, was arrested and the following day charged with Samantha’s murder. Police alleged the killing occurred at Mount Clear, on the southern edge of the city.

Stephenson, the son of a former footballer, has always pleaded not guilty. He remains in custody ahead of his Supreme Court trial in Ballarat, scheduled to begin on April 8, 2026 – a hearing expected to last around six weeks.

Crucially, Samantha’s body has never been recovered. Some of her belongings, including her wallet containing ID cards and her mobile phone, were later found on the bank of an agricultural dam near Durham Lead, about 20km south of Ballarat, during a targeted search.

The absence of remains has made the case uniquely challenging. Without a body, prosecutors must rely on circumstantial evidence, phone data, CCTV, and whatever forensic links can be established to prove murder beyond reasonable doubt.

Stephenson’s defence is expected to fight hard on that point. Pre-trial arguments are slated to begin as early as November 2025.

Two years of agony: Searches, false hopes and community pain

The passage of time has done nothing to dull the anguish.

On the second anniversary in February 2026, loved ones and the Ballarat community marked the sombre milestone with quiet reflection and renewed calls for information. “Their prayers have gone unanswered,” one report noted poignantly.

Extensive searches have been conducted across Woowookarung Regional Park, dense forests, old mine shafts, and waterways. In November 2025, fresh intelligence led detectives back to Enfield State Park, roughly 25-30km south of Ballarat – a rugged, hazardous area riddled with disused mine shafts and thick bush.

Specialist teams, including the Missing Persons Squad, spent days combing the terrain with dogs, drones and ground-penetrating equipment. The public was warned to stay away. Yet once again, no trace of Samantha was found.

Police have repeatedly reaffirmed their commitment: “The Missing Persons Squad remains committed to doing everything we can to locate Samantha… we still believe we can locate her.”

Targeted searches in the Ballarat area continue, driven by intelligence from multiple sources. Forensic analysis of items recovered has been ongoing, but the breakthrough the family craves has remained elusive.

The case has highlighted vulnerabilities for women exercising alone in regional areas. Local running groups have spoken of increased anxiety, with many now only going out in pairs or carrying safety devices.

Ballarat’s tight-knit community has rallied with candlelight vigils, fundraising efforts, and volunteer searches. Purple – Samantha’s favourite colour – has become a symbol of hope and remembrance.

Yet the not-knowing is the cruellest torment. As one family friend put it: “It’s just like she’s gone off the face of the Earth. There’s nothing.”

Mick Murphy’s quiet strength amid the storm

In the early days, Mick Murphy fronted the media with raw honesty. Standing beside his children, he urged the public: “People just don’t vanish into thin air. Someone’s got to know something.”

His plea – “We want Sam home please” – was simple, direct, and devastatingly human. He spoke of a family “doing the best we can under the circumstances,” trying to hold themselves together while clinging to hope.

Mick has largely stepped back from the spotlight in recent months, focusing on supporting his children and cooperating with investigators. Those close to the family say the toll has been immense – the endless waiting, the what-ifs, the fear that the truth may never fully emerge.

Samantha’s relatives have continued to keep her memory alive, describing a woman full of life, love, and determination. “She was a runner. She would have got out of that area,” her aunt Janice said, refusing to believe her niece would simply give up.

The looming trial and the questions that remain

As April 2026 approaches, all eyes turn to the Supreme Court in Ballarat. The trial will be one of the most closely watched in regional Victoria for years.

Prosecutors are said to have compiled an “unprecedented volume of evidence,” including digital data, witness statements, and forensic material. Yet the missing body remains the elephant in the courtroom.

Legal experts note that while murder convictions without a body are possible in Australia, they require exceptionally strong circumstantial cases. Stephenson’s not-guilty plea means every element will be vigorously contested.

For the Murphy family, the trial offers a chance at some form of justice – but without Samantha’s remains, true closure feels painfully out of reach.

Police continue to appeal for information. Anyone who saw something unusual on the morning of February 4, 2024, or who has since come across relevant details, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers or the Missing Persons Squad.

A community that refuses to forget

Ballarat, with its proud gold-rush history and close community bonds, has been forever changed by Samantha’s disappearance.

Runners still organise memorial events. Purple ribbons flutter on fences. Conversations in local cafes inevitably turn to “that poor Murphy woman.”

The case has sparked broader discussions about safety for women in regional Australia – the need for better lighting on trails, personal safety apps, and community vigilance.

Yet at its core, it remains a deeply personal tragedy. A mother who went for a run. A family left in limbo. A husband whose simple plea still breaks hearts: “We want Sam home.”

Two years on, that longing has not dimmed. If anything, it has grown stronger with every unanswered question and every fruitless search.

Samantha Murphy was a woman who lived life with energy and love. Her family believes she is “out there somewhere,” fighting in her own determined way.

As the trial date draws near and investigators press on with fresh intelligence, the people of Ballarat – and a watching nation – continue to hold their breath.

Because somewhere in the rolling hills and dense bushland that surround this historic city, the truth about what happened to Samantha Murphy on that sunny February morning may still be waiting to be found.

And until it is, Mick Murphy’s words will continue to echo: “We want Sam home please.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Victoria Police. The Murphy family has requested privacy as they continue to wait and hope.