Tragic update after search for Samantha Murphy’s body

The latest search for the body of missing Victorian mother Samantha Murphy has failed to turn up anything of interest and has been called off.

State and federal police faced wet conditions on Tuesday as they began a new search in Grenville, south of Ballarat, which wrapped up on Thursday.

The 51-year-old was last seen alive when she went for a run on the morning of February 4.

In March, police charged 23-year-old tradesman Patrick Orren Stephenson with Ms Murphy’s murder.

The most recent search remains focused on the Enfield State Forest at Grenville.

The location is approximately a 15-minute drive from Buninyong, where Ms Murphy’s phone was found buried in the mud on the edge of an agricultural dam in May.

Samantha Murphy (pictured) went missing while on a morning jog near her Ballarat home

State and federal police faced wet conditions on Tuesday as they began a new search in Grenville, south of Ballarat, which wrapped up on Thursday

State and federal police faced wet conditions on Tuesday as they began a new search in Grenville, south of Ballarat, which wrapped up on Thursday

Police on trail bikes searched for the remains of Samantha Murphy, who disappeared without a trace after going for a run last summer, in Ballarat, Victoria

Police on trail bikes searched for the remains of Samantha Murphy, who disappeared without a trace after going for a run last summer, in Ballarat, Victoria

‘Police have concluded their current search of the Enfield State Forest and no items of interest were located,’ a police spokesperson said.

‘The investigation remains ongoing and is focused on locating Samantha’s body.

‘We are not in a position to supply further specific details of operational activity at this time.’

Ms Murphy’s disappearance led to an outpouring of grief in the Ballarat community and the nation, with an influx of volunteers joining multiple earlier searches.

Stephen is due to next face court in November after prosecutors asked for a delay to go through an extensive evidence brief including reams of CCTV footage.

He is the son of Orren Stephenson, who played 15 AFL games for Geelong and Richmond between 2012 and 2014.

Police with dogs searched an area around Enfield State park in Victoria. The search concluded on Thursday

Police with dogs searched an area around Enfield State park in Victoria. The search concluded on Thursday

Police on horseback joined a search in an area around Enfield State park in Victoria on a new search for the body of Samantha Murphy

Police on horseback joined a search in an area around Enfield State park in Victoria on a new search for the body of Samantha Murphy

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