Major development in Samantha Murphy case after mother-of-three disappeared while on a run

By ASHLEY NICKEL FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: 23:14 BST, 3 June 2025 | Updated: 00:56 BST, 4 June 2025

A trial date has been set for the man accused of murdering Samantha Murphy. 

Patrick Orren Stephenson, 23, is set to face a Supreme Court trial on April 8, 2026.

The trial is expected to last about six weeks and will be held in Ballarat, Victoria.

Pre-trial arguments for the prosecution and defence are likely to begin as early as November 2025.

Stephenson has pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder.

Ms Murphy, 51, vanished after leaving home to go for a run through the Canadian State Forest on Ballarat’s eastern fringe on February 4, 2004.

Despite numerous police and volunteer searches, the mother-of-three’s body has never been found. 

Stephenson was taken from Melbourne Assessment Prison and walked through part of Enfield State Park, south of Ballarat, last month.

A trial date has been set for the alleged murder of Samantha Murphy (pictured)

Police searched Enfield State Park (pictured), south of Ballarat, last month but found no trace of Ms Murphy

Detectives have not shared what led them to return to the search site. 

Daily Mail Australia does not suggest Stephenson knows the whereabouts of Ms Murphy’s body or that he was involved in her alleged murder. 

Stephenson was charged with murder a little over a month after Ms Murphy left her Eureka Street home.

He is the son of local footy great, and former Richmond and Geelong AFL player, Orren Stephenson and was not known to the Murphy family. 

However, it’s understood Stephenson attended St Francis Xavier Primary School at the same time Ms Murphy volunteered in its uniform shop.

A former schoolmate recalled the accused murderer was a technology whizz. 

‘He was super into IT [Information Technology] and he was always tinkering with cars and tools and stuff – interested in mechanics and science,’ he said.

‘We both took part in a science fair [at school] and we were working on robots together. He would ask for teachers for extra time to go use the work rooms and tools.’

Ms Murphy (pictured) vanished after going for a run on February 4, 2024, through the Canadian State Forest in regional Victoria

Patrick Orren Stephenson (pictured) is expected to stand trial for about six weeks next year

Friends considered Stephenson as the ‘next Elon Musk’ due to his passion about air pollution caused by the transport sector.

‘I remember him talking about how he wanted to come up with a solution to make cars more environmentally friendly to reduce carbon emissions,’ the schoolmate said.

‘He seemed passionate about it like he would pursue it later in life.

‘You know, like “Wow, he could be the next Elon Musk”.’

Ms Murphy’s credit cards, driver’s licence, and iPhone were found at the bottom of a dam in Buninyong in June last year. 

The phone, which was protected by a teal case, was reportedly in near-perfect condition.

The discovery is considered the most significant public breakthrough in the investigation.

Stephenson, an apprentice electrician, fronted Ballarat Magistrates Court via videolink earlier this year to plead guilty to a series of driving offences.

Viewers were shocked to see the 24-year-old sporting a long beard, differing from his clean-shaven appearance at the time of his arrest. 

Stephenson pleaded guilty to drink, drug and careless driving and fined $2,500.

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Major development in Samantha Murphy case after mother-of-three disappeared while on a run

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