New police search for missing mum Samantha Murphy in bushland in Victoria

Police have launched a “significant search” of a new area of bushland near Ballarat today for the body of missing Victorian woman Samantha Murphy.

Search crews will comb an area in Enfield State Park, about 30 kilometres south-west of Ballarat.

A range of units will be involved in today’s search, including the missing persons squad, the search and rescue squad, the dog squad and local police.

Police are using cadaver dogs from NSW police for the first time during the investigation into Murphy’s disappearance.

Victoria police said the search would focus on an area highlighted by “intelligence derived from a number of sources”.

Murphy, a 51-year-old mother of three, was last seen leaving her Ballarat East home on 4 February, to go for a run.

In March, 22-year-old Patrick Orren Stephenson was charged with Murphy’s murder and is due to face court again in August.

Murphy’s family has been told about the search and police are asking members of the public not to join search efforts.

Detective Acting Superintendent Mark Hatt said the activity today followed extensive searches of the Canadian Forest area over the last two months since Murphy’s disappearance.

“Since Samantha’s disappearance over two months ago, a range of searches and other enquiries have been undertaken in the Ballarat area as part of this investigation,” he said.

“This includes extensive large-scale searches such as we have planned this week, but also smaller targeted searches focused in very specific areas.

“I want to assure those in the Ballarat community that police remain focused on doing everything we can to return Samantha to her family.”

Murphy is one of three women in the Ballarat area who police allege have been killed by men in the past couple of months.

The events have spurred a local woman to organise a Ballarat rally against men’s violence, planned for later this week.

– This story was first published by the ABC.