The disappearance of mum-of-three Samantha Murphy has officially been declared ‘suspicious’ by Victoria Police.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton told Radio 3AW on Wednesday that the search for Ms Murphy had reached a new stage.
‘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,’ he said.
Samantha Murphy vanished without a trace on February 4
‘It’s suspicious, whether that means there’s foul play involved, or not, I don’t know, but obviously detectives are investigating a matter where a woman’s been missing for a significant period of time.’
His comments came as detectives from Victoria Police’s Missing Persons Unit attended the Murphy property on Wednesday morning.
The detectives spent more than an hour inside before leaving.
The East Ballarat property is at the centre of the investigation. It is the place where Ms Murphy was last seen on February 4, as she embarked on her morning jog.
Ms Murphy’s husband Mick Murphy, who continues to be supported by family members, is understood to be co-operating with the specialised unit, which is attached to Victoria Police’s Homicide Squad.
Daily Mail is not suggesting Mr Murphy has anything to do with the disappearance of his wife whatsoever.
Last week, Detective Acting Superintendent Mark Hatt made no attempt to sugar-coat how the investigation into Ms Murphy’s disappearance would proceed.
A smiling Mick Murphy leaving Buninyong Police on February 9. Police returned to the family home on Wednesday
Addressing reporters on Friday, the seasoned police officer said detectives would look into Ms Murphy’s movements and interactions with others in the days before she vanished.
‘Absolutely, that will be a huge part of our investigation. Digging into the background, working out Samantha’s movements in the days leading up to her disappearance and also double-so the people who know her,’ he said.
Part of the investigation – now dubbed Operation Primus – will see detectives trawl through Ms Murphy’s computers and devices in the hope of finding clues.
The physical search for Ms Murphy has all but been abandoned by police, who are now only expected to re-enter the rugged bush terrain on the back of specific intelligence.
On Wednesday, community members continued the search for Ms Murphy in the hope she may still be found alive.
Samantha Murphy was captured on CCTV on the morning she went missing
Ms Murphy, 51, left her home off Eureka Street in East Ballarat, north-west of Melbourne, to go for a run in Woowookarung Regional Park just after 7am on February 4 and has not been seen since.
While police have released a CCTV image of Ms Murphy captured outside her home on the morning she vanished, they have failed to publicly reveal another image of her from neighbouring CCTV cameras.
A grainy video feed police last week claimed to be her running in the opposite direction of where they were searching at the time was later found to be another jogger.
Superintendent Hatt told reporters cameras positioned on the Murphy homestead had captured her walking up the driveway.
But he could not say which way Ms Murphy went after leaving the property despite the video feed capturing her doing so.
‘It captured her leaving the address,’ he said.
It remains unknown who was home at the time Ms Murphy went on her run.
What is known is that she was expected back before 1am to attend a planned brunch appointment.
Ms Murphy’s childhood friend Virginia O’Loughlan told Daily Mail last week she did not believe her friend would have ventured into the rugged area where her phone was last ‘pinged’.
‘There’s no way she would have run that far. Absolutely no way. I’m confident of that,’ she said.
State Emergency Services crews had searched the area where Ms Murphy’s phone last ‘pinged’
On Thursday, State Emergency Services volunteers and police entered the bush in an area between the Canadian Plantation and Yankee Flat Road – about 15kms from Ms Murphy’s home.
‘I believe she was going out for brunch that morning so I believe she would have been home by 9 or 10am,’ she said.
The Commissioner’s call on the investigation will come as another devastating blow to Ms Murphy’s three children.
Just hours earlier, Daily Mail revealed their mother’s beloved dog Ruby had also died in the days after her disappearance after being hit by a car.
Last week, Jessica Murphy urged the public to continue searching for her mum.
‘Mum, we love you so much and we miss you and we need you at home with us, please come home soon, I can’t wait to see you,’ she told reporters.
‘Mum’s a really strong woman, and she’s far too determined to give up this fight.’
EXCLUSIVEREAD MORE: Fresh tragedy for missing jogger Samantha Murphy’s family
Samantha Murphy poses for a photo with her husband Mick, above