Pro Football Player’s Son Murdered Mom of 3 Who Disappeared While Jogging, Police Say

Patrick Orren Stephenson is the 22-year-old son of a former Australian professional football player who is accused of murdering mother of three Samantha Murphy, who disappeared while jogging.

“Police are yet to recover Samantha’s body and the investigation remains ongoing,” Victoria police wrote in a March 6 news release announcing the arrest. Murphy, 51, disappeared on February 4 while going for a morning run in Ballarat, Victoria, in Australia. Police believe she is no longer alive, 1News reported.

So far, one link between Murphy and Stephenson has emerged. Murphy volunteered “in the uniform shop at St Francis Xavier Primary School where 22-year-old Stephenson, an electrical apprentice from Ballarat, attended when he was a child,” 7News reported. Police had previously said they did not believe the two knew each other.

Stephenson’s name was released after Australian courts lifted a suppression order on the suspect’s identity at the request of multiple news outlets, ABC.net.au reported.

It was revealed that Stephenson “is from the Ballarat area and is the son of former AFL player Orren Stephenson,” according to ABC Australia. The AFL is an Australian football league.

Multiple female joggers have been murdered over the years in the United States as well.

Here’s what you need to know:

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1. Police Believe Patrick Orren Stephenson ‘Deliberately Attacked’ Samantha Murphy

According to the BBC, police believe Stephenson “deliberately attacked Ms Murphy on the day of her disappearance in a bushland area where she was known to exercise, near her East Ballarat home.”

A news release from Victoria police revealed that “Detectives from the Missing Persons Squad have this afternoon charged a man as part of their investigation into the disappearance of Ballarat East woman Samantha Murphy.”

“A 22-year-old Scotsburn man was arrested at his home address shortly after 6am on Wednesday, 6 March,” the release says. “He was subsequently interviewed by police and charged with one count of murder. The man will face Ballarat Magistrates’ Court this afternoon.”

According to the release, Murphy “was last seen leaving her Eureka Street home about 7am on Sunday, 4 February. Today’s charge follows a significant investigation and extensive searches of the Canadian Forest area over the past month.”

According to Victoria police, “These searches have involved a range of specialist units from across Victoria Police and many local community members have also volunteered their time to assist the search.”

Detective Acting Superintendent Mark Hatt, Crime Command said in the release, “Our thoughts today are with Samantha’s family and friends. Since Samantha’s disappearance at the start of February, a significant search and investigation has been undertaken in an effort to find her.”

The superintendent added: “I know that Samantha’s disappearance has had a profound impact on the Ballarat community and I want to thank all of those people who have assisted police in many different ways over the past month.”

According to ABC, it’s not clear what led police to Stephenson.

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2. Patrick Orrin Stephenson Played Junior Football & Was a College Student

According to ABC Australia, Stephenson “played junior football for the Redan Football Netball Club.”

He was a college student at St Patrick’s College in Ballarat and then Damascus College in Mount Clear, Australia, the site reported.

Stephenson was arrested while house sitting with his girlfriend, 7 News reported. News.com.au also reported that police were using cell phone data as part of the investigation.

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3. Patrick Orrin Stephenson Went on a ‘Pub Crawl’ the Night Before the Attack That Was Captured on Video, Reports Say

According to Daily Mail, Stephenson joined friends for a “pub crawl.”

The Herald Sun published video of Stephenson the night before the murder, saying his friends described him as going on a “bender.”

Daily Mail reported that “a video that circulated on Snapchat from the party appears to show lines of white powder racked up on a mobile phone,” but indicated there was no evidence tying Stephenson to it.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that investigators were trying to find surveillance video of Stephenson from that night.

His girlfriend, Meg Harbour, a veterinary student, has locked her Facebook page.

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4. Samantha Murphy, Who Was Described as a ‘Dedicated Mother’ Who Helped Run a Car Repair Business, Was Reported Missing When She Didn’t Show Up for a Brunch

According to Daily Mail, the first sign something was wrong came when Murphy did not show up for a brunch.

She was married to husband Michael, 7 News reported.

“Mum we love you so much and we miss you. We need you at home with us. Please come home soon,” her daughter Jess Murphy said, according to BBC. Jess Murphy is roughly the same age as Stephenson, Daily Mail reported.

1News reported that Murphy and her husband “run a car repair business near their Ballarat East home,” noting she was described as a “caring friend, a valued Ballarat community member and a dedicated mother.”

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5. Orren Stephenson, the Suspect’s Dad, Is a Former AFL Player With 3 Children

Orren Stephenson, the former AFL player who is Patrick Stephenson’s father, was described as “a husband to his high school sweetheart Whitney, and a father to three children,” according to a 2013 article in Richmond FC.

That article described him as “one of a kind.” That same year, AFL wrote, “His eldest daughter, Emilie, will soon turn 14, his son Patrick will soon be 12. Sophie, the youngest, turned 10 earlier this year.”

According to Daily Mail, at 30, Orren Stephenson was “the oldest first-round draft pick in the history of the sport.”

AFL continued, “Orren Stephenson had three kids by the time he was 20, now he’s reveling in sharing his AFL revival with those closest to him.”

“It’s been fantastic and a massive bonus. For my wife and the kids, it’s something they’ll never forget so I’m pretty blessed to be able to share it with them,” Stephenson told AFL.com.au.

“Patrick last year was rolling around the rooms with the Geelong Cats and this year he’s rolling around with the Richmond Tiger boys.”

Of the dad, AFL wrote, “He was the oldest first-time recruit in draft history when picked up at 29, becoming a Cat after winning three VFL premierships with North Ballarat.”

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