The man charged with the murder of missing Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy has reportedly been taken from prison to the bushland where she went missing as the search for the 51-year-old continues.
As reported by The Herald Sun, Patrick Orren Stephenson is believed to have been escorted under police guard to the Canadian Forest region near Ballarat late last year and is expected to be taken again shortly.
The publication said it has not confirmed the reason Stephenson was removed from prison, which would have required special approval from the most senior chiefs at Victoria Police and Corrections Victoria.
It is not suggested Stephenson knows the whereabouts of the body or that he was involved in the alleged murder.
In a statement, Victoria Police said it will not be commenting on this story “as the matter is before the court”. It also said this investigation remains a significant priority.
Murphy, a mother of three, was last seen leaving her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat East for a morning run on February 4 last year. After the 51-year-old failed to return home, an investigation into her disappearance was launched.
A body has yet to be found, although her discarded mobile phone was discovered four months after her disappearance in the Enfield State Forest, buried on the edge of a dam.
Multiple searches have been conducted at Enfield State Park, Canadian Forest and Buninyong Bushland Reserve since last year by officers, volunteers, and SES workers.
Stephenson, the son of former Richmond and Geelong AFL player Orren Stephenson, was charged with the murder in March last year, one month after the disappearance.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charge and elected to fast-track the case in order to go to Supreme Court for trial.
Investigations remain underway, with the trial expected to begin later in the year.
Anyone with information regarding Murphy’s disappearance is urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000.
Lead image: Victoria Police / AAP Photos
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