Samantha Murphy: Ballarat rocked by death of 23-year-old woman after mother ... trends now

A 'dark cloud' is hanging over the community of a regional Victorian town following the deaths of two women in the space of two months, a criminal psychologist has said.

The locals of Ballarat, northwest of Melbourne, had already been struggling to come to terms with the alleged murder of Samantha Murphy, 51, and have now been dealt another blow following the discovery of a 23-year-old woman's body.

The remains of the young woman from Clunes was discovered in a burnt out car near State Forests Road in Scarsdale, south of Ballarat, on Friday.

The identity of the person who discovered her body and the exact timing of the discovery remains unknown while two men, aged 21 and 22, have been arrested.

Criminal psychologist Tim Watson-Munro said the Murphy case and discovery of the 23-year-old's remains would have a 'profound effect' on the community.

'I'd imagine they're reeling,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'The discovery of the dead woman would be very triggering for them. On a more generic level, people are probably wondering how safe it is in that part of the world.'

Ms Murphy was last seen going for a run in Ballarat East on February 4.

Her remains have not been found and on March 7, Patrick Orren Stephenson, 22, was charged with Ms Murphy's alleged murder.

A Victoria Police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Monday there are no updates in the search for her remains. 

The population of Ballarat is about 100,000, compared to Melbourne which has about 5 million residents.

'Two women that have been presumed dead in roughly the space of two months, I think these sorts of (alleged) crimes have a profound impact on small communities,' Mr Watson-Munro said.

'It's a bit of a dark cloud over them.'