The key Samantha Murphy question that still hasn't been answered after she ... trends now
It's been three months since beloved mother-of-three Samantha Murphy went missing and her family are no closer to knowing where her body may be.
The 51-year-old left her home in Ballarat East, northwest of Melbourne, on February 4, for her usual morning run but never returned.
Her disappearance made headlines around the country, sparked countless police and community-led searches and left her husband Mick and their three children devastated.
In early March, Patrick Orren Stephenson, 22, was charged with her alleged murder.
Police allege Ms Murphy was killed on the day she went missing in the Canadian State Forest but no trace of her has been found since she vanished.
Stephenson has not entered a plea and it's understood he has not cooperated with police and questions still remain as to where her body could be.
Criminal psychologist Tim Watson-Munro said it is unlikely any more information into what happened to Ms Murphy will be made public in the near future.
It's been three months since beloved mother-of-three Samantha Murphy went missing and her family are no closer to knowing where her body may be
Her disappearance made headlines around the country, sparked countless police and community-led searches and left her husband Mick and their three children devastated
'The accused has reserved his plea and in that setting he's entitled to the presumption of innocence so it's unlikely anymore information regarding her will be coming,' he told Daily Mail Australia.
'I imagine he's maintained his right to silence.'
While speaking generally about those who have been convicted of murder, Mr Watson-Munro said there can be reasons why they stay quiet
'They'd rather go the grave maintaining a position of innocence than an acknowledgement of guilt.'
He said another reason was that they may fear how their loved ones may react.
In early March, Patrick Orren Stephenson, 22, was charged with her alleged murder
In Victoria in 2017, the 'no body, no parole' law was introduced, meaning convicted killers can be refused parole if they don't disclose where their victims were.
The law was introduced in NSW in 2022, and is also used in Queensland and South Australia.
A Victoria Police spokesperson confirmed to Daily Mail Australia there are currently no active searches for Ms Murphy.
'The community has been incredibly impacted by Ms Murphy's disappearance,' Mr Watson-Munro added.
'You'd hope the body could be found for the sake of the family.'
Police used a cadaver dog during the search for the body of Samantha Murphy in Enfield State Park in Ballarat on April 11
Victoria Police added the investigation was still ongoing and they were 'continuing to do all we can to locate her'.
