The Discovery of a Woman’s Shoe in Remote Bushland Marks a Pivotal Moment in the 11-Month Hunt – Police Renew Appeals as Family Clings to Hope Amid Mounting Evidence

 A breakthrough in the desperate search for missing Ballarat East mother-of-three Samantha Murphy has offered a glimmer of progress – and a grim reminder of the tragedy’s toll – as Victoria Police declared a crime scene in remote bushland near Scotsburn after discovering a woman’s shoe believed to belong to the 51-year-old. The item, found by specialist cadaver dogs during a targeted sweep of the Lerderderg State Park on Tuesday afternoon, marks the first potential physical link to Murphy since she vanished while on a morning jog on February 4, 2025. “This is a significant development,” Detective Superintendent Mark Kennedy told a packed press conference in Ballarat, his voice measured but eyes shadowed. “We’re treating the area as a crime scene and pursuing all leads with urgency.” As the family clings to fragile hope 11 months on, the find has reignited the public’s resolve – and the anguish of a community that refuses to forget.

Murphy, a devoted mother to daughters Olivia (24), Madeline (22), and Bridget (20), disappeared without a trace from her quiet suburban street in Ballarat East, a regional Victorian town of 110,000 known for its gold rush heritage and family-friendly vibe. CCTV captured her leaving home at 6:13 a.m. in activewear and running shoes, her phone later pinging near Mount Clear before going dead. The case, initially treated as a missing person inquiry, escalated to homicide after 48 hours when no trace emerged. Over 5,000 tips flooded in, volunteers combed 200 square kilometers of bushland, and drones scoured the Lerderderg River, but months yielded only false leads – a discarded jacket, a false sighting in Melbourne.

The shoe discovery came during Operation Valour, a renewed push involving 50 detectives and forensic teams from the Missing Persons Squad. Cadaver dogs alerted to a ravine 15 kilometers from Murphy’s home, where a single black Nike running shoe – size 7, consistent with Samantha’s – was unearthed under leaf litter. “It’s a potential match, but we’re not confirming until forensics,” Kennedy said. The area, dense with eucalyptus and blackberry thickets, has been cordoned off as a 2-hectare crime scene, with ground-penetrating radar deployed to scan for remains. “We’re hopeful this leads to answers – for Samantha, for her girls,” Kennedy added, praising the family’s “unwavering strength.”

Samantha’s daughters issued a statement through police: “Mum’s shoe – it’s a sign she’s out there, waiting for us. We beg anyone with info to come forward.” Husband Mick Murphy, 53, a local electrician, has kept vigil daily, his face etched with exhaustion. “Sam’s a fighter – this is her way of saying ‘find me,’” he told The Age. The family, supported by the Missing Persons Register, has raised $150,000 for private investigators, but Mick’s plea remains: “Eleven months is too long – bring her home.”

The find coincides with a national review of missing women cases, prompted by 2025’s 1,200 unsolved disappearances. Victoria Police’s Operation Valour, launched in October, has reviewed 50 tips, including a “person of interest” – a local man with a history of violence – questioned but released. “We’re closer than ever,” Kennedy said.

Ballarat, still scarred by the 2023 West Gate Tunnel collapse inquiries, rallies for Samantha. Vigils draw hundreds, with pink ribbons (her favorite color) lining streets. As the search intensifies, one truth endures: Samantha Murphy’s light hasn’t dimmed – it’s guiding the way home.