Man accused of murdering Samantha Murphy pleads not guilty

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The man charged with murdering Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy has pleaded not guilty. Patrick Orren Stephenson is accused of murdering the Ballarat mother in February this year.

Transcript

00:0023-year-old Patrick Oren Stevenson appeared via video link from custody this morning into

00:07the Ballarat Magistrates Court where he officially entered a not guilty plea.

00:11Mr Stevenson stands accused of murdering 51-year-old mother of three Samantha Murphy.

00:17Today he elected to waive his right to committal proceedings and instead will be fast-tracked

00:22directly to the Supreme Court where it's expected he will stand trial.

00:26Also Ms Murphy disappeared from her Ballarat East home in February to go for a job.

00:31She hasn't been seen since and there have been numerous attempts to recover her remains.

00:36Back in May her phone was found at the bottom of a dam close to the Enfield State Forest

00:40where another search for her remains was recently launched back in September.

00:45Today Mick Murphy, Ms Murphy's husband, appeared in the court to listen to the proceedings.

00:50He declined to speak with media.

00:52The next step in this case will be that Mr Patrick Oren Stevenson will appear in the

00:56Supreme Court again at the end of this month.

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