A man accused of killing Samantha Murphy has been hospitalised after reportedly attempting to take his own life.

Patrick Orren Stephenson, 24, is understood to have undertaken the act at Melbourne Assessment Prison.

A Department of Justice and Community Safety spokesman confirmed a prisoner was transported to hospital for medical assessment on Friday.

Stephenson has been accused of killing Ms Murphy after she disappeared while on a run near her Ballarat home, in Victoria, on February 4, 2024.

Her family reported the 51-year-old missing later that day after she failed to show up to brunch.

Stephenson was charged one month after Ms Murphy vanished. 

He has pleaded not guilty to murder and awaits trial.

The 24-year-old is the son of former AFL player Orren Stephenson. 

Ms Murphy's body has never been found.

Extensive searches for her remains have taken place with particular focus on the Enfield State Park, Canadian Forest and Buninyong Bushland Reserve.

Her credit cards, licence and iPhone were located in mud at the bottom of a dam in Buninyong in May 2024.

Ms Murphy's disappearance led to an outpouring of grief in the Ballarat community and the nation, with an influx of volunteers joining the searches.

Detective Inspector Dave Dunstan said in 2025 police had worked tirelessly to find her remains.

'While nothing can erase their grief and loss, being able to return Samantha to her family has always been incredibly important to us,' he said.

'I want to reaffirm to the community that the Missing Persons Squad remains committed to doing everything we can to locate Samantha ... we still believe we can locate her.

'This year we will continue to conduct searches in the Ballarat area, including searches in areas highlighted by intelligence derived from a number of sources.'

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