Samantha Murphy, a 51-year-old mother of three, was last seen on February 4 after telling her husband she was going for a 20km run.

She left her home in Ballarat East but never returned, raising serious concerns for her safety.

Murphy's disappearance has caused significant grief in the Ballarat community and nationwide, prompting an influx of volunteers during the initial search efforts.

Multiple large-scale searches took place in February and March, involving hundreds of volunteers, but her body has not been found.

Over seven months later, police continue to conduct targeted searches for her body, with the latest efforts focusing on the Grenville area.

Searches have also included Woowookarung Regional Park and Enfield State Park, based on phone data intelligence.

In June, police located Murphy's phone near a dam in Buninyong, close to where she was last seen.

In March, 23-year-old Patrick Stephenson was arrested and charged with her alleged murder, described as a deliberate attack.

Stephenson, the son of former AFL player Orren Stephenson, remains in custody and is expected to appear in court in November.

Police have described the amount of evidence produced in the case as 'unprecedented,' yet Ms. Murphy's body has still not been found.

Since her disappearance, law enforcement has conducted various inquiries and small-scale searches as part of the ongoing investigation.

Murphy's family has been kept informed about the ongoing search efforts, which continue to draw public interest and support.