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An iPhone found beside a dam on the outskirts of Ballarat yesterday belongs to missing mother Samantha Murphy, 9News understands.
Police wrapped up their search last night in the Buninyong area, after discovering "some items of interest", which will now be forensically tested.
Murphy, 51, was last seen leaving her home on Eureka Street in Ballarat East to go for a run in the Canadian State Forest on the morning of February 4.
READ MORE: How the investigation into the disappearance of Samantha Murphy unfolded
She has not yet been found, but on March 8, 22-year-old Patrick Orren Stephenson was charged with her murder.
Detectives from the Missing Persons Squad, together with a range of specialist resources including federal police, spent hours yesterday searching south of Buninyong, about five kilometres south of where Samantha's phone last pinged to a mobile phone tower.
9News has footage of police examining a phone inside a wallet-like cover with identification cards inside from beside the dam about 12.25pm.
Police confirmed "some items of interest" were found, which will be forensically tested.
A source close to the investigation has told 9News the iPhone found near the dam has been confirmed to be Murphy's.
READ MORE: Authorities continue search for man who disappeared two decades ago
Detectives today said there was no update on the forensic assessment of the items and confirmed the search had concluded.
Police said they "have been regularly undertaking a range of enquiries and small-scale searches as part of the current investigation" since Murphy went missing.
Murphy's family has also been advised of the developments.
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