Detective Murphy

"I wanna make sure we get enough to put this bitch away for good."

Detective Murphy is a police detective working for the Fairview Police Department. He was a friend and colleague of detective Chuck Vance.

Season 6
Murphy is introduced as a colleague of Detective Furst, and one of two detectives Susan and Mike Delfino go to, hoping to get the detectives to interrogate Katherine Mayfair as they believe she is responsible for attacking Julie Mayer, Susan's daughter. The two pompous detectives do not believe it was Katherine and find it hilarious that Susan believes Katherine mistook her for Julie, even in the dim light of night. They sarcastically tell Susan that they will continue to treat it as a random attack unless there is actual evidence. Just as Mike and Susan are about to give up, a female detective, Denise Lapera, offers to look into Katherine and after they leave she informs the other detectives that she and Susan go way back.

Later, Tom and Lynette Scavo address the detectives, saying that Nick Bolen had been having an affair with Julie. ("Careful the Things You Say")

Season 7
When Bree Van de Kamp visits her boyfriend Chuck in prison, with the intention of having lunch with him afterwards, he explains he can't make it because he has to interview a robbery witness, and they agree to have dinner together instead. After that, Chuck introduces Bree to his co-workers and adds "See, guys, I didn't make her up". This doesn't bode well for Bree, and neither does the paper clipping she sees on a nearby mural with a picture of Chuck and his former co-worker, Peter, the day they received a medal. Detective Murphy approaches Bree and tells her that Peter and Chuck used to work together. Bree notices the past tense employed, and wonders if anything tragic happened to Peter, but Murphy points out that nothing tragic happened, only something "weird". This leads Bree to believe Chuck was homosexual and had fallen for Peter. ("And Lots of Security...")

Season 8
Chuck Vance is seen sitting at his desk, in a darkened office, looking at the ring he bought for Bree. Detective Murphy comes in and asks if he's still moping about that redhead, to which he replies that he doesn't very much like to be lead on and mocked at. So he won't be letting it go anytime soon. Murphy tells him that he's got some missing person files for him to go through, and Chuck tells him to leave on his desk. He does so, and the top file contains a picture of Alejandro Perez. ("School of Hard Knocks")

Following Chuck's death by hit-and-run, Gabrielle Solis walks over to Detective Murphy at the local police station, and tells him she wanted to stop and say how sorry she was about Officer Vance. She then asks if there's any idea who could have done this, and he asks who she is. Gaby introduces herself, saying she met Chuck through his girlfriend, Bree Van de Kamp, who is a friend of hers. Murphy tells her Bree is a first-class bitch. Gaby instantly tells him she rarely talks to Bree, because of the "bitch" thing, to get on his side. She then sits down and asks if there were any witnesses, and he just goes on talking about Bree, saying everyone there knows what she did, led him on and then broke his heart like it was nothing. He then says he can't believe Chuck wanted to marry her. She pretends to agree with him, saying that marrying Bree would have been the worst that could ever happen to him, and the detective gives her look, which prompts her to correct herself: "Well, second worst." She then asks again if there are any clues, and he says "Not yet", before excusing himself and getting up. She goes after him, and tells him she thinks drunken teenagers may have been behind this, as hitting people with their cars is like a rite of passage for them. She suggests that they check the local and nearby kids, and he tells her it wasn't an accident. There were no skid marks, no attempt to slow down or swerve. Whoever did that was gunning for Chuck. Gaby asks, not so subtly, if anyone got the make of the car or the race of the driver. He tells her no, but adds that they're monitoring everybody sharp in the state. He then tells her not to worry, because a cop was killed, so they are gonna find who did that and they are gonna make them pay big time. Gaby says "okay", and adds that she'll be sure to tell Bree... "that bitch!". Detective Murphy looks confused. ("What's to Discuss, Old Friend?")

Some time later, Detective Gillette opens the envelope sent by Orson Hodge, incriminating Bree for the murder of Ramon Sanchez (Alejandro). He skims the contents, and calls his co-worker, Detective Murphy, telling him he should take a look at it.

Shortly afterwards, Murphy is reading the pages, and Gillette comments on the 'crazy stuff' in there. He asks if there is any chance it could be on the level. Murphy reads aloud the name 'Bree Van de Kamp', and tells his partner that he knows her - she's the one who ripped Chuck's heart out. Murphy tells him he has a feeling about this. Gillette asks if he has enough of a feeling to go dig up a construction site, and Murphy confirms this. They get a move on. ("You Take for Granted")

Later, at Ben Faulkner's construction site, Detective Murphy's officers are in the process of digging up the body of Alejandro Perez. An officer announces that they've found something. The two detectives stare down at semi-concealed body buried deep under ground.

After Detective Heredia questions Bree about the disappearance of Ramón Sanchez, she asks the detective if he has any more questions for her, as, although she'd hate to rush him, she's awfully late for Mike Delfino's funeral. Heredia lets her leave. Just as soon as Bree is out of sight, Heredia asks his colleague, Detective Murphy, what exactly they've gained by bringing her in for questioning. Murphy carefully picks up a mug Bree was previously drinking tea from and replies, "We've got her fingerprints."

Detectives Murphy and Heredia then analyze Bree's fingerprints. Heredia points out to Murphy that her prints found on the coffee cup match the ones they recovered from Alejandro's corpse. Murphy informs his colleague that he never trusted her the whole time she was dating Chuck. Heredia asks if they have enough evidence to arrest the housewife and Murphy replies sternly, "Probably. But lets hold off. I wanna make sure we get enough to put this bitch away for good." ("Women and Death")

Detectives Murphy and Heredia come to Ben Faulkner's house and they both take him down the police station to ask him questions on the body they found at his old construction site. Later, at his office, Murphy tells Heredia that the judge signed off their warrant for Bree Van de Kamp. He admits to calling in a few favors, stating that he wants Bree to pay for her crimes. Days later, Murphy stakes Bree's house and he taps her phone calls and hears her admit to burying something. ("Any Moment")

Detective Murphy is asked by Detective Heredia if his fixation on Bree may be an overreaction caused by Bree dumping Chuck. Detective Murphy reveals he thinks Bree may be the reason Chuck is dead. Determined to convict Bree, Detective Murphy later visits the hotel Alejandro checked himself into to find more evidence against her. He learns that Alejandro had a map of Wisteria Lane and forges Bree's address on it. He then pulls Bree into the station to question her but his plans are foiled by Trip Weston who threatens his job if he continues to interrogate Bree. ("With So Little to Be Sure Of")

Gallery
Gallery of photographic stills released to promote the character.