There are always two sides to a story.
And beneath those two sides there are the multiple layers that give light, shade and depth to the black and white of a news event.
The black and white: A son kills his mother in a most gruesome manner in Kalgoorlie in 2005.
The layers: A young man, forced to assume adult responsibility when he, his siblings and disabled mother are abandoned by their father when he is an adolescent, dedicates his life to caring for his broken family while dealing with the trauma of overwhelming responsibility at a young age.
He then is himself overwhelmed by psychosis which tells him to kill his mother.
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More than two weeks have passed since the first news alert was issued by WA Police with a public appeal to find a man who had left a care facility in Claremont.
As the day went on, fragments of information about the person police were keen to find were sparse, creating a vacuum of information and communication and prompting the media to fill the blanks.
As a result, the story catapulted up news lists and the headlines switched from a search for a vulnerable person into "killer on the loose".
Ironically, it was National Mental Health Week and the bold headlines about a psychotic patient on the loose exploding in the news were sandwiched among the stories of the strides workplaces, communities and public had taken in understanding mental illness.
Two days – on Sunday October 5 - before the police made their first public appeal and the headlines broke, sometime between 8am and 6pm, Samuel Mark Walsh, 38, also known as Enoch Walsh, walked out of Romily House care facility and hasn't been seen.
Why Sam left without his medication, stepped into his silver Hyundai Excel and drove towards the familiar childhood region of the Goldfields is a mystery, says family friend of 35 years Michelle Dunlop.
Michelle was in the United States when news of Sam's disappearance reached her and since then has returned to Western Australia to work desperately with police to locate the man she has known since he was an infant.
"There may be people sheltering him – we hope he's still with us," she said.
"We hope and pray that somehow Sam may read this article, and feel our love and care for him, but we also hope that others beset by mental illness may feel more support and understanding."
Born to profoundly deaf parents, Sam was not even a teenager when his life was turned upside down and he had to take on the responsibility of carer of his mother who had an intellectual handicap and diagnosed schizophrenic, as well as support his younger siblings.
"It was so touching to see Sam interact with his mother, always showing patience and respect," she said.
"He was very proud of the home that he purchased and put in her name so that she would feel secure and he spent years renovating it to ensure that she was comfortable, happy and safe.
"It is an exceptional young man who is prepared to sacrifice his young years to dedicate his life to his mother."
Michelle says after many years of caring for his mother, Sam's own physical and mental health began to deteriorate and it became apparent that it was becoming too much for him.
"He tried reaching out for support, and despite numerous attempts to receive help, the seriousness of the situation was not recognised.
Shortly after this, Michelle says, Sam developed traits of paranoid schizophrenia and believed that voices were telling him to take his mother's life.
"It may be hard to reconcile [to readers] that someone could commit such a heinous crime, especially against one's mother, however, during this psychotic episode, in Sam's mind he believed he was saving his mother and believed that he was told by God to take this action," she said.
"He told me that he didn't want to do it, but that he was too scared not to. He also shared that immediately after he committed this act, the voices in his head ceased and he realised the impact of what he had done and took himself to the Kalgoorlie Police Station and confessed."
Sam was acquitted of murder in 2007 after a Supreme Court trial with Justice Geoffrey Miller ruling he was not criminally responsible for his action. In 2006 Sam had been admitted to Graylands Hospital and was there during the trial.
He remained in Graylands while his health improved then was relocated to Romily House in Claremont.
Concerned about his reaction to the media coverage, his sister, who requested to remain anonymous, wanted to tell Sam many people loved and believed in him and, like her, were heartbroken that he is missing and hurting.
"All those who have the privilege of knowing and loving Sam know that he does not deserve the judgments and hurtful comments of people who have no understanding of this young man, his background, his rehabilitation, his nature or the facts," said in a statement to Fairfax Media.
Carer Judith describes Sam as "the epitome of a perfect resident".
"Sam is a very valued member of the Romily family and very much loved and cared about.
"Sam is determined to always do the right thing and do his utmost to always be there for his friends and the staff who are mostly women.
"Life throws curved balls for us at some times in our life and mental illness is one of them.
"The news of Sam's disappearance has caused unnecessary panic and vitriol about someone we have grown to know as a gentle man who wouldn't harm another soul and I would trust him with my life".
A nationwide search led by WA Police is underway and Michelle heads the public appeal to help locate – not fear – Sam and return him to care.
"Sam was keen to gradually assimilate into the community and he was attending TAFE and working part time, at all times respecting the requirements of Romily House and returning on time, without exception.
"Sam was a hard worker and reliable and well liked by fellow workmates.
"What is terribly sad to me, and others who know Sam well, is that the unkind, hostile and callous headlines and comments directed towards this young man may have hurt him beyond being able to face returning.
"For all we know Sam may have just wanted a couple of days to himself, with every intention of returning as always to his supportive friends at Romily House.
But, after the public reaction to the sensational and misleading headlines and comments about Sam, to return to face this hostility would be more than most could bear, especially someone like Sam, who is a sensitive, gentle young man," Michelle says.
