Australia - Arthur Haines, 13, died in suspicious house fire, Waterloo NSW - 9 April 1998

[Bohemian]

Police seek answers 20 years after Arthur, 13, died in suspicious house fire

‘Arthur [Haines], aged 13, was staying overnight at a friend's house on Walker Street in Waterloo on April 9, 1998, when a blaze broke out about 10.30pm.

He suffered serious injuries and was taken to The Children's Hospital at Westmead, where he died 11 weeks later.

Examination of the crime scene found the fire was deliberately lit, and Strike Force Belemba was established to investigate.

Redfern Police Area Commander Superintendent Andrew Holland said officers were still investigating, but they needed community help to solve the case.’

‘The superintendent urged anyone with information to contact police, which can be done anonymously through Crime Stoppers.

"We’re really interested in anyone that has information to come forward, and we’re hoping that after 20 years we can provide some answers, and maybe some closure for a family that has mourned the loss of their son for 20 years."’

‘A $100,000 reward is still on offer for any information that could lead to a successful prosecution.’

 

[Beagle]

curious that everyone else managed to get out without any injuries

bumpimg

 

[dotr]

June 29 2020

''A million dollars has today been offered to solve a 22-year-old cold case of the death of 13-year-old Arthur Haines who died in a fire at a Waterloo home in 1998''

 

[dotr]

''Arthur Haines, 13, was staying at a friend's house in Sydney's Waterloo when a fire ripped through the home at about 10.30pm on Thursday April 9, 1998''

Reward for information about Sydney house fire that killed Arthur Haines increases to $1million | Daily Mail Online
June 28 2020
''Who killed Arthur? Police announce $1million reward as they ramp up investigation into cold case Molotov firebombing that killed 13-year-old boy

• Arthur Haines, 13, died after becoming trapped in a fire in Sydney in 1998
• Investigators believe a Molotov cocktail was thrown at the building late at night
• No one has been charged for the blaze, Homicide Squad is now re-investigating
• NSW Government has now increased the reward for information to $1 million''

''He had to run through the fire to escape and suffered burns to 60 per cent of his body.''

''In 2001, an inquest into the death heard how there were tensions between neighbours on Walker Street in the months before the explosive was thrown but no one was ever charged.''

Arthur had been sleeping in a room on the top floor of the home on Walker Street when a molotov cocktail was thrown at the building (pictured: The charred remains of the home)

 

[Bohemian]

‘Homicide Squad detectives will seek the extradition of a man who was arrested by the Queensland Police Service on a NSW warrant for the 1998 alleged murder of Redfern teenager Arthur Haines.’

Latest News - NSW Police Public Site

www.police.nsw.gov.au

 

[dotr]

August 18 2022

Huge breakthrough in cold case killing of a teenage boy in house fire

Detectives have arrested and are seeking the extradition of a man who was arrested by the Queensland Police on a NSW warrant for the 1998 alleged murder of Redfern teenager Arthur Haines.

www.dailymail.co.uk

''Following lengthy inquiries and public appeals for information, Homicide Squad detectives were granted an arrest warrant for the 55-year-old recently.

The man was arrested around 11am on Wednesday by detectives from the Queensland Police Service Homicide Investigation Unit at a Brisbane home.

NSW Police detectives have since travelled to Queensland, where they will apply for the man's extradition to NSW at Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday.''

 

[dotr]

Man charged with cold case murder of 13yo boy in Sydney house fire

Gregory John Walker was extradited from Queensland to face charges over the fatal fire in inner Sydney that police allege was the result of a dispute between neighbours. WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that the following story contains images of a person who...

www.abc.net.au

''Gregory John Walker, 55, was today charged with murder and six counts of damaging property with intent to endanger life after being extradited from Queensland.

Detectives claim Mr Walker threw a petrol bomb at the house after falling out with the family who lived there.

"Police will allege this stemmed from a neighbour dispute and it escalated very quickly," Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said.

He said Arthur was "completely innocent" and "was unable to get out of the house".

Police say five other people were in the house when it was set alight, including a one-year-old baby girl.''

Accused killer charged with murder of teenage boy burned to death

Gregory John Walker, 55, was charged with the murder of Arthur Haines, 13, who was burned to death in his friend's house in Sydney in 1998.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Gregory John Walker (pictured being escorted by police on Friday), 55, was charged with the murder of 13-year-old Arthur Haines on Friday