Arthur Haines’ tragic death: mum Julie Szabo still waiting for justice

A white Commodore could be the missing piece in the tragic puzzle of a 13-year-old’s firebombing death, which has left devastated mum Julie Szabo still waiting for justice 24 years later.

A white 1987 VL Commodore could hold the key to the tragic petrol bombing death of a 13-year-old boy, which has left his devastated mum Julie Szabo still searching for justice 24 years later.

Saturday marks another year passed since young Arthur Haines died in a fire at a friend’s house in Waterloo, but it does not stop his mum from lighting a candle in his bedroom or setting up Christmas lights in the front yard.

Nor has it stopped her hunt for the truth.

“It’s my way of saying ‘I’ve still got the lights on for you Arthur’, but I know he’s not coming home,” Ms Szabo said at the family home.

“I never give up on hope, I’ll always want justice for ­Arthur but I didn’t think it would be this long.”

Julie Szabo still leaves a light on in her son Arthur Haines’ bedroom, 24 years after his death. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts

A $1 million reward is still on offer as Homicide Squad Commander Superintendent Danny Doherty used the anniversary of Arthur’s death as an opportunity for an appeal for information on the occupants of a Commodore, believed to have thrown a petrol bomb which claimed the 13-year-old’s life.

Back in 1998, the Molotov cocktail struck a home on Walker St, Waterloo, where Arthur was staying over. It cut short the life of a boy who had a bright future ahead of him and who had planned to go to the Royal Easter Show the next day.

He died eight weeks after the attack from severe burns after walking through the fire in his favourite blue jeans.

“It’s been 24 years to the day since Arthur was horrifically injured in a deliberately lit fire that subsequently took his life and left a mother without her only son,” Superintendent Doherty said.

“I want this anniversary to be seen as a further opportunity for people to come forward with information, and remind everyone that a $1 million reward is still on offer.

“Investigators are still seeking any information on a white 1987 VL Commodore and its occupants who we ­believe were responsible for throwing a Molotov cocktail that caused the fatal fire.”

The make and model of Commodore believed to hold the key to the petrol bomb attack.

Ms Szabo still lives in the Rosebery property she and Arthur shared when he died in 1998 and opened her doors to The Sunday Telegraph for the first time this week.

Inside, Arthur’s spirit and memory still lives on.

“He didn’t deserve this,” Ms Szabo said.

“He had big dreams and he was growing beautifully. I feel like he is always with me here in spirit if not in flesh.”

“Arthur is always on my mind but the day will come when we finally have closure,” Ms Szabo said.

There is a $1 million reward for information into the suspicious fire that caused the death of Arthur Haines, 13. Picture: Supplied

“It’s been so long but I have been hoping we’ll have some closure after 24 years, but when is that day going to come?

“I still work a street away from where it happened so I’m always close to him. He keeps me going and he is ­always with me.”

Ms Szabo has spoken to dozens of people who came forward with information over the past 24 years, offering them a chance to openly disclose what they knew. She believes she has even spoken to Arthur’s killer in that time, before they fled Sydney.

“We know who was involved but the evidence just wasn’t there,” Ms Szabo said.

“There are a lot of people out there who know what happened … it got hard for people to come to me because they got paranoid.

“Put yourself in my situation as a single mother because you’d want to know too. If you do know something, don’t hold on to it – let the truth be revealed.”

Originally published as Arthur Haines’ tragic death: mum Julie Szabo still waiting for justice