A 16 year old Ricky Balcombe was stabbed in a mall called Market Square shopping centre in Geelong on the 5th of May 1995 at 3.20pm. The centre is surrounded by Little Malop, Moorabool, Malop, and Yarra Street. Market Square is located on the southern side of Malop Street in Geelong.
Ricky Balcombe was involved in a red bandanna gang, also known as main street criminals, also known as Townies.
Ricky Balcombe would frequent at the mall. Prior to heading into the mall Ricky and his best friend Paul Bellia were at the Golden Cue parlour where they used to sell heroin and weed.

Whilst Ricky and Paul were heading into Market Square the killer approached them from the front, best friend made contact with the killer, giving a different description of the offender to Victoria Police. 

The murder took place at around 3.20pm infront of victim's and unknown bystanders like Elizabeth Todorovska who was reluctant to come forward.

Here is what you need to know about Karl Hague and this crime:

- Karl Hague was born and raised in Geelong, Victoria Australia.

- Karl Hague was a 21 year old in 1995, there is no evidence to suggest he was involved in a gang.

-Karl Hague's love for cars and women was his pride and joy in 1995.

-The crime took place at Market Square with many shops in the building, hundreds of people enter and exit the building. NO-ONE placed Karl Hague at the crime scene.

- The murder weapon was found at the crime scene; it has been revealed that it was bagged up and sent to forensic experts on that same day. What we do know that at 9.15pm somewhat 6 hours later after the crime occurred, fingerprint expert Shelley Morton attended the crime scene examined the telephones, electrical and telephone areas, both sides of the main exit door into the Geelong mall and the handrails in this corridor. The murder weapon was retained by Morton for fingerprinting. POLICE STATEMENT IN EVIDENCE.

- Karl Hague voluntarily gives his DNA and Karl's DNA is excluded from the murder weapon found at the crime scene. FORENSIC REPORT IN EVIDENCE.

- Karl Hague voluntarily participates in I.D identification parades also known as a LINE UPS; witnesses who witnessed the killer did not point out Karl Hague as the killer.  I.D PARADE IN EVIDENCE.

- Karl had an air-tight alibi, his mother Joyce a former prison guard witnessed her son being at home around 3pm, Joyce had then asked the lead detective Mr. Ron Iddles when he questioned Karl Hague at his home on the 8th of May 1995 in relation to the murder, if she can put in a police statement, he then dismissed her request.

- Karl did not drive a car around at that time, Karl only had a pushbike. Joyce witnessed her son Karl on his push bike riding down the driveway sometime after 3pm.

- To drive from where Karl had lived at that time to Market Square would take about 20minutes-25minutes drive depending on the traffic.

- Ford factory, traffic stops, and other areas had available CCTV footages where Karl was riding his pushbike, however Victoria Police did not check out Karl Hague's alibi.

- According to police officer Brett Dawson cctv footages were seized from the mall on the 5th of May 1995 and according to detective Iddles he viewed the cctv footage until 2100 (9pm) - CHECK DIARY

- Karl was charged in 1996 and spent 1 year in prison on remand for the murder, however in 1998- Karl received a call from lawyers stating the murder charge has been dropped and that a Nolle Prosequi was issued.

THIS CASE EVENTUALLY BECAME A COLD CASE UNTIL:


-March 2017 a million-dollar cold case program was aired on channel 7 with over 600,000 viewers tuning in.
A million dollars was offered to help secure the conviction.
The program showed the murder weapon, the location, the victim's name and the suspects name Karl Hague.
Karl, Hague or Karl Hague was mentioned more then 38 times in 8 minutes on this program,
Detective Lisa Metcher told the viewers that there was no DNA found on the murder weapon, which she was intentionally misleading the viewers.
Detective Ron Iddles also explained to the viewers how the red bandanna gang ruled Geelong and did not respect the police.

6 INDIVDUALS PUT IN A POLICE STATEMENT AND ONE UPDATED VERSION POLICE STATEMENT AFTER THE MILLION DOLLAR REWARD WAS OFFERED;

TWO WERE VICTIMS' FRIENDS 

Briony Eccles-  A prostitute and a drug user and did not put in a police statement prior to 2017. POLICE STATEMENT PROVIDED 11TH OF MAY 2017 IN CORIO,
Christopher Lawson-  Did not put in a police statement prior to 2017. POLICE STATEMENT PROVIDED 19TH OF APRIL 2017 IN IDALLIA.
Janelle Landy- Did not put in a police statement prior to 2017- POLICE STATEMENT PROVIDED 30TH OF MARCH 2017 IN LARA.
 Victims best friend PAUL BELLIA who changed his police statements 5 times and has excessive mental health issues.  POLICE STATEMENT PROVIDED 23RD OF OCTOBER 2017
Stephen Cramer- Victims friend updated the police statement - POLICE STATEMENT 8th OF MARCH 2018 IN MELBOURNE



-August 2017 Karl Hague was charged by detective Lisa Metcher and remanded in custody for the 1995 murder.

PROSECUTORS AND VICTORIA POLICE MOTIVE:

-On the night of 21st of April 1995 victims' friends Nick Munn, Nick Munn's deceased brother now, S.C, P.B and a group Asian appearance of 30 attacked a car with machetes, axe and knives that Karl Hague and three other people were sitting in, the car did not belong to Karl Hague or his friend David Lewin, the police allege it was a retaliation for the car attack.

WRONGFULLY CONVICTED IN 2018:

-February 2018 Karl Hague's trial lasted for four weeks; the jury found Karl Hague guilty at the Supreme Court Melbourne Victoria. The judge residing on this case was Supreme Court Judge Lasry.