HOW IT UNFOLDED

May 5, 1995: Ricky Balcombe, 16, of Newcomb, is stabbed near the lifts in Market Square Shopping Centre, and dies shortly after at Geelong Hospital.

May 11, 1995: More than 400 mourners pay tribute to Ricky at a funeral service at Hepner’s Newcomb chapel.

May 22, 1995: Police say they have identified a number of suspects for the murder.

September 18, 1995: Police announce a $50,000 reward for information leading to Ricky’s killer.

October 29, 1996: A 23-year-old man appears in Geelong Magistrates’ Court charged with the stabbing murder.

February 6, 1998: The Director of Public Prosecutions decides not to proceed with the case against the accused man, just nine days before it is due to go to trial.

May 1, 2015: Homicide Squad Acting Inspector Boris Buick said police were applying to increase the $50,000 reward to $1 million. “There will be people out there who know what happened to Ricky — probably from the mouth of the killer.”

March 2017: A new $1 million reward for information about the murder is offered. Ricky’s story is given national prominence through Channel 7’s new true crime series Million Dollar Cold Case.

March 2017: Homicide Squad detectives are urging a mystery caller to come forward, believing they have crucial information about the murder weapon and clothing worn by Ricky’s killer.

August 16, 2017: Police arrest and charge 44-year-old Bell Post Hill man Karl Hague with the murder of Ricky. The accused is remanded in custody ahead of a hearing in the Melbourne Supreme Court on August 30.