Police offer $500,000 for information on fatal Truganina house fire linked to tobacco wars
Katie Tangey was killed in an arson attack at a wrongly targeted home in Melbourne in January. (Supplied: Victoria Police)
In short:
A $500,000 reward has been offered for information linked to a fatal house fire in Truganina in Melbourne's west.
The incident, described by police said as a targeted arson attack made at the wrong address, killed 27-year-old Katie Tangey and a family dog.
What's next?
An investigation remains ongoing, with police recirculating a digital image of a man they would like to speak to about the fire.
Victoria Police have announced a $500,000 reward for information relating to a fatal arson attack in Melbourne's west early this year involving a mistakenly targeted home.
The incident at Truganina on January 16 killed 27-year-old Katie Tangey.
Ms Tangey had been house-sitting for her brother while he was overseas when the home was set alight and became engulfed in flames, trapping her and the family dog inside and destroying the three-storey townhouse.
Police believe the fire was linked to Victoria's tobacco wars, but have said the house on Dover Street was not the intended target of the attack and that Ms Tangey had no links to the state's illicit tobacco trade.
"Those responsible for Katie's death know they targeted the wrong house and they have to live with the knowledge that they are responsible for the horrific death of a completely innocent young woman," Detective Inspector Chris Murray said.
An investigation led by Victoria Police's Arson and Explosives Squad has been underway since February, with search warrants carried out at areas across Melbourne in recent months.
Underground tobacco trade 'front and centre' to incident
Detective Inspector Murray said on Monday that police believed the arson attack had links to Melbourne tobacco kingpin Kazem "Kaz" Hamad.
"From the information we have, the illegal tobacco trade is front and centre in relation to why this incident occurred," he said.
"But I'm not suggesting that he deliberately targeted and killed an innocent girl."
Police have said there are looking to identify two persons of interest, including a man whose digitally composed image was released in April.
An image of a man police wish to speak to in relation to the fatal house fire in January. (Supplied: Victoria Police)
He is described as Middle Eastern in appearance, aged between 25 and 30 years old, and as having a slim build.
At the time of the fire in January, police said CCTV captured two people parked outside the Truganina home before an explosion occurred and the pair left the area.
A reward of up to $500,000 has been offered for anyone who can lead police to the apprehension and subsequent conviction of the person or persons responsible for the death of Ms Tangey.
Detective Inspector Murray said police's plea for assistance was "not a general call to the community, but those within the criminal fraternity".
The investigation remains ongoing.