After decades of campaigning, the family of a Gomeroi teenager — whose body was found on train tracks in regional New South Wales — say they welcome news of a fresh inquest into his death despite still feeling "numb".
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains images and names of people who have died.
The body of 17-year-old Mark Anthony Haines was discovered eight kilometres south of Tamworth on January 16, 1988.
He had died from a traumatic head injury and suffered substantial blood loss.
The family marked the 35th anniversary of Mr Haines' death only weeks ago and pressed for another formal investigation into his death.
His Uncle Don Craigie said he was contacted this week by the NSW Crown Solicitor's Office and told a new inquest would be held.
"I'm kind of numb. I have been this way for a long time but the family welcomes this," Mr Craigie said.
"It has been a long journey, 35 years now."
Previous inquests raise more questions
Two coronial inquests returned open findings into Mr Haines' death and raised more questions than answers.
In 2018, the Police State Crime Command reopened an investigation into the death after the ABC podcast, Blood On The Tracks, shed new light on the story, and NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge advocated for it.
NSW Police at the time offered a $500,000 reward for information in relation to his death, and believed people in the community knew what had happened and had not come forward.
Last year homicide detectives handed a review of the case to the coroner.
The family has always maintained the investigation into the teenager's death has not been taken seriously enough by authorities because he was a 17-year-old Aboriginal boy.
"This was right out of character for our boy," Mr Cragie said.
"Looking over all the evidence and going over the scene, we have always said this does not add up and I believe he has met with foul play.
"There are so many pieces to this puzzle, and it would only take one piece to pull this altogether."
'Walking the streets'
Mr Cragie said not all people mentioned in previous inquiries and investigations had given evidence and suspected as many as 40 witnesses would be called to the new inquest.
"The community should know, just in case the boy met did meet with foul play … those perpetrators are still walking the streets of Tamworth and other communities," he said.
He hopes the inquest brings the family "closure" but says he knows "there will be a further journey".
"I made promises to Mark's mother, father and his grandmother, that I will, with my last breath, be seeking to find out what has happened to our boy," Mr Cragie said.
"Mark Anthony Haines has not been forgotten and never will."
