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IN PHOTO: Mourners carry the gold-plated casket of murdered gang figure Carl Williams at his funeral service in Melbourne April 30, 2010. Williams was beaten to death with the stem of an exercise bike in a maximum-security prison last week, while serving a minimum 35-year sentence for gang related murders. REUTERS/Mick Tsikas

A new report from Australian Institute of Criminology reveals that Arson-homicides in Australia have almost doubled in 20 years. However, it’s important to mention that overall national murder rate reflects a decline in the same period.

The report titled: Arson-associated homicide in Australia: A five year follow up, discloses there is a rise in arson-related murders by over 44 percent in the 2000s as opposed to 1990s. "This supports the previous Australian findings that indicated that offenders may now be using fire in homicides more frequently than previously," the report states.

The study further reveals, 23 percent of arson homicide victims, also considered as its largest proportion, were the current intimate partner of the offender. However, the lead author and Queensland University of Technology’s forensic criminologist, Dr. Claire Ferguson informed the ABC, the number of cases are so few -- 123 between 1989 and 2010 that it is hard to define trends. "In most of the cases the offender knew the victim, it wasn't necessarily domestic violence," Dr. Ferguson added.

Who Do They Target

Almost 84 percent of arson-homicides are reportedly involved one victim. According to the research, often several offenders planned the arson homicide by setting victim’s house of fire. "What we saw a lot more often in this was setting fire to structures rather than people," Dr. Ferguson said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ferguson said it was not clear why arson-homicide was on the rise, so she added, "It might be some indication offenders are potentially getting better in terms of wanting to destroy evidence and wanting to evade capture.”

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