Jeffrey Lindsell died in the fire. Now, after a dogged eight-month investigation, police have charged Ms Zukowski with murder over the death of Mr Lindsell. Ms Zukowski, 46, stands accused of deliberately lighting the fire that engulfed the south Sydney property and tampering with the property's mains water supply, depleting the flow of any potentially life-saving water source. Ms Zukowski was arrested at her Marrickville home on Thursday morning by investigators from Strike Force Butler, a specialist team formed by the State Crime Command's Arson Unit, tasked with investigating the fire that killed Mr Lindsell. One of the last photos of Jeffrey Lindsell, taken a few months before his death.

Earlier this year, Fairfax Media exclusively revealed investigators believed the fire was intentionally lit while Mr Lindsell slept, and that two taps had been left running full blast inside the flat, pointing to a second person being present at the time. Since the death of their firstborn son, the Lindsell family has struggled to comprehend what led to his death; the vacant block behind their house a constant reminder of his final excruciating moments. “I don’t even have to close my eyes to see him running out of the house,” his mother Kathleen Lindsell told the Herald in February. Amanda Zukowski is arrested by NSW Police. Credit:NSW Police Media His father, Desmond, said, "It's imprinted, imprinted up here."

In the hours before his death, Mr Lindsell had spent a typical Friday night at the Gymea Hotel with friends. Some recall it as an ordinary night, others remember Mr Lindsell upset by something, or that an argument had possibly taken place. Loading About midnight he left the pub alone, leaving his car and instead walking the 400 metres home. In February this year, Strike Force Butler detectives made a fresh appeal for information, as they tried to uncover the 90 minutes between Mr Lindsell's walk home and the fatal blaze.

The Herald can now reveal the police appeal attracted key pieces of evidence from the community, including one critical account from a resident who allegedly saw someone tampering with the mains water supply at the property. At Newtown Local Court on Thursday, Ms Zukowski wiped away tears as she sat in the dock, at times looking at her parents who were in the court. Jeffrey Lindsell's parents, Desmond and Kathleen Lindsell. Credit:Kate Geraghty In a bail application on her behalf, her barrister Paul McGirr argued that the prosecution case was "weak, at best", and merely attempted to "paint a picture of a volatile relationship" by citing "domestic violence issues". "Even if there is a volatile relationship, the prosecution bears the onus of proving some sort of motive … an intent, or reckless indifference to human life ... Where is that evidence?" he said, describing parts of the police allegations as "made up".

"There is no evidence my client turned any tap off ... that she tried to turn the mains water off … no forensic evidence that she even touched that particular tap," he said. The fiery blaze that destroyed the Gymea flat and killed Jeffrey Lindsell. "I draw attention to [the allegations, which state] 'due to the level of damage ... the cause of the fire is undetermined'. Police then go on to suggest that it must have therefore started in the lounge ... [and then] that investigators believe the accused intentionally lit the fire. Where is that evidence? That's made up." However magistrate Margaret Quinn said, while the case was circumstantial, the facts were "quite detailed" and "concerning". "I can only judge it by the facts. The defendant was asked whether the deceased was in the flat when she raised the alarm … the defendant said the deceased was not ... [but] of course the deceased was in the flat ... that itself is an odd matter."

Amanda Zukowski is arrested by NSW Police as part of Strike Force Butler. Credit:NSW Police Media The police prosecutor argued there was "plenty of evidence contained in the fact sheet, in which a reasonable jury would be able to support there had been reckless indifference to life". He told the court a neighbour had overheard an argument taking place after Ms Zukowski and Mr Lindsell had been captured on CCTV walking towards the granny flat, about 15 minutes before the fire was detected. The court also heard the prosecution relied on the content of lawfully intercepted phone calls made by the accused in the period following the fire. According to police sources, Ms Zukowski spoke frequently about the police contacting her in the period following the fire.