Australian man murdered in Bali, body returns home without heart; answers sought from Indonesia

The body of an Australian man who was murdered in Bali was repatriated without the victim’s heart, sparking outrage over his death and the handling of his remains.

Queensland man Byron Haddow, 23, was found dead in the plunge pool of his Bali villa this year during a holiday. A second autopsy was done after the body was returned to Australia, where it was revealed that the heart was missing.

A spokesperson for Australia’s foreign ministry said Tuesday they were providing consular assistance to Haddow’s family but could not comment further owing to privacy obligations.

“They just rung us to ask if we were aware that his heart had been retained over in Bali,” mother Chantal Haddow told Australia’s Channel Nine.

“Just when I thought I couldn’t feel any more heartbroken, it was another kick in the guts,” she said

“I feel like there was foul play. I think that something’s happened to him prior to being in the pool.”

Senior Australian officials in Bali and Jakarta have reached out to the Indonesian Government regarding the matter, while the Australian Consulate-General in Bali has also conveyed the family’s concerns to hospital officials.

On the other hand, the doctor who performed the first autopsy on Haddow’s body has denied claims of wrongdoing.

“For forensic purposes, his heart was tested and was kept behind when the family repatriated the body home,” doctor Nola Margaret Gunawan told The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper on Monday.

“I have given the autopsy result and explanation to the family. They have accepted my explanation.”

Indonesia remains a popular tourist destination, with official data showing it was the top destination for short-term trips overseas by Australians in 2023.

With inputs from AFP