Full Breakdown
Australian Man and Two Children Found Dead in Bali Home, Police Suspect Murder-Suicide
By Drooid · · How we work
Tragic Discovery in Kuta
Indonesian police were alerted to a welfare check at a rented bungalow in Kuta, Bali, after the children’s mother, who was in Jakarta, called a neighbour reporting that she had heard a child crying and then lost contact with her husband. Neighbours, assisted by a community leader, forced the door open and found the bodies of 56-year-old Damien John Shaw, a Fremantle native, his six-year-old son and four-year-old daughter inside the property. The family had been leasing the bungalow since 2022 with a contract extending to 2029.
Investigation Findings
Badung Regency police are treating the case as a suspected double-murder suicide and have taken the bodies to a hospital in Denpasar for autopsies. Authorities have not released a cause of death pending the examinations. The police report was lodged on the same day the bodies were discovered, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Official Statements & Responses
Western Australian Premier Roger Cook described the incident as horrific and expressed sorrow for the family. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it is providing consular assistance to the relatives of the three Australians and offered condolences, noting privacy obligations limit further comment. Indonesian police reiterated that the investigation is in its early stages and that autopsy results will inform the final determination.
Support Resources
Authorities highlighted several Australian helplines for those affected by the tragedy, including Lifeline (131 114), Beyond Blue (1300 224 636), and MensLine Australia (1300 789 978).