Bali: Police investigate deaths of Australian man and his two children as suspected murder-suicide

Indonesian police are investigating the deaths of three people in Bali after the bodies of 56-year-old Australian man Damien John Shaw and his two children — a six-year-old son and a four-year-old daughter — were found in a rented home on Sunday. Authorities are treating the case as a suspected murder-suicide.

How the bodies were found

According to Bali provincial police and multiple reports, the family had been renting a bungalow in Kuta since 2022; SMH reports the lease ran through to 2029. Shaw's wife, who had recently travelled to Jakarta, phoned her husband and heard one of the children crying before the call was disconnected and he became unreachable. She then asked a neighbour, named by Denpasar police as Nur Khamid (according to SMH), to check on the family.

The neighbour tried to look through a window but could not see inside. Additional neighbours and the local community leader were called, and after knocking and receiving no response, the group forced the door open, discovering the bodies of Shaw and both children inside.

Initial findings

Denpasar police said a preliminary external examination indicated the two children died as a result of violent acts. The bodies were taken to a hospital in Denpasar, where autopsies are being carried out to determine the exact causes of death. Senior Commissioner Leonardo D. Simatupang said investigators are analysing the crime scene, reviewing CCTV footage, and interviewing witnesses, including Shaw's wife.

ABC News reported Shaw was born in Fremantle, Western Australia, while other outlets identified him as being from the Perth area. His LinkedIn profile noted 37 years of experience in the maritime industry and that he was seeking employment. SMH additionally reported that the two children were not Australian citizens — a detail not mentioned in the other sources.

Reaction

Western Australian Premier Roger Cook described the case as horrific, saying a father and children had lost their lives and that the situation was deeply confronting and sad for everyone involved. A spokesperson for Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) confirmed consular assistance was being provided to the family, offering condolences but declining further comment due to privacy obligations.

The investigation is ongoing, and final autopsy results have not yet been made public.