BALI, Indonesia – Bali police are awaiting the results of a forensic autopsy before determining whether the death of a Canadian national found with a gunshot wound inside a private villa was a suicide or the result of another cause.
The case has attracted attention among Bali’s international community after the 46-year-old Canadian, identified by his initials AJK, was discovered dead inside a villa in Jimbaran, one of the island’s most popular residential and tourism areas.
“We have not yet received the autopsy results,” Bali Police spokesperson Senior Commissioner Ariasandy said on Tuesday. “The examination will help answer whether this was a suicide or not.”
Evidence Points to Possible Suicide, Police Say
Investigators said their preliminary assessment points toward the possibility of suicide, although they stress that no final conclusion has been reached.
According to police, officers recovered a handgun at the scene and found what appeared to be gunpowder residue near the victim’s head, evidence that will be analyzed alongside the forensic findings.
“The indications we have found, including gunpowder residue near the head, support one line of investigation,” Ariasandy said. “However, we can only confirm the cause of death once the autopsy results are available.”
Authorities are also investigating how the firearm came into the victim’s possession, an important aspect of the inquiry given Indonesia’s strict firearms regulations.
Five Witnesses Questioned
Police have interviewed five witnesses who were present or connected to the incident as investigators continue reconstructing the events leading up to the man’s death.
The victim’s body was discovered on July 6 by a friend identified as Benjamin, who found him on a sofa inside the Jimbaran villa with a gunshot wound.
During questioning, Benjamin reportedly told investigators that AJK had previously attempted to take his own life on three separate occasions. Police also said information gathered during the investigation suggests the Canadian man may have suffered from paranoia, although authorities have not disclosed whether he had received a formal medical diagnosis.
Investigation Remains Open
Police emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing and that the autopsy will play a crucial role in establishing the official cause and manner of death.
Until the forensic examination is completed, investigators say they are treating all available evidence cautiously and have not ruled out any possibilities.
The case comes amid heightened public attention to several recent investigations involving foreign nationals in Bali, underscoring the importance authorities place on completing forensic examinations before drawing definitive conclusions.
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