Indonesian police are investigating the deaths of an Australian man and his two children whose bodies were discovered Sunday morning in their residence in Kuta, Bali. Local authorities identified the man as 56-year-old Damien John Shaw and confirmed the deaths of his six-year-old son and four-year-old daughter.
The discovery followed a phone conversation between Shaw and his wife, who had recently arrived in Jakarta. According to Bali provincial police, the wife contacted a neighbor after hearing a child cry during the call before the line was disconnected and Shaw became unreachable. Neighbors and a community leader entered the bungalow and found the three individuals deceased.
Denpasar city police official I Gede Adi Saputra Jaya stated that investigators are treating the case as a suspected murder-suicide. The bodies were transported to Sanglah Hospital for examination. The family had been leasing the Kuta bungalow since 2022. Forensic teams are processing the crime scene, reviewing internal and external CCTV footage, and interviewing witnesses.
Police noted that their interview with the victim’s wife has been limited by her current state of shock. Western Australia Premier Roger Cook described the event as a confronting situation, expressing hope for a conclusion to the investigation. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) confirmed it is providing consular assistance to the family but declined further comment, citing privacy obligations.
For the surviving family, the impact includes the loss of household members and the requirement to coordinate with consular officials and local law enforcement during a criminal probe. The investigation involves multiple local agencies, including the Kuta Police, Denpasar city police, and forensic medical staff at Sanglah Hospital.
The investigation is in its preliminary stages, and a final determination on the cause of death has not yet been released. Further updates will depend on the results of forensic processing and the review of property surveillance footage. As of September 14, 2026, the case remains an active criminal investigation.