TABANAN, DEWATA.NEWS – Police have identified the decomposed body discovered in a forest near Jatiluwih Village, Bali, as a South African national, while the cause of death remains under investigation pending forensic examination.
The victim, who was previously reported as an unidentified man after his body was found in the Sanghyang Forest area of Gunung Sari Umakayu, Penebel District, has been identified as Adriaan Campbell Louw, a professional photographer from Pretoria, South Africa.
Tabanan Police Chief I Putu Bayu Pati announced the identification during a press conference on Monday (July 6), accompanied by Criminal Investigation Unit Chief I Made Teddy Satria Permana.
“There are no signs of physical violence. However, we are still waiting for the autopsy results. The person previously referred to as Mister X has now been confirmed as a foreign national,” Bayu said.
Police said the identification was made through digital evidence collected during the investigation, including personal electronic devices and accommodation records.
Investigators confirmed that Louw stayed at Guava Eco Living in Gunung Sari Umakayu, Jatiluwih, from June 9 to June 15, 2026. However, according to the accommodation management, he left the property earlier than scheduled on June 13 and never returned.
During a search of the room he had occupied, investigators recovered an iPhone and a MacBook. Data stored in the devices, including the Medical ID information, matched a smartphone found near the victim’s body in the forest.
Villa management also confirmed that a bag discovered at the scene belonged to the missing guest.
“Our investigation found that the victim worked as a photographer. His social media accounts contain many photographs of natural landscapes he had visited,” Bayu explained.
Police have emphasized that there is currently no evidence indicating the victim was assaulted.
To determine the exact cause of death, investigators are awaiting the results of a full autopsy and forensic toxicology examination, which will determine whether any hazardous substances, poisons, or medications were present in the victim’s body.
“We are still coordinating with the consulate and immigration authorities. The victim’s family has not yet contacted us. We cannot conclude the cause of death until the forensic laboratory examination is completed,” Teddy said.
Investigators have questioned at least nine witnesses as part of efforts to reconstruct the victim’s final movements before his death.
The body was discovered by a local resident on June 28 after a strong odor led to the discovery of the remains in a depression approximately 15 meters from a forest trail. At the time of discovery, the body was in an advanced state of decomposition, with part of the skull already exposed.
The victim’s body remains at Prof. Dr. I.G.N.G. Ngoerah General Hospital in Denpasar, where forensic specialists continue their examination.
This case follows the earlier discovery of an unidentified body in Jatiluwih, which police have now confirmed to be Adriaan Campbell Louw.