Police in Indonesia have launched a murder investigation into the death of an Australian man found on the side of a road in Nusa Dua, Bali, last week.
It was initially thought Mark Ovenden, 34, from the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, might have died after falling from his motorcycle.
His wallet and watch were still on his person, which had led police to initially believe his death was an accident.
But, according to AAP, an autopsy carried out by forensic specialists at Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar has revealed the primary cause of death was asphyxiation.
“The autopsy found evidence of several blunt force traumas on the face, head, neck and chest. The cause of death is asphyxiation caused by strong pressure on the neck,” said Sanglah Hospital forensic department chief Dr Dudut Rustyadi.
“It could be the result of strong pressure applied with a wooden stick or some other hard object."
