A bar owner has been charged with murdering an Australian tourist in Bali by allegedly bludgeoning him to death with a stool.
Troy Scott Johnston, 40, allegedly became involved in an argument with Gede Wijaya, 20, at Uncle Benz Cafe in South Kuta just before 4am on Thursday.
Mr Johnston, who worked for mining giant Rio Tinto at Perth Airport, is alleged to have urinated on Wijaya before the altercation escalated with Wijaya allegedly beating him over the head with a bar stool.
Wijaya has since been arrested and charged with murder.
Troy Scott Johnston, 40 (pictured), allegedly became involved in an argument with Gede Wijaya at Uncle Benz Cafe in South Kuta just before 4am on Thursday
Wijaya has since been arrested and charged with murder following the altercation on Thursday
Mr Johnston was holidaying in Indonesia with his wife Ni Nyoman Purnianti and young son when he went out drinking on Wednesday night.
His wife became concerned after he failed to return to their accomodation by 3am and decided to search for her husband with the help of her brother.
The pair found Mr Johnston unresponsive and lying in a pool of his own blood at the cafe owned by Wijaya before 4am on Thursday.
Mr Johnston was rushed to hospital but pronounced dead on arrival.
Mr Johnston is believed to have died after being hit over the head with a wooden bar stool after a fight broke out at the cafe.
His heartbroken wife and work colleagues paid tribute to the father and airport controller on social media.
Wijaya told a police press conference that Mr Johnston was drunk and had been ‘throwing bottles on the street’.
He claimed Mr Johnston had ‘peed on my left leg… I tried to tell him to cut it out. But he went inside and threw glass cups at me’.
‘He was drunk and lost control… I tried to calm him down,’ he said.
‘I am very regretful and have no intention to do that because I know him very well so I don’t have any intention to do that.’
However, police allege that Wijaya was also drinking before a fight broke out.
‘Wijaya was attacked and slammed, they both wrestled on the floor, Scott quickly got up and grab a chair and throw it at Wijaya,’ they said.
The bar owner allegedly grabbed the bar stool from Johnston and hit his head, leaving him with severe head injuries.
Uncle Benz Cafe was temporarily closed down following the alleged altercation between the brother-in-laws
Mr Johnston’s wife recalled the moment she found her husband unresponsive and lying in a pool of his own blood.
‘I find him already on the ground with lots of blood,’ she told 7News.
She told police that her husband went out at about 7.30pm and that she and her brother had gone out searching for him when he failed to return at 3:45am.
‘At 10.30pm Purnianti contacted Scott and he replied that he was still drinking,’ police said.
‘Purnianti and her brother were shocked after they found Johnston was lying in a pool of blood on the terrace of Uncle Benz Cafe.’
Mr Johnston had been employed by Rio Tinto at its Perth Airport operations centre as an airport controller.
Mr Johnston’s wife recalled the moment she found her husband unresponsive and lying in a pool of his own blood
The news of his death reached his workmates Friday, according to The West.
‘We are devastated by the news that one of our much loved and valued team members has tragically passed away overseas,’ a Rio Tinto spokesperson said.
A spokesman for his employer, mining giant Rio Tinto, said the company was providing support to family members and loved ones.
‘We are devastated by the news that one of our much loved and valued team members has tragically passed away overseas,’ the statement read.
‘Troy’s colleagues are deeply saddened and we are providing them access to a range of support services.
‘Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Troy’s family and friends.’
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been contacted for comment.
