GJ (30), the wife of victim Zivan Ratmanovic, is suffering from severe trauma after witnessing the violent attack. The couple had traveled to Bali to celebrate their honeymoon and GJ’s birthday, although she was initially reluctant to leave their 6 children—2 biological and 4 adopted—at home in Melbourne.
They arrived in Bali in June 12th and spent the following day sightseeing with relatives. That night, the family returned to their villa to rest. Around 12:15 a.m. in June 14, an unknown assailant broke into the villa and began shooting.
GJ was startled awake by gunfire but was too terrified to move. She recalled seeing a man in a bright orange jacket and black helmet open fire on her husband in the bathroom. The attack left her deeply traumatized. She now stays in a secure villa under police protection, afraid to go outside.
“She is devastated,” said a family member. “On what was supposed to be her birthday, she ended up visiting a morgue and mourning her husband’s death.”
Arrested Suspects
Three Australian nationals, identified as DFJ (37), CM (23), and TPM (37), have been arrested in connection with the case. Authorities are still investigating the motive and the relationship between the victims and the perpetrators.
The suspects face multiple charges under Indonesian law, including premeditated murder, murder, assault causing death, illegal possession of firearms, and embezzlement. They may face the death penalty if convicted.
Police successfully apprehended three suspects linked to the fatal shooting of two Australian nationals at Villa Casa Santisya in Badung, Bali. One victim, Zivan Ratmanovic (33), was killed, while another, Sanar Ghanim (34), sustained injuries.
The suspects—Jenson Darcy Francesco (27), Tupou Paea Middlemore (26), and Mevlut Coskun (22)—attempted to flee the island using various vehicles. Based on CCTV footage and forensic evidence including a large hammer, police tracked them down.
Jenson was caught at the Sheraton Hotel near Soekarno-Hatta Airport, while the other two were arrested aboard a Singapore-bound flight en route to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. All three face charges of premeditated murder and embezzlement, which carry the possibility of the death penalty.
Despite the arrests, the motive behind the shooting remains unclear. Sanar Ghanim, the surviving victim, has not yet provided a full statement, and the firearm used in the attack has yet to be recovered.
Criminologist Adrianus Meliala from the University of Indonesia suggested the attack may be linked to gang-related drug violence.
According to Metrotvnews, “The execution style points to possible mafia involvement,” he said during a Metro TV broadcast on June 19. He also noted that the suspects’ names suggest they may be affiliated with the same criminal group.
Press Access
Meanwhile, Badung Police Chief, AKBP M. Arif Batubara, issued a clarification regarding an incident involving a journalist who was reportedly prevented from covering the shooting case involving Australian nationals at the Badung Police Headquarters.
According to Chief Arif, the misunderstanding stemmed from a misinterpretation of internal instructions by on-duty officers. The original directive was intended to restrict access to unknown visitors for security reasons, but some officers mistakenly interpreted it as a ban on journalists.
According to Kompas.com, “This incident occurred purely due to a communication breakdown,” Arif explained on Friday (June 20). “I never intended to hide any information. It was simply a miscommunication.”
He added that the police had no intention of obstructing press freedom or the public’s right to information. The police chief stated that disciplinary action was taken against the involved officers and that he would personally instruct duty commanders and provost personnel to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The issue arose when TV journalist, Ambros Boli Berani, arrived at the police station to report on the shooting incident involving three Australian nationals. After being denied entry, he chose to wait outside.
However, officers later asked him to move even farther away—eventually directing him across the street to a food stall, which Ambros viewed as an obstruction to his journalistic duties.
He clarified that he was not entering a restricted area, nor causing a disturbance. He simply questioned the balance between public safety and press freedom, which is protected under the law.
Sources: Kompas.com, Metrotvnews
Feat Image: via AP