The Chinese Consulate General in Denpasar, Indonesia promised to keep the public updated in a timely manner on the mysterious deaths of two Chinese tourists at a luxury hotel in Bali, which has triggered safety concerns over travel to the popular tourist destination among Chinese travelers, with cooperation with the Indonesia side strengthened.
The two Chinese tourists, a 25-year-old man surnamed Li and a 22-year-old woman surnamed Cheng, were found dead and naked at the five-star Intercontinental Hotel in Jimbaran Bay in Bali on May 1, 2023.
Bali police spokesperson Stefanus Satake Bayu reveled on Sunday that local police investigated the scene after the incident and about 15 witnesses including hotel staffers and foreigners familiar with the location of the hotel have been questioned, according to Indonesian media reports.
So far, the Indonesian investigators have not been able to ascertain the cause of death, whether the two committed suicide or killed each other, but have ruled out the possibility of a murder committed by a third party for the reason of theft since the couple’s personal belongings were intact.
According to local media, the preliminary autopsy conducted by forensic experts showed that Li had open wounds on both sides of his neck, both feet and hands, including two long open wounds estimated at 11 to 12 centimeters long on each side of his body.
Surveillance camera footage from the hotel corridor showed that he crawled out of his room at around 6:32 am on May 1, covered in blood, and struggled for about 20 minutes before finally collapsing in the corridor. The forensic experts said the injuries were caused by sharp objects.
Cheng was found dead and naked in the bathtub of their hotel room without open wounds but with bruises to her head, arms and lower limbs. A deep bruise on her neck indicated that she was strangled before she died.
Since she died in a bathtub, a large amount of fluid was found in her stomach. Besides, there was fluid coming out of her mouth and nose. Toxicology tests have been performed on the fluids to determine whether the deceased had been poisoned, with the results and further instructions on the examination of the two bodies awaited.
