An autopsy carried out in Bali yesterday has established that wounds inflicted on Waikato surfer Jordan Lucas's face, hands and body would have killed him.
Dr Dudut Rustiyadi, head of forensic medicine at Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar, confirmed the findings.
He also confirmed that the wounds were likely to havebeen inflicted before death, and before Mr Lucas entered the water, but refused to give other details.
Mr Lucas was found in the water at Uluwatu Beach last Tuesday wearing only a shirt.
A bag, containing his passport, was found nearby.
Other possessions - including a camera - helped confirm his identity and establish he had been staying at Kuta Beach.
But Lucas family spokesman Robert Kirkwood yesterday told the Herald that reports Mr Lucas had been found minus his shorts could have been Indonesian media speculating.
"All I know is the people who are there were most surprised ... that all of a sudden there was a big murder investigation," he said.
"The people who were in Bali were surprised at that."
Mr Kirkwood said Mr Lucas had stayed with him and his wife, Angela, at their Raglan home to surf the local breaks.
He was waiting to hear from Mr Lucas's parents, Graham and Julie, who arrived in Bali on Tuesday night.
Sheree West of Raglan Surf Co, who said Mr Lucas would come into her shop occasionally, said if there was an attack against Mr Lucas it could not have been committed by a Bali local.
"I feel safer walking around there than I do in Hamilton," said Ms West, who makes regular surfing trips to Bali with her grandchildren.
A spokesman for Foreign Affairs and Trade in Wellington said the ministry was working with its staff in Indonesia but there had been no further information on the cause of Mr Lucas's death or if the New Zealander was a victim of foul play.
