Coroner recommends NSW homicide squad investigate death of man found in Byron cow paddock with knife in chest, skull 13m from body
The mysterious death of a van packer who was found with a hunting knife in his chest and whose skull was found 13 meters from his body has been referred to NSW homicide detectives by the coroner.
The badly mutilated body of 25-year-old Jackson Stacker was found in a cow pasture near Byron Bay on August 25, 2021.
The circumstances surrounding his death, including whether police investigations into his death were adequate, were the subject of coroner’s inquests in the NSW Coroner’s Court at Lidcombe.
On Thursday, State Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan handed down her findings into Mr Stacker’s death, ultimately ruling that she could not determine with certainty how he died.
But the ABC reported that Ms O’Sullivan found there was no adequate explanation for the delay in forming the strike force and recommended that the NSW homicide squad investigate her death.
Mr Stacker’s van was found at a rest stop approximately 120 meters from his body.
He had driven from Melbourne to Byron Bay, living out of his van and partying with friends.
The ABC reported that it had established that Ms O’Sullivan died between July 22, 2021, the date Mr Stacker was last seen alive, and August 25 of the same year.
It found that his drug use had increased in the weeks before his death and that he was likely “distressed or depressed”.
The broadcaster reported that forensic tests were unable to determine whether the “hunting-style” knife found in Mr Stacker’s chest was self-inflicted or inflicted by an unknown assailant.
He had no history of self-harm and Ms O’Sullivan could not confirm whether he committed suicide.
“There is no evidence that anyone wanted to harm her, she was very well loved and would not admit her fear to anyone,” he said, ABC reports.
Ms O’Sullivan found the police investigation into Mr Stacker’s death was inadequate
The inquiry also examined whether there were inadequacies in the police response to Mr Stacker’s death, particularly in relation to the police initially treating the death as a suicide.
The coroner said he could not find that the investigation was inadequate.
Mr Stacker’s parents, Sandey MacFarlane and Ian Stacker, claimed something worse had happened to their son.
During an interview on 60 Minutes in 2024, Ms MacFarlane said: “Nothing made any sense. I spoke to him on the last day he was alive and he was fine.”
“We learned there were other possibilities for what could happen here,” Mr. Stacker’s father said.
Following the investigation findings, Ms MacFarlane told the ABC the family felt vindicated by the verdict.
“Our position was whether there was an open door for us to continue the investigation and work on the murder. [detectives]”This would be our holy grail, even though our beloved son is no longer with us,” he said.
“Our focus is to ensure that the truth is fully examined and that no stone is left unturned, and we have now received Your Honour’s recommendation that this be left in the hands of those who have done just that.”
“No matter the outcome, we will continue to seek justice for Jackson.”
