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 found with a hunting knife in his chest and his skull separated 13 metres from his body has been referred to NSW homicide detectives by the coroner. The badly-decomposed body of Jackson Stacker, 25, was found in a cow paddock near Byron Bay on August 25, 2021. The circumstances surrounding his death have been the subject of coronial proceedings in the NSW Coroner’s Court at Lidcombe, including whether or not the police investigations into his death were adequate. On Thursday, State Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan delivered her findings into Mr Stacker’s death – ultimately ruling she was unable to conclusively determine how he died. However, she recommended the NSW homicide squad investigate his death, with the ABC reporting Ms O’Sullivan found there was insufficient explanation over the delay in establishing a strike force. Mr Stacker’s van was found at a rest stop – about 120m from his body. He had travelled to Byron Bay from Melbourne, living out of the van and partying with his friends. The ABC reports Ms O’Sullivan found Mr Stacker died sometime between July 22, 2021 – when he was last seen alive – and on August 25 that same year. She found his drug use had escalated in the weeks prior to his death and it was probable he was “distressed or depressed”. The broadcaster reports forensic testing was unable to determine if the “hunting-style” knife – found in Mr Stacker’s chest – was self-inflicted or caused by an unknown assailant. There was no history of self-harm and Ms O’Sullivan could not confirm whether he took his own life. “There is no evidence that anyone wanted to harm him, he was well-liked and he confided no fears to anyone,” she said, per the ABC’s reports. Ms O’Sullivan found she was unable to find the police investigation into Mr Stacker’s death was inadequate The inquest also examined whether there had been inadequacies in the police response to Mr Stacker’s death, particularly in relation to police initially regarding the death as a suicide. The coroner said she was unable to find the investigation was inadequate. Mr Stacker’s parents, Sandey MacFarlane and Ian Stacker, had suggested something more sinister had happened to their son. During an interview on 60 Minutes in 2024, Ms MacFarlane said: “Nothing made sense. I spoke to him the last day he was alive and he was fine.” “It just came across to us that there’s, there’s other possibilities of what could’ve happened here,” Mr Stacker’s father said. Following the inquest findings, Ms MacFarlane told the ABC the family felt vindicated by the ruling. “Our position was if there is a door that is left open for us to continue to investigate, for us to now work with homicide [detectives], that would be our holy grail, even though notwithstanding, we don’t have our beloved son with us anymore,” she said. “Our focus is to ensure that the truth is fully examined and that no stone is left unturned and we now have Her Honour’s recommendation for that to be placed in the hands of the people that do just that.” “We will continue to search, whatever the outcome, for justice for Jackson.”