Mysterious death of Jackson Stacker near Byron Bay referred to homicide squad

Melbourne man stabbed twice in chest, with remains found in field near his campervan in 2021. Family argue police prematurely assumed he killed himself Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The New South Wales coroner has recommended the mysterious death of Jackson Stacker near Byron Bay be investigated by the homicide squad, with Teresa O’Sullivan finding “some aspects of the early [police] investigation raised concerns”. Stacker had been travelling from Melbourne to Queensland in his Toyota Hiace van in 2021 when the borders closed due to Covid. The 25-year-old found himself stuck in the northern rivers region. Stacker had been, his father, Ian, told the Guardian, “seeking an alternative lifestyle – he wanted to find a way to live off the land and not impact the environment”. Instead, the young man found himself in a world of homelessness, drugs and desperation in Byron Bay. On 23 August 2021, Ian Stacker received a call asking if Jackson’s van was for sale. It had been found abandoned at a rest stop in Sleepy Hollow near Pottsville, about 40km north of Byron. The keys were in the ignition, and the ransa