A deputy state coroner has formally found that Wayne Bruce Campbell, a founding member of iconic Australian thrash metal band Mortal Sin, died on or shortly after the night he vanished from his Illawarra home in 2022.
The final hours of a music icon
Deputy State Coroner Carmel Forbes handed down her findings this month, concluding that Mr Campbell died on or shortly after 20 August 2022. The Warrawong man was last captured on CCTV footage outside his Churchill Avenue home at 11.16pm that night.
"He is shown on the footage walking around outside the front of a property and on the roadway in an agitated state," Ms Forbes noted in her findings.
Earlier that day, Mr Campbell had made a small cash withdrawal from an ATM in Warrawong, which was the final transaction on his bank account. He was also fined for not having a valid train ticket.
A legacy in metal and a history of health struggles
Wayne Campbell was born in Sydney and helped form Mortal Sin in the mid-1980s. The band released five albums and toured internationally, cementing their status in the global metal scene. Ms Forbes acknowledged that Mr Campbell was "considered an icon" within the music community.
Beyond the stage lights, Mr Campbell was a father of two and had experienced significant health challenges. In 2000, he was the victim of a serious assault that resulted in a significant head injury, leading to frequent migraines. He also managed a number of other physical health conditions and had a history of mental illness, which had previously led to two hospital admissions.
An extensive search yields no answers
Concern for Mr Campbell grew after he failed to pay rent from 4 August and did not respond to multiple visits from public housing officers in September and October. In late September, a housing services staff member contacted Lake Illawarra Police District, requesting checks on whether Mr Campbell had been hospitalised.
Police confirmed his last known hospital visit was to Wollongong Hospital in July 2022. When entry was gained to his home in October, it appeared untouched. His phone went unanswered, and he was formally reported missing on 14 October 2022.
An extensive search operation was launched, involving:
- Land searches with dogs at Port Kembla.
- A canvass of CCTV footage and the Warrawong area.
- Distribution of missing persons flyers to neighbours.
- Checks at his local pub, regular haunts, and with homelessness services.
No trace of him was found. The officer in charge of the case, Senior Constable Brad May, believed there were no suspicious circumstances and that Mr Campbell appeared to be in a psychotic state on the night he vanished.
A family's grief and an unresolved mystery
Mr Campbell's children told the inquest they believed their father would have contacted family if he were alive. His son also shared that his father was proud of his musical achievements and would have been pleased to know Mortal Sin had announced an international tour for 2026 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their debut album.
While satisfied that Mr Campbell died in August 2022, Coroner Forbes was unable to determine the location, cause, or specific circumstances of his death. "I offer my condolences and sympathy to Mr Campbell's family and thank his son for participating in this inquest when it has been so sad for him," Ms Forbes said.
The case leaves a poignant shadow over the band's upcoming milestone, a celebration one of its founding members will not witness.
