A convicted Australian sex offender has been discovered deceased in his hotel room in southern Bali. Kenneth Leslie Sternes, 76, was found unresponsive on the floor of his room at the Cove Griya Elite hotel in Denpasar on Wednesday afternoon, after hotel staff went to remind him to check out. Sternes was due to turn 77 on May 13.
Details of the discovery
Staff made repeated attempts to reach Sternes when he failed to meet the scheduled 12pm checkout time. At 3pm, a worker knocked on the door but received no response, prompting a locksmith to open it. Once inside, the guest was found unresponsive on the floor, according to a police report. Doctors and nurses were called and checked his heart and pulse, but Sternes could not be revived.
It is understood Sternes may have been dead for up to six hours before his body was discovered. He was taken to nearby Prof IGNG Ngoerah General Hospital, formerly Sanglah General Hospital, for further examination.
Investigation and cause of death
Investigators found a number of medications in his room, and the Australian is suspected to have died from health complications linked to a prior illness. There were no signs of violence, according to police. Items seized from the scene include phones, cash, cards, a driver's licence, and Sternes' passport.
Sternes, a former Brisbane pharmacist, was previously jailed after using his computer to groom a covert police officer posing as a 14-year-old girl. East Denpasar Police are investigating his death, and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to his family.
