A BRIT has allegedly been murdered by his Indonesian girlfriend in Bali — while he was on a video call with his family in the UK. Matt Harper, 48, is suspected to have been stabbed by Emmy Pakpahan in the South East Asian tourist hotspot before dying from his injuries. It is understood the father […]
A BRIT has allegedly been murdered by his Indonesian girlfriend in Bali — while he was on a video call with his family in the UK.
Matt Harper, 48, is suspected to have been stabbed by Emmy Pakpahan in the South East Asian tourist hotspot before dying from his injuries.
It is understood the father of two had been on a video call with his step-daughter and his former wife back home.
Matt, who worked for luxury hotel firm Karma, had been in a relationship with Pakpahan since last July, according to pals.
Pakpahan, who is in her 40s and is Indonesian-born but has US citizenship from a previous marriage, told police that Matt killed himself.
She showed investigators a video of him dying on the floor of his Bali home moments after her suspected attack on Thursday
Pakpahan filmed the footage herself from outside the property, claiming Matt had locked the doors and intentionally harmed himself.
She sobs in the clip: “I don’t know what’s happened. I don’t know, I don’t know.”
Pals say they were boyfriend and girlfriend but she seemed to suggest they were wed with a “Mr and Mrs Harper” Facebook pic in October.
And in a bizarre video on social media, she films herself thanking friends and family for their “support” after news of his death broke.
She says to the camera: “Naturally I am sad. And if you guys don’t hear from me, it’s not because I don’t want to answer, I need time to process things.
“Please don’t believe anything until a statement comes out from the police department.”
However, Bali police have arrested her on suspicion of murder.
Matt’s ex-girlfriend in Bali, Allin Efashion, told The Sun: “I was with him before he got with Emmy. He was a perfect gentleman, a caring and lovely man. He was the love of my life. I can’t believe he’s gone.
“He texted me just a few days before he died, saying he hated Emmy because she ruined his life — and he was sorry for leaving me.
“He was the best father to his two girls and step-daughter and was loved by many friends in the UK and Bali. May he rest in peace.”
Other friends revealed they feared for Matt’s safety in the weeks leading up to his death.
They described Pakpahan as a “psycho” girlfriend who has been accused on Bali Facebook groups of being a serial scammer who has conned foreigners out of tens of thousands of pounds.
Matt is understood to have arrived in Bali from Gloucester in February 2020. He got a job with the hotel group and often shared videos and pics on social media of his “dream” life on the Indonesian island.
A keen chef, he regularly cooked treats for friends on Bali and even held a “Come Dine With Me” event at a restaurant there last year.
A Foreign & Commonwealth Office spokesman said last night: “We are in contact with the Indonesian police regarding the death of a British man in Bali, and are supporting the family at this difficult time.”
