In the early hours of June 14, 2025, the peaceful luxury of Villa Casa Santisya near Munggu Beach in Bali’s Badung district was shattered by gunfire. Zivan Radmanovic, a 32-year-old Melbourne father of six on holiday to celebrate his wife’s birthday, was shot dead in the bathroom of the upscale villa while his terrified wife hid nearby. Another man, 34-year-old Sanar Ghanim, was shot and beaten but survived the brutal ambush. What appeared at first glance to be a random act of violence quickly unravelled into a calculated gangland-style hit with Australian connections, culminating in the conviction and sentencing of three young Australian men. Now, following an appeal by prosecutors, Darcy Francesco Jenson, Mevlut Coskun, and Paea I Middlemore Tupou will each spend additional years in Indonesian prisons, extending their time behind bars for their roles in the premeditated killing.

The attack unfolded with chilling precision just after midnight. Two masked gunmen, later identified as Mevlut Coskun, then 22, from Sydney, and Paea I Middlemore Tupou, 27, from Melbourne, stormed the villa dressed as ride-share drivers. Armed with a firearm that was illegally brought into the country, they used a sledgehammer to force entry before opening fire. Radmanovic was hit multiple times and died at the scene. Ghanim, who was in another part of the villa, was also wounded in the chaos. The gunmen fled, but the swift response from Indonesian authorities, supported by the Australian Federal Police, led to the rapid identification and arrest of the trio.

Darcy Francesco Jenson, a 27-year-old Sydney plumber (initially reported as 24 or 28 in varying accounts), was accused of playing a pivotal supporting role. Prosecutors alleged he helped organise the hit, supplied or facilitated access to the weapon, arranged accommodation, and assisted in the planning. Coskun and Tupou admitted to carrying out the shooting but claimed they had been hired to collect a debt from Ghanim on behalf of an unnamed Australian client. They insisted the fatal shooting of Radmanovic was a case of mistaken identity or unintended escalation during the confrontation. The court ultimately rejected claims of accident, finding the men guilty of premeditated murder, attempted premeditated murder, and illegal possession and use of firearms.

In March 2026, the Denpasar District Court delivered its initial verdicts. Coskun and Tupou each received 16-year prison sentences, while Jenson was handed 12 years for aiding and abetting the crime. The courtroom erupted in emotion as Radmanovic’s grieving family reacted with outrage, describing the sentences as far too lenient. They had hoped for the maximum penalty under Indonesian law — death by firing squad — which is permitted for premeditated murder, especially when firearms are involved. Prosecutors had sought 18 years for the two shooters and 17 years for Jenson, but the judges opted for shorter terms, citing various mitigating factors while still acknowledging the gravity of the offence.

The victim’s family made no secret of their disappointment. Relatives labelled the initial sentences “a joke,” expressing frustration that the men had avoided both the death penalty and longer jail terms. Zivan Radmanovic was remembered as a devoted father and husband whose life was cut short in what should have been a joyful family holiday. His wife, Jazmyn Gourdeas, had been celebrating her birthday with him, her sister, and Ghanim when the attack occurred. The family’s pain was compounded by the realisation that the violence appeared linked to underworld debts or disputes back in Australia, dragging an innocent family vacation into a deadly crossfire.

Just weeks after the initial sentencing, prosecutors lodged an appeal, arguing that the punishments did not adequately reflect the premeditated and brutal nature of the crime. On Wednesday, the Bali High Court responded by increasing the sentences, ensuring the three men will indeed spend more time behind bars. Jenson’s term was extended by five years to 17 years imprisonment. Reports indicate that the sentences for Coskun and Tupou were also reviewed and adjusted upward in the appeal process, though exact new figures for the shooters remain aligned with the court’s emphasis on harsher accountability. The High Court’s decision underscores Indonesia’s firm stance on violent crime, particularly incidents involving foreigners on its popular tourist island, where maintaining safety for visitors is economically vital.

The case has drawn significant attention in both Australia and Indonesia, highlighting the reach of transnational crime networks and the dangers of debt-related disputes spilling into holiday destinations. Bali, long known as a paradise for Australian tourists, rarely sees such brazen gun violence. Firearms are tightly controlled, making the illegal importation and use of a weapon in this attack particularly aggravating. The court found that the trio had systematically planned the operation, with Jenson’s logistical support enabling the shooters to target the villa.

Coskun and Tupou, both in their early twenties at the time of the crime, expressed remorse in court and offered apologies to Radmanovic’s family, including his wife. They claimed they had been paid to intimidate or collect from Ghanim but never intended to kill anyone. Jenson maintained a similar defence, suggesting he was drawn into the plot without fully understanding the lethal outcome. However, the judges determined that the evidence pointed to clear premeditation: the men travelled to Bali with a plan, armed themselves, and executed a targeted raid under cover of darkness.

For Radmanovic’s loved ones, the appeal outcome brings a measure of additional justice, though nothing can restore the father of six who was taken from them. Tributes described him as a family man deeply connected to Melbourne’s community, with roots that made the gangland-style nature of the killing even more shocking. His death left six children without a father and a widow navigating profound grief while raising a young family. The survival of Sanar Ghanim added another layer of trauma; he endured both physical injuries and the psychological scars of the ambush.

The extended sentences send a strong message about accountability for Australians committing serious crimes abroad. Indonesian courts have a reputation for imposing lengthy terms in high-profile cases, and the appeal process demonstrates that lighter initial rulings can be challenged. Kerobokan Prison, where the men are likely serving their time, is notorious for its harsh conditions, adding weight to the punishment.

Beyond the legal proceedings, the case has sparked broader discussions about youth involvement in crime, the influence of alleged underworld figures, and the risks of mixing holiday escapism with unresolved disputes from home. Young men in their twenties — a plumber, a landscaper, and a carpenter — found themselves entangled in a plot that ended a life and altered many others forever. Their decisions not only destroyed Radmanovic’s future but also derailed their own, trading potential careers and freedom for years in a foreign prison system.

As the three Australians begin serving their increased sentences, the Radmanovic family continues to mourn and seek closure. The appeal victory provides some reassurance that the Indonesian justice system is responsive to calls for tougher penalties in cases of premeditated violence. Yet for those closest to Zivan, the focus remains on remembering the man he was — a loving father whose life was violently interrupted in a paradise that turned into a nightmare.

The Bali villa shooting stands as a grim reminder that gangland conflicts do not respect borders or holidays. What began as a birthday celebration ended in tragedy, with three men now facing significantly longer periods behind bars as a result of the prosecutors’ successful appeal. In the end, the extended jail terms may offer a sliver of justice for a grieving family, even as the full story of who ultimately ordered the hit remains shrouded in mystery, with the convicted men refusing to name their alleged client.

The road to full accountability may still have chapters ahead, but for now, Darcy Francesco Jenson, Mevlut Coskun, and Paea I Middlemore Tupou will spend more of their young lives in prison for assassinating a Melbourne father-of-six in a calculated attack that shocked two nations.