Jason Stacker was found with a 18cm hunting knife embedded in his chest

Alarming new details have emerged about the death of Jason Stacker, whose decomposed body was found in Byron Bay.

Shocking new details have emerged about the death of Melbourne man Jason Stacker who died in Byron Bay.

The 26-year-old had been travelling around Queensland and northern NSW in his van when he went missing in Byron Bay in July 2021.

His badly decomposed body was found in a paddock near the Sleepy Hollow rest area on the Pacific Highway on August 26, 2021.

On Monday, an inquest heard how Mr Stacker was found wearing his favourite fur coat, his body face down under a tree with a 18cm hunting knife protruding from his chest.

Police found Mr Stacker’s scalp and dreadlocks around 14 metres away from his body. Further away than that they found his unzipped boots.

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Victorian man Jackson Stacker was found dead in Byron Bay.

The Coroner’s Court, in Lismore, heard that officers also found a container of oil, matches, a lighter, a beanie, a roll of duct tape and a blueberry vape.

And when his van was searched his laptop, phone and a camera were missing.

The grim new details raise questions for NSW Police who previously claimed Mr Stacker died from suicide.

Mr Stacker’s family say he is not capable of suicide.

Mr Stacker’s mother Sandey MacFarlane said: “I don’t believe my son would ever have taken his life. He had so many great things going on for him. That’s why we’re here.”

Mr Stacker had been missing for around a month when his body was found.

Friends of Jackson Stacker left flowers at the Sleepy Hollow's rest area on the Pacific Highway, after his body was found nearby. Photo: Javier Encalada

When Ms MacFarlane went to visit the site of her son’s death she uncovered one of his teeth under a leaf.

It raised questions about the thoroughness of any previous police search and coroner Teresa O’Sullivan, who is leading Mr Stacker’s inquest, ordered a line search by officers on hands and knees.

Three finger bones were found in that search and were confirmed to belong to Mr Stacker.

Two police officers linked to early investigations into Mr Stacker’s death are on extended sick leave and a third has left the force and is refusing to give evidence to the inquest, the ABC reported.

Mr Stacker’s parents, grandparents, uncle and aunt were at the inquest to hear evidence.

He was described as a man who was kind, gentle, free-spirited and bubbly but who also suffered from mental health problems.

Mr Stacker with his mother, Sandey MacFarlane, photographed in April 2021.

Ms MacFarlane last heard from her son on July 22, 2021. There was nothing that concerned her about their final conversation.

However Mr Stacker’s friend Callum Whitehead said he did seem upset that day and had thrown a bicycle at the Main Beach car park in Byron Bay before crying.

Ms MacFarlane transferred Mr Stacker $300 three days after their last conversation with the message “please call mum”. When he didn’t respond to thank her she began to worry.

His family called police after they were contacted by someone asking to buy his van after seeing it abandoned at the Sleepy Hollow rest area.

Two days later police found Mr Stacker’s body in a field.

Mr Stacker’s friend Mia Kidis also spoke at the inquest, revealing that Mr Stacker had previously taken LSD and cannabis and it did “react well with him”.

However she also described him as having a “lust for life”, saying he was a “very charismatic, a very energetic and friendly person”.

Ms Kidis had met Mr Stacker at the Premstock commune in the Daintree Forest in far north Queensland.

She said he would cry or have low moods about three times a week and had been badly affected by a murder suicide involving someone they knew.

Troy Harvey, 45, killed his son Koah, 4, in Rossville in far north Queensland in 2020.

Mr Stacker and Ms Kidis had met Harvey at the Premstock commune, she said.

No one has been charged in relation to Mr Stacker’s death.

The inquest continues until Wednesday.