The family of an Australian citizen found hanged in his Solomon Islands villa are demanding that Australian authorities investigate the death, which local police say was a suicide.
Joanne Meiners believes the death last month of her former husband Wolfgang, who went to live in Sydney in 1961 after fleeing the then Iron Curtain nation of East Germany, was made to look like he took his own life.Mr Meiners, 69, who ran a fishing charter business in Honiara after moving to the Solomon Islands 20 years ago, was found dead in his apartment on August 26 by a former lover, who called police.
Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Mrs Meiners said a copy of the autopsy sent to her by friends living in Honiara revealed Mr Meiners had suffered a blow to the right eye, what appear to be defensive wounds to his wrists, bruising to his legs and injuries to his genitalia.
She said her former husband was a ''larger-than-life character'' who made headlines five years ago when he and his fishing boat crew survived 18 days at sea after their vessel broke down.
She said Wolf's death is incredibly suspicious and there was no toxicology done in the post mortem.
She said the autopsy report on the cause of death said 'probable hanging' but it doesn't explain how he came to suffer the injuries to his crotch and the massive blood loss.'
She wants a review of the autopsy and said Australian Federal Police officers based in the Solomon Islands should investigate the case.