Murder in Bali

INTERNATIONAL: Bali's community of ex-pat fashion designers and manufacturers has been shattered by the murder of Australian textile business owner Heidi Murphy.

Murphy's body was found on Sunday February 10 by a local tradesman who arrived at her house near Kuta Beach to undertake painting work, Sydney's Daily Telegraph has reported.

The 34-year-old Sydneysider was naked and had been stabbed to death in her home the preceding night. Her body, half draped in a blanket, had 16 stab wounds to the neck and back, with local police confirming injuries to her hands suggested a struggle with her attacker, the paper reported.

There were no signs of a break-in at the two-storey villa and nothing had stolen been stolen from the premises, a local police spokesman said.

Murphy - who owned a textile business in nearby Kerobokan - was last seen alive about 7pm on Saturday February 9, the paper reported.

It is understood Kerobokan's ex-pat fashion community includes Sean Cosgrove, the Melburnian behind children's label Littlehorn, who runs a sample workroom there.

Other Australian designers and manufacturers working in Bali are Gil Cowen, the owner of Australian leather accessories company Mogil, Nicholas Morley and his fashion designer partner Alice McCall; Melbourne designer Ebony Eagles from Ebony Eve; Mic Eaton of streetwear label Material Boy and Sydney designer Jessie White from Shakuhachi.