Josua Goldstone, a 21-year-old boxer from Britain, was found deceased in a hotel room in Pattaya, Thailand, on Wednesday morning, October 30. His 27-year-old Australian friend, Jayson Tonkin, was discovered alongside him in a state of heavy drug intoxication, according to local law enforcement.
The two men were found in a room on the fourth floor of the Vogue Hotel. Goldstone was discovered lying face-up while Tonkin, a native of Manly, Sydney, was rushed to intensive care due to his severe condition, according to Fox Sports Australia.
“We have taken photos of the scene and collected all evidence. We believe he may have died from a drug overdose based on what we found in the room. We will question his friend further when he is conscious,” said Police Lieutenant Thanawi Yarangsi, correcting earlier misreported information about the deceased’s identity, according to The Sun.
Local hotel staff reported disturbances from the fourth-floor room prior to the discovery of the two men. Upon investigation, the police found cannabis, ketamine, and drug-related items in the room, with no signs of physical struggle or assault.
Tonkin, also known as “The Dingo,” relocated to Thailand in 2012 when he was a teenager and initiated his Muay Thai fighting career at 15. His scheduled fight against Tengnueng Sitjaesairoong, the reigning WBC Muay Thai world number one middleweight champion, on October 20, was postponed due to heavy monsoon rains.
Earlier this year, Tonkin publicly discussed his ongoing battle with substance abuse, notably methamphetamine, during a mental health-focused podcast.
In Thailand, possession of Category 2 drugs like ketamine can result in a sentence of up to five years in prison. The country’s law imposes stricter punishments for drug distribution, including the possibility of a life sentence.
Friends of Goldstone expressed their condolences online, remembering him as a “fun man” and mourning the tragic loss.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is offering consular assistance to Tonkin, who remains in the intensive care unit of the hospital.
Tonkin gave a candid account of his struggles with addiction, encounters with sex workers, and life on the run from authorities in a podcast in March. He described intense experiences under the influence of meth, including feeling like his skull was being crushed and hearing a woman’s voice echoing in his ear.
He shared that he moved to Bangkok, often referred to as the world’s “wild sex capital,” with his father at age 15, where he had his first sexual experience with a sex worker chosen for him at a club.
A week prior to his death, Goldstone shared a photo on Instagram of himself, Tonkin and three other men, possibly Thai nationals, enjoying a party with food and beer.
Four days before he was found dead, Goldstone posted a video on his Instagram account showing him and Tonkin riding a bike loaded with cannabis plants, laughing as they cruised the streets of Pattaya at night.
