British woman found dead in Turkey hotel after gurus 'brainwashed' her on Bali spiritual retreat

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A British businesswoman was found dead in a Turkish hotel room after she was "brainwashed" by New Age gurus on a spiritual retreat in Bali, an inquest heard.

Josephine Tabor spent two and a half years travelling the world before her death, including visiting the Indonesian province for a spiritual getaway.

Ms Tabor's family believe she was influenced by cult-like groups after she described being given "truth serum" in diary entries they discovered, they told the court, reports the Mirror.

The 30-year-old became interested in spiritualism after meeting her then-boyfriend from America, who was "heavily interested" in star signs, tarot readings, retreats and other new-age practices.

In one final diary entry, Ms Tabor tragically wrote: "I have tried everything except suicide. It is my final roll of the dice."

In statements submitted to Taunton Coroner's Court, her family said: "These retreats claimed to offer answers, they have thousands of followers, this does not make them qualified or altruistic. We know an inquest cannot apportion blame however there is a cult-like side to many of these retreats.

"When a vulnerable person is told a higher force can help them and that the universe is looking out for them, not friends and family, they have no one to turn to as they have been brainwashed that the answers do not lie here but in another universe." Ms Tabor's parents, farmers James and Elizabeth, said "the family were united" in the belief that Josephine was vulnerable and had been victimised whilst at these retreats and that she recounted the experience in her diaries.

They claimed she'd attended a retreat in Bali for three weeks in the months leading up to her death in December 2021, and added that they felt their daughter attended a further retreat in Turkey, but they could not be sure. Josephine was found dead in a Turkish hotel room having died by suicide on December 30, 2021.

Despite Ms Tabor's family stating they'd been concerned for years that "she was caught up in a spiritual world" they were keen not to criticise her lifestyle. The court heard how Ms Tabor was an "independent and able woman" who ran a successful online marketing and branding business with a large following, including more than 15,000 followers on social media.

Ms Tabor had a degree in psychology from Cardiff University and was also a qualified yoga teacher with a social media page dedicated to her teacher. Her family told the court that she had no obvious life stress they were aware of, was not short of money and had no dependents.

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Evidence from Ms Tabor's GP, in her home of Yeovil, Somerset, was that she had no known mental health issues and there were no physical health problems which could have contributed to her suicide. An investigation by the Turkish authorities found no evidence of alcohol or drug use.

Excerpts from Ms Tabor's journals were read aloud in court, where she wrote about the Hindu goddess of death and destruction, it said: "I have done all the inner work possible and I am being called toward a true calling." Assistant Coroner Steve Cavell said the books contained a "pseudo mystic religious theme throughout", that it made mention of past lives and "talked of suicide as a freedom."

In a heartbreaking final journal entry, Ms Tabor wrote: "I have tried everything except suicide. It is my final roll of the dice." Ms Tabor was found dead by a hotel cleaner on the morning of December 30, 2021, in the Atik Hotel in Istanbul, days before she was set to return to the UK to visit her sister who had just given birth.

Family members said they'd spoken with Ms Tabor on December 18 and there was no cause for concern, and she even promised to return with some Turkish Delights. Mr Cavell said Ms Tabor had "developed an interest in the spiritual world. Her journals contained references to what appeared to be Hindu and Buddhist themes, concepts of birth and rebirth, finding oneself, fulfilment and leaving the past behind.

"Her family feels she went on one or more retreats which may have affected her but I make no findings on this as I don't have the evidence to do that and is outside the scope of the inquest. Toward end of her life the journals darken in tone there is a suggestion she became disillusioned with her relationships and how she felt she had been mistreated and that she had been naive to look for the goodness in people.

"I find that not only did she intend on taking the action she did but that the action was aimed at bringing her life to an end. That is supported from the entries in her final notebook where she clearly indicates that she is contemplating taking her own life.

"This contradicts what she told her family in previous days which is that she was intending to return to see them, in particular her sister who had just given birth, and I cannot explain this. It is quite possible that subsequent to talking to her family her mood darkened.

"We don't know the movements of Jo over the Christmas period. We do know she was in her room with no one else between December 29 and December 30, 2021. Whilst there are wider questions which are unanswered in relation to her movements generally and in months leading up to her death, I do consider I can answer statutory questions. It would be wrong for me to speculate on other matters and I do not have the evidence to do that."

For emotional support you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org , visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.

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