Police probing Brit’s ‘unnatural loss of life’ after 25-year-old’s physique was present in Vietnam lodge

A coroner has ordered a further probe into the ‘unnatural’ death of a 25-year-old British man who was found in a Vietnam hotel. 

Harleigh Jones, from Pontypridd in Wales, was found dead in his room in Ho Chi Minh City in June 2025, an inquest heard on Monday. 

A post-mortem examination found he had a mix of prescription drugs in his system, including abapentin, pregabalin, olanzapine and benzodiazepines. 

Dr Jason Shannon, who carried out the post-mortem at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, provisionally gave Harleigh’s cause of death as the combined effects of these drugs. 

But Coroner Graeme Hughes said the young Briton’s death would require a full inquest: ‘I have sufficient reason to suspect that his death is unnatural. 

‘Following the post-mortem and toxicology reports it appears that drugs were impacted in the cause of his death.’

He ordered that the investigation into his death continue, adding that the case would be adjourned until the probe was over. 

Harleigh is understood to have been working in comms for APW, a property investment firm that is headquartered in Dubai, at the time of his death. 

Harleigh Jones (pictured), from Pontypridd in Wales, was found dead in his hotel room in Ho Chi Minh City in June 2025

The inquest was told that he had been living in Ho Chi Minh City at the time of his death, and had been working in property in southeast Asia for some time. 

According to his LinkedIn, he had been living in the region since at least 2023. 

Following his death, he was repatriated to south Wales and his funeral took place in Williamstown.