Former Socceroo found dead in bushland

Laybutt, from Lithgow, Australia, was found dead in bushland on the north coast of New South Wales after a multi-day search.

The former Australian international was last seen on Friday the 12th of January and was reported missing on Saturday after he could not be located.

Various police services were involved in the search, with the Tweed/Byron police district eventually discovering Laybutt’s body near Cabarita Beach.

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As it stands, police are not treating Laybutt’s death as suspicious with a local coroner preparing a report on how he may have died.

Laybutt played soccer professionally for over 15 years, with stints at Bellmare Hiratsuka and the Newcastle Jets as well as a brief spell in Europe as a Feyenoord player.

Alongside his domestic career, Laybutt also played 15 times for the Australian national team including at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

Following his playing career, the former Socceroo came out as gay, something he had never been comfortable doing during his playing career.

After wrapping up his playing career, Laybutt worked at a St. Vincent’s Private Hospital rehab center where he met Ian Pavey. Pavey was a 67-year-old who required frequent dialysis due to an issue with his kidney. Laybutt, who barely knew Pavey, agreed to donate his kidney to relieve Pavey from his ongoing treatment.

The CEO of Football Australia, James Johnson, released a statement saying: “We remember Stephen not just for his accomplishments on the field but also for his character and the positive influence he had on those around him”.

Football NSW also released a statement in which they remembered Laybutt as, “one of the toughest defenders in the league,” and that they, “send its deepest condolences to the Laybutt family.”