A Chicago man, previously convicted in the notorious 2014 suitcase murder case in Bali, has been detained in international airspace while en route back to the United States to confront federal murder conspiracy charges. This case, which gripped headlines nearly a decade ago, involves Tommy Schaefer and the brutal death of his girlfriend’s mother.
The Department of Justice has announced that Tommy Schaefer, aged 32, from Chicago, now faces a three-count indictment in Illinois’ Northern District. The charges include conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, conspiracy to murder a U.S. national abroad, and obstruction of justice, reflecting the gravity of the alleged crimes.
According to prosecutors, Schaefer, in collusion with his girlfriend Heather Mack, orchestrated the murder of Sheila von Wiese-Mack during their 2014 visit to Bali, Indonesia. Court documents reveal that Mack played a pivotal role by organizing Schaefer’s travel to Bali, an integral part of their sinister plan.
In the lead-up to the murder, Schaefer was in communication with his cousin, Ryan Bibbs, exchanging messages about executing the heinous act. This correspondence highlights the premeditated nature of their actions, casting a darker shadow over the case.
The chilling details of the crime came to light when the body of Sheila von Wiese-Mack was discovered in a suitcase, a revelation that shocked both local and international communities. This case, documented by Firdia Lisnawati of AP Photo, remains an indelible part of Bali’s criminal history.
Ryan Bibbs, implicated in the conspiracy, admitted his role in advising Schaefer on the murder, pleading guilty in December 2016. Court records also disclosed that Heather Mack had approached Bibbs, inquiring about hiring someone to murder her mother in exchange for money, further underscoring the calculated nature of their plot.
Authorities allege Schaefer and Mack discussed the timing and details of the killing before carrying it out Aug. 12, 2014, inside von Wiese-Mack’s hotel room. Afterward, investigators say, they concealed her body in a suitcase and placed it in the trunk of a taxi.
In this April 21, 2015, photo, Heather Mack of Chicago is mobbed by reporters as she arrives in the courtroom for her sentencing hearing at a district court in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati, File)
Prosecutors have said the motive was financial, alleging the couple sought access to a $1.5 million trust fund, according to The Associated Press. In August 2014, von Wiese-Mack’s body was discovered inside a suitcase in the trunk of a taxi parked at the St. Regis Bali Resort.
Mack was 19 and several weeks pregnant at the time of the killing, while Schaefer was 21, the AP reported. Prosecutors said Mack covered her mother’s mouth as Schaefer struck her with a fruit bowl. The pair were arrested the day after the body was discovered.
In this March 12, 2015, photo, Heather Mack and boyfriend Tommy Schaefer, of Chicago, who are accused of murdering Mack’s mother Sheila von Wiese-Mack, whose body was later found in a suitcase, enter the courtroom prior to the start of their trial hearing at the district court in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. (Firdia Lisnawati, File/AP Photo)
The following year, both were convicted in Indonesia in the murder. Mack received a 10-year prison sentence. After her release and return to the United States, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kill a U.S. national and was sentenced in June 2023 to 26 years in federal prison.
Schaefer was sentenced in Indonesia to 18 years in prison. He was returned to the United States after completing his term, which Indonesian officials reduced through remissions and good behavior credits.
If convicted on the federal charges, Schaefer faces up to life in prison on the first two counts and up to 20 years on the obstruction charge and fines of up to $250,000.
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