Tommy Schaefer, a U.S. citizen, has been deported from Indonesia after serving an 11-year prison sentence for the premeditated murder of Sheila von Wiese-Mack in Bali. Schaefer is now scheduled to face federal charges in the United States.
Background of the Case
Schaefer was sentenced to 18 years in Bali in connection with the 2014 murder of von Wiese-Mack, who was the mother of his then-girlfriend, Heather Mack.
This incident became known as the "Bali suitcase murder."
Prosecutors in the case had stated that the couple sought access to a $1.5 million trust fund. Sheila von Wiese-Mack, a 62-year-old Chicago socialite, was found deceased in the trunk of a taxi at the St. Regis Bali resort in August 2014. Mack, who was nearly 19 and pregnant at the time, and Schaefer, then 21, were arrested shortly after the discovery.
Legal Proceedings
Schaefer's deportation to the U.S. occurred on Tuesday evening, following the completion of his sentence and a number of remissions for good behavior, as confirmed by Felucia Sengky Ratna, head of the Bali regional immigration office.
Heather Mack, who served seven years of a 10-year prison sentence in Bali for her role in her mother's death, was deported in October 2021.
She was later sentenced to 26 years in prison in Chicago in January 2024 after pleading guilty to charges related to the murder and concealing the body.
Upcoming U.S. Charges
Schaefer faces federal charges in the U.S., which include conspiracy to kill someone in a foreign country, conspiracy to commit murder, and tampering with a victim. His initial court appearance for these charges is scheduled for Thursday morning in Chicago.