US Citizen Convicted in Notorious 'Suitcase Murder' in Indonesia Deported After 11 Years

Jakarta. American citizen Tommy Schaefer, convicted in the notorious 'suitcase murder' case, has been deported from Indonesia after serving 11 years in prison.

 He will now have to face further federal charges in the United States. In 2014, Schaefer traveled to Bali with his then-girlfriend Heather Mack and her mother, Sheila von Wiese-Mack. According to the prosecution, the two conspired to murder von Wiese-Mack to embezzle a trust fund worth nearly $1.5 million.

After the murder, von Wiese-Mack's body was placed inside a suitcase and left in the trunk of a taxi. The taxi driver became suspicious and alerted the police, which led to the discovery of the crime. Schaefer, 33, who was released from a Bali prison on Tuesday morning, received a sentence reduction due to good behavior. However, he was sent to the US that same night. According to US media, he is scheduled to appear in a federal court in Chicago on Thursday.

Before the flight, Schaefer spoke to AFP, apologizing for his actions. "Forgive me. I always apologize," he said. "I was pushed into this situation, but I take responsibility for everything I did. I hope Sheila's family finds peace," he added. In 2015, an Indonesian court sentenced Schaefer to 18 years and Mack to 10 years in prison. The judge described the murder as brutal. According to the prosecution, Mack covered the mother's mouth while Schaefer struck her head with a fruit bowl.

Mack was 18 years old at the time. She was also pregnant. The court stated that she received a lighter sentence due to her lesser role in the murder. She was released in 2021. Immediately upon her release and arrival in the US, she was arrested. Later, a US court sentenced her to 26 years in prison.