Woman’s body found in suitcase
“Suitcase killer” Heather Mack is expected to plead guilty in Chicago court today over the 2014 murder of her socialite mother in Bali, bringing some sort of conclusion to the shocking case.
In August 2014, Mack, then 18 and pregnant, and her boyfriend Tommy Schaefer, then 21, bludgeoned Sheila von Weise-Mack, 62, to death with a metal fruit stand while on vacation at the luxury 5-star St. Regis resort on the Indonesian island.
The couple, who described themselves as “Bonnie and Clyde” in chilling text messages, then stuffed her body in a suitcase and left it in the trunk of a taxi.
They were both convicted of premeditated murder in Indonesia – narrowly escaping firing squad.
After serving seven years in a Bali jail (where her daughter was born), Mack was extradited to the US where she was arrested on arrival in Chicago and hit with fresh charges of conspiracy to murder in a foreign country in November 2021.
Since then, she has been behind bars fighting the charges.
On Thursday, Mack is expected to appear for a plea hearing in Illinois court where she has revealed her intentions to take a plea bargain.
Heather Mack to appear in court today
“Suitcase killer” Heather Mack is expected to appear in court today where she will plead guilty in Chicago court today over the 2014 murder of her socialite mother in Bali.
In August 2014, Mack, then 18 and pregnant, and her boyfriend Tommy Schaefer, then 21, bludgeoned Sheila von Weise-Mack, 62, to death with a metal fruit stand while on vacation at the luxury 5-star St. Regis resort on the Indonesian island.
The couple, who described themselves as “Bonnie and Clyde” in chilling text messages, then stuffed her body in a suitcase and left it in the trunk of a taxi.
They were both convicted of premeditated murder in Indonesia – narrowly escaping firing squad.
After serving seven years in a Bali jail (where her daughter was born), Mack was extradited to the US where she was arrested on arrival in Chicago and hit with fresh charges of conspiracy to murder in a foreign country in November 2021.
Since then, she has been behind bars fighting the charges.
On Thursday, Mack is expected to appear for a plea hearing in Illinois court where she has revealed her intentions to take a plea bargain.
Rachel Sharp15 June 2023 12:00
What we know about the chilling case of ‘suitcase killer’ Heather Mack
It’s a chilling case that has spanned two different continents and rumbled on for the best part of eight years.
Now finally, some sort of conclusion is about to be reached as Chicago woman Heather Mack is expected to plead guilty this week to her part in her mother’s heinous 2014 murder.
Infamously dubbed the “Suitcase killer”, Mack, then 18 and pregnant, and her boyfriend Tommy Schaefer, then 21, bludgeoned her socialite mother Sheila von Weise-Mack, 62, to death and stuffed her body in a suitcase while on vacation at a luxury 5-star resort in Bali.
The Independent’s Rachel Sharp delves into the case here:
The chilling case of Heather Mack
As Chicago woman Heather Mack prepares to plead guilty over the killing of her socialite mother Sheila von Weise-Mack at a 5-star Bali resort in 2014, all these years on America remains horrified by the case involving a Bonnie and Clyde fantasy, a body stuffed in a suitcase and a baby born behind bars. Rachel Sharp reports
Rachel Sharp15 June 2023 11:56
Welcome to The Independent’s liveblog
Follow all the latest updates as Heather Mack appears in court in connection to 2014 murder.
Rachel Sharp15 June 2023 11:52
