US Citizen, Who Murdered His Girlfriend's Mother and Put Her Body in a Suitcase, Deported from Bali After Serving Prison Sentence
A US citizen, Tommy Schaefer, was deported from Bali on Tuesday evening, February 24, 2026. He was deported after serving an 18-year sentence at the Class IIA Kerobokan Penitentiary in Badung.
“The person was released after completing his sentence. Therefore, we handed him over to the immigration authorities for immediate deportation to his home country,” said the Head of the Guidance and Education Section of the Kerobokan Penitentiary, Moretska Victor Noya, when confirmed by detikBali on Wednesday, February 25, 2026.
Tommy was one of the perpetrators who murdered Sheila von Wiese Mack at the St. Regis Bali Resort, Nusa Dua, Badung, in 2014. Wiese Mack was the mother of Heather Lois Mack, Tommy’s girlfriend. Tommy murdered Wiese Mack along with Heather.
Nova said Tommy left the Kerobokan Penitentiary on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at around 12:00 PM local time. Tommy’s release was carried out in accordance with legal provisions. During his imprisonment, he participated in various rehabilitation programs and received several remissions, which also affected the length of his sentence.
The Head of the Regional Office of the Directorate General of Immigration in Bali, Felucia Sengky Ratna, said that Tommy was escorted by immigration officials and the US Embassy during the deportation process.
“The deportation process was carried out through I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport with close escort by officers from the Denpasar Immigration Office until the person boarded the plane to the United States,” explained Felucia.
As is known, the murder case in which the victim’s body was put in a suitcase in 2014, became international news. The case drew attention, especially because of the way the perpetrators hid the victim’s body in a suitcase.
The tragedy began when Schaefer and Heather arrived in Bali on Monday, August 11, 2014. They stayed at a hotel in Nusa Dua, Badung Regency. Instead of enjoying their vacation, Tommy and Heather spent their time discussing how to kill Wiese Mack.
The next day, the couple decided to kill Wiese Mack. The wife of the late musician James L. Mack was murdered on Tuesday, August 12, 2014, at 9:00 AM local time. In the room at the St. Regis Bali Resort, Wiese Mack’s head was hit repeatedly with a bowl until she bled and died.
After killing Wiese Mack, Heather and Tommy then devised a plan to cover up their crime. They decided to abandon Wiese Mack’s body in the trunk of a taxi. Before that plan was carried out, Heather and Schaefer robbed Wiese Mack. Schaefer and Heather stole Wiese Mack’s credit card and some money. After robbing Wiese Mack, the couple called a taxi. The taxi arrived at 12:00 PM. Schaefer and Heather carried and put the suitcase containing Wiese Mack’s body into the trunk of the taxi. Then, they ran away, saying they wanted to take care of administrative matters at the front desk. However, two hours passed, and Heather and Schaefer did not return. The taxi driver, Ketut Wirjana, began to feel uneasy. Wirjana then reported his unease to the hotel security. Wirjana also reported about the suitcase and some of Heather and Schaefer’s belongings to the security. The security guard then suggested reporting to the Kuta Selatan Police, especially since there were bloodstains on the suitcase in the taxi trunk. Without thinking, Wirjana immediately drove to the Kuta Selatan Police. After reporting and unloading Heather and Schaefer’s belongings, it was discovered that Wiese Mack’s body was curled up and half-naked in the suitcase. The shocking discovery was then investigated by the police. It did not take long for the police to arrest Heather and Schaefer. In just one day, the couple was arrested at another hotel not far from the scene.