Andrea Elliott, a TikTok user, has joined the growing group of individuals who believe that leaving America is now the new American dream. One such person is Heather Mack, a 37-year-old Chicago native who recently fled the American “rat-race” and relocated to Bali. However, Mack’s story took a dark turn as she was sentenced to 26 years in federal prison for her involvement in a murder plot.
Mack, along with her boyfriend Tommy Schaefer, committed a heinous crime during their vacation in Bali’s luxurious island. They killed Mack’s mother, Sheila von Wiese, and left her dead body in a suitcase stuffed in the trunk of a taxi. Mack had previously been convicted of murder in Indonesia and served seven years there before being deported to the United States.
During her sentencing hearing, Mack pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charges, and her lawyers requested a sentence of no more than 15 years, taking into account her time served in the overseas prison. However, the federal judge handed down a 26-year sentence, as requested by the prosecutors.
The murder was premeditated, with Mack and Schaefer planning the crime through text messages before ambushing von Wiese in her hotel room at the St. Regis hotel. Mack silenced her mother’s screams while Schaefer beat her to death with a metal handle of a fruit bowl. They attempted to clean up the crime scene and changed the hotel linens before hiding von Wiese’s body in a suitcase.
Prosecutors argued that the murder was particularly brutal, with evidence suggesting that von Wiese fought to stay alive, realizing that her own daughter was responsible for her death. Text messages between Mack and Schaefer revealed their plans for the murder and their fantasies about how they would spend the money they anticipated inheriting.
After serving seven years of her 10-year Indonesian sentence, Mack was released and deported to the U.S., only to be immediately arrested by local authorities. Schaefer, on the other hand, remains in prison overseas.
This shocking case highlights the dark side of an individual’s pursuit of the so-called American dream, as Mack’s escape from the American “rat-race” ultimately led to a tragic and senseless act of violence. The sentencing serves as a reminder of the consequences of such actions and the importance of justice.
