American woman, boyfriend sentenced in murder of her mother at Bali resort
Reporting from Bali, Indonesia — An Indonesian court has convicted an American, Tommy Schaefer, of murdering his girlfriend’s mother and sentenced him to 18 years in jail. The girlfriend, Heather Mack, was sentenced to 10 years for helping in the Aug. 12 crime.
The Denpasar District Court ruled Tuesday that Schaefer, 21, was guilty of battering Sheila von Wiese-Mack to death in a hotel room on the resort island of Bali.
Schaefer and Mack, 19, both from Chicago, were tried separately in the same court with the same judges and prosecutors.
They were arrested a day after the body of Von Wiese-Mack, 62, was found in a suitcase inside the trunk of a taxi at the St. Regis Bali Resort.
“Taking into account Chapter 340 of the criminal code and other related laws, [the panel] declared that the defendant Tommy Schaefer has been legally and convincingly guilty of committing premeditated murder,” said the verdict read out by presiding Judge Made Suweda.
“Therefore the defendant is sentenced to 18 years in jail.”
He described Schaefer’s deeds as sadistic, but said his politeness and an expression of remorse during his trial meant he did not receive a heavier sentence.
Mack’s sentence was handed down later.
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