• Tommy Schaefer, convicted of murdering Sheila von Wiese Mack, has been deported from Bali to the US.
• Schaefer served 11 years of an 18-year sentence before receiving an early release for good behavior.
• He is scheduled to face federal charges in the US following his deportation.

Tommy Schaefer, 32, was deported from Indonesia after serving 11 years for the premeditated murder of Sheila von Wiese Mack, the mother of his then-girlfriend, Heather Mack. Schaefer was released from prison in Bali and transferred to an immigration facility prior to his flight back to the United States, confirmed by local immigration authorities. He is set to appear in a Chicago courtroom on Thursday to face conspiracy charges stemming from the 2014 incident, reports South China Morning Post.

In 2015, an Indonesian court sentenced Schaefer to 18 years for his involvement in what has been termed the "suitcase murder." During the incident, Sheila von Wiese Mack's body was discovered hidden inside a suitcase at a taxi's trunk. The murder reportedly occurred during a vacation at the upscale St. Regis resort on Bali, where Schaefer was accused of striking the victim with a fruit bowl. His co-conspirator, Heather Mack, received a 10-year sentence for her lesser role, and was later deported to the U.S. in 2021, according to CBS News.

Prior to his deportation, Schaefer expressed remorse for his actions, stating, "I was thrust into this situation, but I take full responsibility for everything I have done." His apology was made shortly before he left Indonesia, emphasizing his regret over the tragic events. This incident shocked the local community and drew attention to issues of domestic abuse, as prosecutors noted that Wiese Mack disapproved of her daughter's pregnancy, which supposedly triggered the altercation, according to information highlighted by BBC.

Following Schaefer's return to the U.S., he will face legal challenges, including federal charges connected to the conspiracy to murder a U.S. national. His former girlfriend, Mack, has faced her own legal battles, resulting in a lengthy sentence in the U.S. for her involvement in the crime. Reports indicate that Mack has tried to profit from her story while serving her sentence, raising further legal and ethical questions regarding her case, as reiterated by CBS News and South China Morning Post.