CHICAGO, — A Chicago woman was arrested last week in the U.S. on a murder conspiracy in the 2014 slaying her mother in Indonesia. Her attorney waived a Wednesday hearing.
U.S. District Judge Charles Norgle waived the hearing, in which lawyers would have debated whether Heather Mack should be permitted to post bond. Mack was sentenced to seven years in Indonesian prison for the murder of Sheila von Wiese–Mack. He sat in court wearing an orange jail jumpsuit and was cuffed at the ankles.
Norgle stated that Mack’s lawyer can request another hearing at any moment, but if she is not scheduled for one, Mack will be held in federal custody until her next court appearance on January 18.
Attorney Keith Spielfogel didn’t explain why he decided against a hearing, and Mack did nothing other than confirm that she was not willing to make a statement.
Mack, 26, was indicted last week for conspiring to murder in a foreign land and obstruction of justice in von Wiese Mack’s death. Maximum sentence for the murder conspiracy charge is 20 years in prison. The obstruction of justice charge can be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years.
Schaefer is still in Indonesian prison after she was convicted of killing von Wiesemack in a luxurious resort on Bali, then stuffing her body into a suitcase they left in the trunk a taxi.
Mack was released after she had served a little over seven years of a 10 year sentence. She was quickly deported to America. On her arrival at O’Hare International Airport, Chicago, Mack was detained. Mack’s 6-year old daughter Stella arrived in the U.S. along with her. Court records show that a Cook County judge issued a temporary order to appoint one of Mack’s attorneys as Stella’s guardian.
Mack was later seen in court, and she pleaded guilty to the charges. Norgle ordered Mack to remain in custody until Wednesday’s hearing.
According to the indictment Mack and Schaefer exchanged messages regarding “how and when” to kill von Wiese–Mack. They also tried to cover it up by taking off the clothes they wore at the time.
