True Crime Travelers

Ep. 07 Bloody Luggage in Bali: Heather Mack

Alexa West & Emilia Igartua

Destination: Bali, Indonesia

Heather Mack, a wealthy teenager from Chicago, and her mother, Sheila von Wiese-Mack, arrived in Bali for what seemed like a luxurious tropical escape. But this vacation would take a dark turn...

In August 2014, Heather and her boyfriend, Tommy Schaefer, were accused of brutally murdering her mother and stuffing her body into a suitcase, later abandoned in the trunk of a taxi outside their hotel in Bali. The investigation unraveled a twisted story of money, resentment, and hidden motives, culminating in both Heather and Tommy being sentenced to prison in Indonesia.

But seriously—what could drive a young woman to plot her own mother’s murder? Was it money, resentment, or something even darker? And where does Heather’s boyfriend fit into this twisted puzzle? Their relationship was anything but ordinary, and secrets were buried deep.

Heather Mack’s case has people questioning everything: justice, privilege, and just how far the bonds of family can bend before they snap. So, what went down in that luxury Bali suite? And what does this story say about the dark, messy side of wealth and family ties?

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