Tommy Schaefer jailed for 18 years for Bali suitcase murder of Sheila von Wiese-Mack

TOMMY Schaefer"s crime, in the brutal killing of his girlfriend"s mother in a five-star Bali resort, was sadistic and has today landed him an 18-year jail term.

The 21-year-old Schaefer, who is the father of a four-week-old baby girl, was late today sentenced by a Bali court to 18 years behind bars.

Judges in the Denpasar District Court found him guilty of the premeditated murder of his girlfriend"s wealthy mother, Sheila Von Wiese Mack, at St. Regis Bali Resort in Nusa Dua in August last year.

Tears before jail ... American Tommy Schaefer was sentenced to 18 years in jail for murdering his girlfriend"s mother and hiding her body in a suitcase during their holiday in Nusa Dua, Bali. Picture: Lukman S. Bintoro Source: Supplied

He had faced the death penalty but the Judges stopped short of imposing the maximum penalty and instead gave him the same as that demanded by the prosecutors in the case.

His 19-year-old girlfriend Heather Mack is due to be sentenced later today. As her lover faced the court, Mack waited in the court"s holding cell with the couple"s four-week-old daughter Stella, who lives in Kerobokan prison with her mother and father.

Before his verdict began Schaefer sobbed in the court, comforted by the court translator.

Presiding Judge Made Suweda said that Schaefer was found guilty of premeditated murder.

"The defendant"s actions have troubled people, the defendant"s actions were sadistic. (He) has never committed a crime before, was polite and confessed his guilt and regretted his actions,” Judge Suweda said in summarising the case.

Only four weeks old . Heather Mack holds her baby Stella as she arrives at Denpasar District Court. Ms Mack is being sentenced after her boyfriend and father of her child, Tommy Schaefer, was found guilty and jailed for murdering her mother. Picture: Lukman S. Bintoro Source: Supplied

Schaefer had cried before the court began but as he was sentenced he was calm.

"The defendant has been proven guilty of committing premeditated murder as stated in the indictment. Sentence the defendant to 18 years prison,” judge Suweda said.

Lawyer Iswahyudi said the defence is considering whether to appeal the sentence.

Prosecutors had demanded that Mack be sentenced to 15 years jail and that Schaefer get 18 years. Both had been accused of premeditated murder, which carried the death penalty.

Before the court started a relaxed looking Mack cuddled and kissed four-week-old baby Stella in a holding cell.

Heather Mack says she does not want the little girl to ever be aware that she is in a prison and may not keep her in Kerobokan prison for the allowed two years.

"I don"t want her to ever be aware that she"s in a prison so I think two years old is too old,” Mack said of how long she plans to keep the little girl with her behind bars.

Brutal and sadistic murder ... Tommy Schaefer pictured at a previous hearing into the murder of his girlfriend"s wealthy mother. Picture AFP / Sonny Tumbelaka Source: AFP

Under Indonesian regulations babies may stay in jail with their mothers for the first two years.

She is currently sharing a cell with eight other women but there are plans to move Mack and another Indonesian woman, with a seven-month-old baby girl, into a cell of their own.

This follows a visit to the jail recently by the country"s Justice and Human Rights Minister and representations by Mack"s US lawyers.

Mack said yesterday that the other child loves Stella and "she keeps kissing her”.

Mack told the media that she hadn"t weighed Stella but believed she had doubled in weight since birth.

"I haven"t had her weighted but I"d say she has doubled what she was,” Mack said of the little pink-clad baby.

Asked how she was sleeping at night, Mack said: "She"s okay if I hold her.”

Mack"s American lawyers are due to file court documents in the US seeking access to a $1.3 million trust fund in order to guarantee the baby"s financial future.

Baby Stella"s young life has been tumultuous since her conception. Mack"s pregnancy is said to have sparked the argument between herself, her mother and boyfriend Tommy Schaefer which lead to Mrs Wiese-Mack"s brutal death.

Set for a lengthy jail term ... Heather Mack holds her baby as arrives at Denpasar District Court before her boyfriend Tommy Schaefer is found guilty of murdering her mother and hiding her body in a suitcase during their holiday in Bali. Picture: Lukman S. Bintoro Source: Supplied

During the trial, the court heard that the young lovers argued with Mrs Wiese-Mack after breaking the news to her that the teenager was pregnant. Schaefer claimed in evidence that Mrs Mack made racial slurs against him and threatened the baby, demanding an abortion.

Schaefer admitted killing the wealthy widow by bludgeoning her to death with a glass bowl in a room at the five-star resort where they were staying. He and Mack then stuffed her bloodied and lifeless body into a suitcase and deposited it into the boot of a taxi waiting at the resort reception before fleeing the hotel.