#female killers

19-year-oldHeather Mack was described as having a ‘’privileged upbringing’’, having been raised in her big Chicago home by her parents, Sheila MackandJames L. Mack. Her father, James, was a notable jazz musician and composer. After her father’s sudden death in 2006 during a family trip in Greece, the police would come to be very familiar with the mother and daughter’s strained relationship. Police were constantly summoned to resolve domestic incidents, usually involving Heather stealing money from her mother or even physically assaulting her. In her senior year of high school, Heather began dating an older boy named Tommy Schaefer. Sheila did not approve of this relationship and even forced her daughter to get an abortion twice.

In August 2014, Sheila and Heather flew first class to Bali. The purpose of the trip with to have spend some quality time together and mend their broken relationship. Tensions had been brewing lately; Heather was pregnant for a third time, and Sheila was seeking a power of attorney to enforce another abortion on her 19-year-old daughter. But during the vacation, Heather stole her mother’s credit card and bought Tommy a $12,000 plane ticket to Bali. When Sheila discovered what happened, she was understandably livid. Heather and Tommy texted back and forth, plotting Sheila’s murder. Tommy showed up to Sheila and Heather’s suite carrying a glass fruit bowl with a metal handle. He then battered Sheila over the head with it. The couple stuffed her body in a suitcase and placed it in the trunk of a taxi and walked away. The driver checked the suitcase and noted traces of blood on the exterior. He then notified police immediately.
The couple confessed to the crime, and Tommy was sentenced to 18 years in prison, while Heather was only sentenced to 10 years because she had given birth by that point. On October 29th, 2021, Heather was released early from prison and immediately deported back to Chicago. As soon as she landed in Chicago, she was arrested on conspiracy and obstruction charges.