GUILTY Bali - Sheila von Wiese Mack, 62, found dead in suitcase, 12 Aug 2014 #1

[MsAnais]

I don't think this has been posted before. It offers some insight into the family dynamics:


Heather Mack was a handful.

Long before her mother’s body was found stuffed in a suitcase outside a Bali resort, and before police began making regular visits to the family’s Oak Park home, her father James L. Mack put it politely.

“My daughter is very active,” James L. Mack said.

But the family’s travel agent was more candid.

“The obnoxious kid was bouncing a beach ball off everybody while I was trying to go over documents with her mother, who wasn’t paying any attention to her until the beach ball bounced off my desk,” Nancy Calvo Varela said in her 2002 deposition about the Mack family’s trip to Greece.

“Then she decided to discipline her by telling her to sit down, which took about two seconds, and then she was off again.”

http://oakpark.suntimes.com/2014/08/20/court-records-shed-new-light-teen-linked-mothers-death-bali/

 

[Curious Me]

The relationship between mother and daughter didn't seem to improve.

86 calls to the police!

"If you do what you always do, you're going to get what you always get."

 

[MsAnais]

And that wonderful Maya Angelou quote; "The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them."

 

[Jersey*Girl]

I feel the same way. Sad that Heather could give birth and raise her baby in jail, though...if she chooses to do so. Wow. Sad for the innocent child.

And I think she can only have her baby in jail to a certain point ... then the child will be placed elsewhere. Unless HM is charitable enough to think of her baby and place him/her with a loving family. I wonder if the baby's father's family will offer to care for the baby.

Oh thank you SouthAussie. I read that she can raise the baby in jail but wasn't sure if it was indefinite or if there was a limit.

SouthAussie, I found where I read it. This comes directly from the Bali Police spokesperson. Now I'm confused but I can pray that, if she's found guilty, she allows a good loving person to care for her child. So now I wonder, is there an actual limit or can the child grow up in prison like this spokesperson says?

http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/us-suspects-in-bali-suitcase-murder-on-suicide-watch-police

Bali police spokesman Hery Wiyanto said the couple were depressed and were on suicide watch.

"Their mental state is checked every day," Wiyanto said. "Tommy seems better, but as they both continue to refuse to speak it is difficult," he said.

The couple have refused to talk to their Indonesian lawyer and a U.S. lawyer was expected to arrive in Indonesia on Wednesday.

"Tommy is under close observation and has no access to materials he could use to (commit) suicide," Wiyanto said.

Wiyanto said ultrasound and urine tests had confirmed that Mack was pregnant, as she had said, which he earlier suggested might have been a ruse to ensure she was sent home.

"... In Indonesia there are a lot of cases of pregnant prisoners, if they are already processed through the courts and they are jailed," he said. "So if found guilty, the baby will be born in prison. The baby could grow up in prison with its mother."

 

[Leomoon80]

"Dollars to Doughnuts" HM puts her B.F. under the bus for this one, per her high priced attorney! That's her only hope.
The BF already said, "he wasn't coming home from Indonesia" but little did he realize that was a prediction come true!

http://www.georgianewsday.com/news/...ow-with-daughter-hours-before-her-murder.html

 

[gitana1]

No, it's not. I just think that HM wanted to be able to do whatever she wanted with whatever she could get. She didn't want to have to answer to ANYBODY!
I'm curious of her tie (or her family's) to the attorney. I'm not so sure she was calling to confess her crime. I think she was trying to figure out a way to get out of the country. Maybe she thought the attorney could finagle a way to get a passport quicker?? IDK...but I doubt she was coming clean about anything.

I agree with all of this.

18th birthday party - she'll never be this happy again...

http://ink361.com/app/photo/ig-575783201408268192_41106260

its incredible, really. She had a charmed life. Solidly upper middle class, at least, wealthy area, nice homes, nice cars, nice vacations, nice friends, a life that looked a lot like an endless summer vacation. But she threw it all away. And destroyed the one person who not only knew the real her, but
loved her anyway.

Im obsessed with this case, somewhat. Relatively well off kids, young, attractive, full of life, committing such an incredible murder. It seems so improbable.

James L Mack's obit. He did die in Greece from a pulmonary embolism.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2006-08-16/news/0608160239_1_mr-mack-classical-music-jazz

So it does look like they go on a yearly vacation around the anniversary of Mr. Mack's death.

The daughter was physically and psychologically abusive. Why did the mother take it? What was her marriage like? What happened such that the daughter became increasingly abusive and the mother repeatedly took it, forgave her, told everyone about it, and then the cycle repeated itself?

I kind of get the sense the mom was lonely. No husband, no significant other. Just her one, horrible
kid.

And yeah, she's clearly "troubled", HM, but she was same enough to hang with her friends and keep it together around them. To me the kind of mental illness that can make a person less culpable for crimes they commit is the kind that doesn't allow a person to keep it together for
long periods around most people. HM could control herself and knew right from wrong. She made a decision. IMO.

 

[Jersey*Girl]

The relationship between mother and daughter didn't seem to improve.

86 calls to the police!

"If you do what you always do, you're going to get what you always get."

IMVHO, they acted more like frenemies. Kwim? Why did Sheila refuse to get Heather mental help for all those years? WHY? Even when police suggested that Heather be institutionalized, Sheila wouldn't do it. I really do wonder if Heather could be bipolar or schizophrenic or something, something that could have been curbed with appropriate doctors and medicine. How could this go on for so many years and a judge didn't DEMAND that Heather be institutionalized? After so many complaints to police, is there a reason the State didn't step in? I just don't understand.

 

[Jersey*Girl]

I agree with all of this.



its incredible, really. She had a charmed life. Solidly upper middle class, at least, wealthy area, nice homes, nice cars, nice vacations, nice friends, a life that looked a lot like an endless summer vacation. But she threw it all away. And destroyed the one person who not only knew the real her, but
loved her anyway.

Im obsessed with this case, somewhat. Relatively well off kids, young, attractive, full of life, committing such an incredible murder. It seems so improbable.



So it does look like they go on a yearly vacation around the anniversary of Mr. Mack's death.



I kind of get the sense the mom was lonely. No husband, no significant other. Just her one, horrible
kid.

And yeah, she's clearly "troubled", HM, but she was same enough to hang with her friends and keep it together around them. To me the kind of mental illness that can make a person less culpable for crimes they commit is the kind that doesn't allow a person to keep it together for
long periods around most people. HM could control herself and knew right from wrong. She made a decision. IMO.

Not snipping anything bc I think you nailed it. Maybe she doesn't even have a serious mental issue. Maybe it's just spilled rotten brat syndrome.

 

[Leomoon80]

But the family’s travel agent was more candid.

“The obnoxious kid was bouncing a beach ball off everybody while I was trying to go over documents with her mother, who wasn’t paying any attention to her until the beach ball bounced off my desk,” Nancy Calvo Varela said in her 2002 deposition about the Mack family’s trip to Greece.

“Then she decided to discipline her by telling her to sit down, which took about two seconds, and then she was off again.”

The depositions, revealed as records of the Mack family’s lawsuit against the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., became public Wednesday, offer new insight into the 18-year-old woman now held in her mother’s gruesome death overseas.

The Mack family’s 2001 complaint against the cruise line became a wrongful death lawsuit after James Mack’s 2006 death. And it ended in a $1.5 million settlement in 2011, court records show.

http://oakpark.suntimes.com/2014/08/20/court-records-shed-new-light-teen-linked-mothers-death-bali/

I thought the man hurt his foot only in the Cruise swimming pool?? And that was in 2001.

How did the hurt foot turn into a heart attack? :thinking:

 

[MsAnais]

I agree with all of this.



its incredible, really. She had a charmed life. Solidly upper middle class, at least, wealthy area, nice homes, nice cars, nice vacations, nice friends, a life that looked a lot like an endless summer vacation. But she threw it all away. And destroyed the one person who not only knew the real her, but
loved her anyway.

Im obsessed with this case, somewhat. Relatively well off kids, young, attractive, full of life, committing such an incredible murder. It seems so improbable.



So it does look like they go on a yearly vacation around the anniversary of Mr. Mack's death.



I kind of get the sense the mom was lonely. No husband, no significant other. Just her one, horrible
kid.

And yeah, she's clearly "troubled", HM, but she was same enough to hang with her friends and keep it together around them. To me the kind of mental illness that can make a person less culpable for crimes they commit is the kind that doesn't allow a person to keep it together for
long periods around most people. HM could control herself and knew right from wrong. She made a decision. IMO.

I completely agree. And she was 'normal' around other people, and could form relationships and maintain friendships.

She didn't appear to be psychotic in any of the police reports I read - she was lucid and talking to the police very clearly.

I think the relationship between her mother and herself was fraught with unhealthy dynamics - and she'd obviously never been given proper boundaries or been truly held accountable for her behaviour.

I guess that's why, when I was reading the reports, I so wished that Sheila had agreed to have her hospitalised or removed for a while.....it may have really hit home. HM obviously believed that she could do ANYTHING to her mother and there would be no consequence.

I do suspect she has some sort of personality disorder, for what it's worth - but it doesn't mean she didn't know exactly what she was doing! She's fully culpable imo.

 

[Kamille]

"Dollars to Doughnuts" HM puts her B.F. under the bus for this one, per her high priced attorney! That's her only hope.
The BF already said, "he wasn't coming home from Indonesia" but little did he realize that was a prediction come true!

http://www.georgianewsday.com/news/...ow-with-daughter-hours-before-her-murder.html

I really don't read too much into that comment. Pretty sure anyone who is about to take a trip to a place that's widely considered to be paradise on earth would say the same thing. If I had the opportunity to go there, I'd be joking to my friends that I wasn't coming back either.

Its scary how a little joking comment like that just might make the difference between life or death for this young man. And you can bet she'll be using it to full advantage when she throws him under the bus.

By the way, how many 18yr olds routinely have a lawyer on speed dial that they can call up every time they're in trouble? Because she called him to try and get a passport to get out of the country, before she was arrested. I hope this guy doesn't get paid a dime for his efforts. The family estate belongs to Sheila. How is this lawyer expecting to get paid? Pretty sure HM wont be inheriting her mother's estate if she's found guilty of her murder. I bet SWM's brother is the executor of her will. I wonder what her will says? Probably left everything to her daughter. Would be interesting if she didn't though.

MOO

 

[Curious Me]

http://oakpark.suntimes.com/2014/08/20/court-records-shed-new-light-teen-linked-mothers-death-bali/

I thought the man hurt his foot only in the Cruise swimming pool?? And that was in 2001.

How did the hurt foot turn into a heart attack? :thinking:

Sheila is interviewed on Page 7 of this publication.
http://www.caxtonclub.org/reading/2013/may13.pdf

"The family was on a cruise in 2001 when
Mack caught his foot on something sharp
in the swimming pool. It was duly stitched
up by the boat’s physician, and he was able
to walk off the boat the next day. But sepsis
struck, putting him near death and permanently
ending the use of that foot. “We never
managed to get a significant settlement out of
the boat company,” she says. “Partly it was that
he died not too long thereafter of an unrelated
problem.”

BBM

 

[Jersey*Girl]

http://oakpark.suntimes.com/2014/08/20/court-records-shed-new-light-teen-linked-mothers-death-bali/

I thought the man hurt his foot only in the Cruise swimming pool?? And that was in 2001.

How did the hurt foot turn into a heart attack? :thinking:

He did and it turned into sepsis, rendering that foot useless. His death from a pulmonary embolism in Greece had nothing to do with his wound on Royal Caribbean a few years prior. He died in the middle of the lawsuit. Sheila though that may be why the payout wasn't significant.

 

[Leomoon80]

"Previous reports put Lois Mack's age at 19. Her Chicago attorney, Michael Elkin, on Monday said she won't be 19 for a few more months.

Elkin said his telephone conversations with Mack were facilitated by staff from the U.S. Consulate in that country but said his client had not revealed the alleged incidents of sexual abuse to consulate staffers."

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/sheila-von-wiese-mack-bali-indonesia-271687641.html


So, HM's 19th birthday will be in a few months time .... she'll probably be celebrating it in Hotel Kerobokan this year.

And she hasn't bothered to advise the people that could help her, US consular staff, about her 'sexual abuse'.

So her 19th birthday will probably be in late October, if the other post was correct where an old friend posted b.d.greetings for HM.

I still say, she'll throw the b.f. "under the bus". Chop him up like minced meat to save herself.

 

[Paulette]

http://oakpark.suntimes.com/2014/08/20/court-records-shed-new-light-teen-linked-mothers-death-bali/

I thought the man hurt his foot only in the Cruise swimming pool?? And that was in 2001.

How did the hurt foot turn into a heart attack? :thinking:

I read he died from a pulmonary embolism in the hotel.

"Pulmonary embolism is when one or more pulmonary arteries in your lungs become blocked. In most cases, pulmonary embolism is caused by blood clots that travel to the lungs from the legs or rarely other parts of the body (deep vein thrombosis, or DVT)." http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pulmonary-embolism/basics/definition/con-20022849

So I'm thinking maybe he got a blood clot in his leg from flying from Chicago to Greece (he was 76) & it traveled to his lungs.

He was born in 1929. I have all the birthdays but his - clue me in if you find his. A close birthday for HM - not quite sure which day though - looks like 11-22-95. She was 10 years old when he died June 6, 2006 - making HM 10.

BTW, the payout from the insurance company was $1.5 M - minus lawyers fees. Geez...that's a lot for a cut foot.

 

[Jersey*Girl]

I really don't read too much into that comment. Pretty sure anyone who is about to take a trip to a place that's widely considered to be paradise on earth would say the same thing. If I had the opportunity to go there, I'd be joking to my friends that I wasn't coming back either.

Its scary how a little joking comment like that just might make the difference between life or death for this young man. And you can bet she'll be using it to full advantage when she throws him under the bus.

By the way, how many 18yr olds routinely have a lawyer on speed dial that they can call up every time they're in trouble? Because she called him to try and get a passport to get out of the country, before she was arrested. I hope this guy doesn't get paid a dime for his efforts. The family estate belongs to Sheila. How is this lawyer expecting to get paid? Pretty sure HM wont be inheriting her mother's estate if she's found guilty of her murder. I bet SWM's brother is the executor of her will. I wonder what her will says? Probably left everything to her daughter. Would be interesting if she didn't though.

MOO

I say it everytime I travel away from home no matter where I'm going - as long as its tropical I'm in Heaven lol.

The thing with this is that I thought Tommy said he was going to China too?

 

[Curious Me]

I completely agree. And she was 'normal' around other people, and could form relationships and maintain friendships.

She didn't appear to be psychotic in any of the police reports I read - she was lucid and talking to the police very clearly.

I think the relationship between her mother and herself was fraught with unhealthy dynamics - and she'd obviously never been given proper boundaries or been truly held accountable for her behaviour.

I guess that's why, when I was reading the reports, I so wished that Sheila had agreed to have her hospitalised or removed for a while.....it may have really hit home. HM obviously believed that she could do ANYTHING to her mother and there would be no consequence.

I do suspect she has some sort of personality disorder, for what it's worth - but it doesn't mean she didn't know exactly what she was doing! She's fully culpable imo.

It was a struggle on my eye sight to read those police reports and emotionally upsetting to keep reading the constant disrespect and abuse. In one incident, I read something I'll have to paraphrase - what was it, something like - "Okay, I won't hit you in the arm and leave bruises anymore, I'll just hit you in the head."

 

[Leomoon80]

Is there a known date of birth yet for the deceased mother? I can't find it anywhere, but then again, I suppose her body is not back for the funeral and obituary either.
May the poor woman finally R.I.P.

 

[Jersey*Girl]

I read he died from a pulmonary embolism in the hotel.

"Pulmonary embolism is when one or more pulmonary arteries in your lungs become blocked. In most cases, pulmonary embolism is caused by blood clots that travel to the lungs from the legs or rarely other parts of the body (deep vein thrombosis, or DVT)." http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pulmonary-embolism/basics/definition/con-20022849

So I'm thinking maybe he got a blood clot in his leg from flying from Chicago to Greece (he was 76) & it traveled to his lungs.

He was born in 1929. I have all the birthdays but his - clue me in if you find his. A close birthday for HM - not quite sure which day though - looks like 11-22-95. She was 10 years old when he died June 6, 2006 - making HM 10.

BTW, the payout from the insurance company was $1.5 M - minus lawyers fees. Geez...that's a lot for a cut foot.

Sheila specifically said his death was unrelated to the prior sepsis from years ago.

ETA - $1.5M does seem alot for a cut foot that required stitches but in James' situation it developed sepsis bc of medical negligence on the ship. He never regained use of that foot. That's substantial to have walked your whole life then lose the use of your foot from a botched repair procedure.

 

[tristessa]

its incredible, really. She had a charmed life. Solidly upper middle class, at least, wealthy area, nice homes, nice cars, nice vacations, nice friends, a life that looked a lot like an endless summer vacation. But she threw it all away. And destroyed the one person who not only knew the real her, but
loved her anyway.

Im obsessed with this case, somewhat. Relatively well off kids, young, attractive, full of life, committing such an incredible murder. It seems so improbable.



So it does look like they go on a yearly vacation around the anniversary of Mr. Mack's death.



I kind of get the sense the mom was lonely. No husband, no significant other. Just her one, horrible
kid.

And yeah, she's clearly "troubled", HM, but she was same enough to hang with her friends and keep it together around them. To me the kind of mental illness that can make a person less culpable for crimes they commit is the kind that doesn't allow a person to keep it together for
long periods around most people. HM could control herself and knew right from wrong. She made a decision. IMO.

Must have been because it was her only child. And only link to her deceased husband, sad she didn't have another. I'm kind of more pissed because she's sounds like the type of women I'd love to be my mother, my own would never take me to 5* resorts just me & her, or want to buy me that much. (on her vine there's a video of Sheila buying a car for Heather)
She had friends because the first reports of the murder were describing how Sheila's close friends had warned her not to take Heather on holiday with her.....Sheila should have taken one of her friends instead IMO....I wonder how Heather wasn't 'so bored' when she went abroad with her mother anyway....as she claims how she's so bored at various times in a few vine videos.

On the police reports some things are blanked out....like: 'Sheila reports her daughter has ----- and is getting treatment', so that could be just 'anger issues', or something like an actual psychiatric disorder.