‘Sit on Her Face Wit a Pillow’ — Cousin Pleads to Tropical Resort Murder Plot

CHICAGO — A Chicago man pleaded guilty to planning the murder of his cousin’s girlfriend’s mother in exchange for a cut of the inheritance they expected from the rich woman.

Robert Ryan Justin Bibbs, 26, counseled his cousin on how to kill 62-year-old Sheila A. Von Wiese at the St. Regis Bali resort in August 2014. Von Wiese was beaten to death in her hotel room.

Von Wiese was the mother of Heather Mack, who at the time of the killing was the girlfriend of Tommy Schaefer. The Oak Park couple was on vacation with Von Wiese at the time of the murder.

Schaefer has since been sentenced to 18 years in an Indonesian prison. Mack got 10 years.

Mack gave birth to a girl after she was sentenced. She is allowed to raise the baby in prison until the little girl reaches age 2.

Bibbs pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit the foreign murder of a U.S. national.

“Bibbs acknowledged in his plea agreement that he was aware of the couple’s plot to carry out the murder, and he counseled Schaefer on how to get away with it,” according to statement released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “Bibbs believed Schaefer would gain access to Von Wiese’s estate through Mack, and that Schaefer would share a portion of the inheritance with him, according to the plea agreement.”

In exchange for his plea, prosecutors agreed Bibbs’ sentence would be no more than 20 years.

FBI agents investigating Von Wiese’s death discovered text messages exchanged by Bibbs and Schaefer leading up to the killing.

“Mack and her mother shared a hotel room, and Schaefer arrived at the resort on the morning of the murder,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. “Soon after his arrival, Schaefer sent a text message to Bibbs, who was in the United States. The message stated that Mack had unsuccessfully attempted to kill Von Wiese, the plea agreement states. Bibbs replied with advice about alternative ways to carry out the murder, including by drowning, the plea agreement states.”

Later that same morning, Schaefer texted Bibbs that “She wants me to right now … While she snoozing,” “which Bibbs understood to mean that Mack had asked Schaefer to help her kill Von Wiese,” prosecutors said.Bibbs reportedly texted back, “Go sit on her face wit a pillow then.”

“Bibbs intended this message to mean that Schaefer should go and suffocate Von Wiese,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Soon after, Schaefer bludgeoned Von Wiese to death.

Schaefer and Mack then packed Von Wiese’s body into a suitcase, put the bag in a cab and fled the resort.

Mack and Schaefer were taken into custody by Indonesian police the next day. Schaefer was not arrested until the following month.