Following the arrest of the American couple who allegedly killed Sheila Von Weise Mack, the Bali Police have revealed plans to send them for psychiatric evaluation
ollowing the arrest of the American couple who allegedly killed Sheila Von Weise Mack, the Bali Police have revealed plans to send them for psychiatric evaluation.
Denpasar Police chief Sr. Comr. Djoko Hari Utomo told journalists on Thursday that psychiatric evaluation would take place soon.
'We need to find out their mental condition,' Djoko said.
The couple, Tommy Schaefer, 21, and Heather Lois Mack, 19, allegedly killed Mack's 62-year-old mother and disposed of her body in a silver suitcase that they put in the trunk of a taxi at The St. Regis Bali Resort on Tuesday afternoon. They then left the area.
The following morning, the young couple was apprehended at Risata Bali Resort and Spa in Kuta, around 10 kilometers from the crime scene, where they had reportedly checked in on Tuesday afternoon several hours after having escaped from Nusa Dua.
The couple will also be tested for drugs.
As of Thursday, Djoko said, the police were yet to interrogate the couple.
'They refuse to speak before they get a lawyer. We're still waiting for the lawyer from the United States,' he said, adding that the suspects refused the lawyer provided by the state.
'While waiting for the lawyer, we will conduct health tests, including psychiatric testing,' Djoko added.
As the interrogation had not been conducted yet, Djoko admitted that the suspects had not confessed to the murder.
However, he stated that the police had strong evidence of the couple's involvement.
'We saw the fact, based on the CCTV footage, that no other people entered the hotel room besides the suspects,' he said.
Meanwhile, Bali Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. IGN Rahardja told journalists on Thursday that the couple was believed to have been using drugs before the murder. 'It is possible that they used drugs. We haven't conducted a drug test yet,' he said.
He added that they would be processed under the Indonesian legal system.
As reported previously, police officers at South Kuta Police station were shocked Tuesday afternoon to find Von Sheila Mack's body in a silver suitcase brought to them by a taxi driver.
Based on a statement made by the taxi driver, I Ketut Wirjana, he had gone to The St. Regis Bali Resort in Nusa Dua to pick up guests. When he arrived at the hotel lobby, a foreign man and woman told him to open the trunk and placed the suitcase inside.
They then asked him to wait while they returned to the hotel lobby, but after two hours had not returned to the taxi. CCTV footage examined later showed that the couple had left the hotel via the beach. The hotel staff advised Wirjana to take the suitcase to the police as the couple's actions were
suspicious.
An external examination of the victim's body showed she had injuries and bruises to her head and her hands.
'It looks like the victim tried to defend herself as there were many injuries to her hands,' Sanglah's forensics facility coordinator, Ida Bagus Putu Alit, stated.
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