Cousin of Tommy Schaefer charged with conspiring in Bali murder

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The cousin of the man convicted with Heather Mack in the murder of her mother in Bali has been charged with conspiring with the couple, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Robert Ryan Justin Bibbs - the cousin of Tommy Schaefer, Mack's boyfriend - is accused of advising Mack and Schaefer on how to kill Mack's mother, Sheila von Wiese, according to the affidavit. Von Wiese's body was found stuffed in a suitcase in the trunk of a Bali taxi in August 2014. Bibbs also allegedly believed that he would be given part of von Wiese's inheritance via Schaefer and Mack.

Bibbs was taken into custody Wednesday and charged with conspiracy to commit the foreign murder of a U.S. national after an investigation into text messages and Facebook communication between Bibbs, Schaefer and Mack, officials said.

On the morning of Aug. 12, 2014, Schaefer allegedly texted Bibbs to say that an attempt to overdose von Wiese had failed, according to the affidavit:

Schaefer: "Wasn't enough bro smh" (shaking my head)... Definitely need that (emoji of a handgun)."

Later that morning, Schaefer texted Bibbs, saying that Mack wanted him to come to von Wiese's hotel room and carry out the murder, to which Bibbs allegedly responded "Go sit on her face wit a pillow then." After von Wiese's death, officials say Schaefer texted Bibbs "Need yo help bro," "I'm gucci but for some reason I don't feel bad."

Schaefer and Mack were convicted of von Wiese's murder earlier this year. Schaefer was sentenced to 18 years in prison, while Mack was sentenced to 10. Mack is currently caring for the couple's baby, Stella, in an Indonesian prison.