Man convicted in 2014 Sheila von Wiese Mack Bali case pleads not guilty in Chicago Thursday

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The man convicted in the notorious killing of his former girlfriend's mother in Bali back in 2014 pleaded not guilty in Chicago Thursday.

Police said Tommy Schaefer and Oak Park native Heather Mack killed Mack's mother so the newly pregnant Heather could get money from a trust fund.

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Schaefer smiled and blew a kiss at his mother as he walked into a U.S. Courtroom for the first time Thursday.

He pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and told the court he wants to represent himself.

"In a matter like this, when my life is on the line, I'd like to speak for myself," Schaefer said, shackled and wearing an orange jumpsuit.

RELATED: Heather Mack update: Oak Park native sentenced to 26 years in connection with mother's Bali murder

Ultimately, Judge Matthew Kennelly persuaded Shaefer to retain an attorney, at least for Thursday.

Shaefer was taken into custody on Wednesday mid-way through a flight from Bali to O'Hare.

The now 32-year-old was deported from Indonesia following his release from prison there.

He spent the last 11 years in an Indonesian prison, for the killing of Sheila von Wiese Mack.

Her body was found in a suitcase in 2014.

Mack, who gave birth to Shaefer's baby while in prison, served seven years in Bali before she was deported back to the United States in 2021. She, like Shaefer, was arrested upon arrival in Chicago and is now serving a 26-year sentence for her role in her mother's murder.

Both Schaefer's and Von Wiese Mack's family refrained from commenting Thursday.

The FBI released a statement, saying, "Heather Mack and Tommy Schaefer are now facing full accountability on U.S. soil for the senseless murder of Sheila Von Wiese-Mack. We remain hopeful that healing and closure may finally begin for all those that loved her."

Judge Kennelly went as far as setting a trial date for Jan. 11.

But this could very well all change, especially if Schaefer does end up representing himself.

Mack's case took just over two years to prosecute.

If convicted, Schaefer faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.