After nearly three decades, Bou Khathavong, an illegal immigrant and convicted felon, has finally been deported to Laos for his involvement in the horrific 1994 beating death of Philadelphia high school student Eddie Polec.
Polec, just 16, was brutally attacked by a mob of teenagers using baseball bats and other weapons on the steps of Saint Cecilia’s Church in the city’s Fox Chase neighborhood. Despite desperate calls for help, the assault continued until the boy was dead.
The Long Road to Justice and Deportation
- The Conviction: Khathavong, a dual citizen of Laos and Thailand, was arrested in November 1994 and later convicted in 1996 of criminal conspiracy in the murder. He was sentenced to a minimum of five and a maximum of ten years in prison.
- Immigration Action: Shortly after his conviction, the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) lodged a detainer against him. He was charged as an aggravated felon under the Immigration and Nationality Act—a category that mandates deportation for serious criminal offenses.
- The Order: An immigration judge ordered Khathavong’s removal to Laos in December 2004.
- The Final Removal: After years of legal proceedings, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) division in Philadelphia finally executed the order, deporting Khathavong on September 2.
ICE ERO Philadelphia Acting Field Office Director David O’Neill stated: “We sincerely hope that the removal of Bou Khathavong can finally help the family of Eddie Polec and the city of Philadelphia heal from one of the most horrifying crimes in Philadelphia’s history.”
