Philadelphia Man Deported 45 Years After Murder Conviction in City Teen's Death
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced on Tuesday that Bou Khathavong, a man with ties to the 1994 murder of Eddie Polec, a Philadelphia teenager, has been deported to Laos. The deportation comes 45 years after Khathavong legally entered the United States.
In November 1994, Polec, just 16 years old, was brutally beaten to death by a group of teenagers from Abington High School outside a Catholic church in Fox Chase, leaving behind a trail of grief and outrage that would have far-reaching consequences. Bou Khathavong, then 17, was arrested and charged with murder and possession of an instrument of crime. He pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of criminal conspiracy in 1996.
Despite his conviction, Khathavong spent nearly two decades behind bars before being released on supervision in 2005. However, in 2004, an immigration judge ordered him to be deported due to his lack of citizenship. The decision was finally carried out when ICE officials escorted Khathavong out of the country on September 2.
The deportation has brought a measure of closure for Polec's family and the city of Philadelphia, which was left shaken by the brutal murder. "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," said David O'Neill, acting field office director for ICE.
In response to public outcry over the initial response to Polec's murder, including allegations that 911 dispatchers provided apathetic responses to calls, former Mayor Ed Rendell implemented significant reforms to the city's emergency dispatch system. The changes aimed to improve training, equipment, and funding for the department.
The deportation of Bou Khathavong marks a rare instance where an individual with ties to a heinous crime has been held accountable, albeit decades late in the game.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced on Tuesday that Bou Khathavong, a man with ties to the 1994 murder of Eddie Polec, a Philadelphia teenager, has been deported to Laos. The deportation comes 45 years after Khathavong legally entered the United States.
In November 1994, Polec, just 16 years old, was brutally beaten to death by a group of teenagers from Abington High School outside a Catholic church in Fox Chase, leaving behind a trail of grief and outrage that would have far-reaching consequences. Bou Khathavong, then 17, was arrested and charged with murder and possession of an instrument of crime. He pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of criminal conspiracy in 1996.
Despite his conviction, Khathavong spent nearly two decades behind bars before being released on supervision in 2005. However, in 2004, an immigration judge ordered him to be deported due to his lack of citizenship. The decision was finally carried out when ICE officials escorted Khathavong out of the country on September 2.
The deportation has brought a measure of closure for Polec's family and the city of Philadelphia, which was left shaken by the brutal murder. "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," said David O'Neill, acting field office director for ICE.
In response to public outcry over the initial response to Polec's murder, including allegations that 911 dispatchers provided apathetic responses to calls, former Mayor Ed Rendell implemented significant reforms to the city's emergency dispatch system. The changes aimed to improve training, equipment, and funding for the department.
The deportation of Bou Khathavong marks a rare instance where an individual with ties to a heinous crime has been held accountable, albeit decades late in the game.
. It's crazy that someone who committed such a heinous crime was able to avoid accountability for 45 years. I mean, what's even more messed up is that he was deported 45 years after he first entered the country illegally...like, how did he even manage that? 
And on top of it all, his deportation finally brings some closure to the Polec family and the city of Philly. It's like, justice is a slow process sometimes, but at least it's being served, you know? 
i'm literally so happy 4 bou khathavong got deported!! it's about time someone took responsibility 4 that teen's tragic death 
eddie polec deserved so much better & his fam deserves closure 
i remember reading about this back in the day & it was like, how could this happen? 
anyway, glad to see ice finally did something right 
can we pls move on 2 more positive news now tho 
. the fact that he wasnt even held accountable until now is wild too, like what took so long?! 
I'm not buying the "accountability" narrative here, it's just a convenient way to sweep this under the rug.
. 17 yrs old getting beat up and killed? that's just sickening 
. and now he gets deported? about time, I guess. can you imagine the pain his victim's family went through waiting for justice to be served? it's been like an eternity 
. I'm glad some closure is finally being reached, but still not enough 
.
I think it's fascinating how this case brings closure to the Polec family after all these years...45 years, can you believe it? It's like, what took so long for justice to be served? I mean, Bou Khathavong was practically a ghost in American society. The fact that he was deported without much fanfare is almost...anticlimactic? Still, I guess it's a win for accountability and the rule of law, even if it came 45 years late. It's also interesting to see how this case ties into broader conversations about emergency response systems and police reform in Philly. Like, what can we learn from this tragic event that we can apply to prevent similar incidents? The fact that reforms were implemented after all this time is a testament to the power of outrage and activism. 
In this case, Bou Khathavong spent almost half his life behind bars, but 15 yrs outta those 45 yrs was in the US. 
. The fact that Bou Khathavong just got deported after spending 2 decades behind bars but not being convicted of murder is wild 
. But seriously, how does someone get away with something like that for so long? It's a total shame 
.
I just can't believe this is happening 45 yrs after that tragic event 
. ICE should get praised 4 handling the situation properly 
. Deportation can be a harsh reality but in cases like these, it's a necessary step towards healing & justice 
His actions all those years ago were literally devastating to an entire family and community... it feels so unfair that he gets to walk away after serving nearly 2 decades in prison. It's almost like the justice system is letting him off the hook, ya know? Anyway, I guess some good comes out of this - Polec's family can finally get some sense of closure 
and what's up with immigration law? can't we just do it more fairly? 
so like he gets caught up in all this drama, spends 20 yrs in the can, and then suddenly everyone just lets him go back to laos?