PHILADELPHIA, PA – In a late October press release from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the agency announced the deportation of an illegal alien from Laos who was previously convicted for his role in the 1994 murder of 16-year-old Eddie Polec. The high school teenager’s murder captured the nation’s attention at the time due to the senseless and brutal nature of the crime.
ICE announced the deportation of Bou Khathavong to Laos, which the agency confirmed occurred on September 2nd following his initial apprehension by the agency on July 25th. Khathavong was featured on ICE’s “Worst of the Worst” list of illegal aliens sought for immediate removal, with the reasoning behind such designation stemming from his involvement in the notorious 1994 murder of Polec.
In light of Khathavong’s deportation, NBC Philadelphia recounted the grisly murder which occurred outside of a church in Philadelphia’s Fox Chase neighborhood over thirty years ago, with the news outlet describing how “Polec was beaten to death by a mob of teenagers armed with baseball bats.” A Washington Post article from 1994 detailed what could be described as a night of terror in the Fox Chase neighborhood, with 911 callers detailing how there were “about 50 kids busting up cars” with baseball bats and targeting every teenager within sight.
According to authorities at the time, the violent siege of the neighborhood stemmed from a young woman at an area McDonald’s the week prior who had soda thrown into her car by some high school kids from the Fox Chase neighborhood, with the girl telling the teens, “You’re all getting…beat up next weekend.”
Police were slow to respond to what was described by numerous 911 callers as teenagers “beating the hell out of people with baseball bats,” as the dispatchers seemingly didn’t credit the calls with the needed urgency and were reportedly rude and dismissive to callers.
As reported by the Washington Post regarding the case and controversy surrounding the indifferent 911 operators, “By then it was probably too late for Eddie Polec,” with the outlet adding, “As Polec was running from the gang, someone threw a bat at his legs and tripped him, according to police. A group of teenagers started swinging bats at him, and some of them allegedly held him erect so that others could get a clean hit. Eddie Polec's skull was fractured in seven places.”
In March 1996, sixteen months after his arrest, Khathavong was convicted of criminal conspiracy and was sentenced to 5 to 10 years in prison for his role in Polec’s murder. An immigration detainer was placed on Khathavong in 1996, and he appeared before an immigration judge in 1998 under charges of being an aggravated felon under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
In December 2004, Khathavong was ordered removed from the country but was somehow later released on an order of supervision in 2005. After what ICE described as “years of legal hurdles,” Khathavong was able to be successfully detained and deported back to his country of origin.
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Philadelphia acting Field Office Director David O’Neill said in a statement regarding Khathavong’s deportation, “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. ICE is working daily to safeguard the American public and bring justice for the families of those who are harmed by illegal aliens.”
ICE announced the deportation of Bou Khathavong to Laos, which the agency confirmed occurred on September 2nd following his initial apprehension by the agency on July 25th. Khathavong was featured on ICE’s “Worst of the Worst” list of illegal aliens sought for immediate removal, with the reasoning behind such designation stemming from his involvement in the notorious 1994 murder of Polec.
In light of Khathavong’s deportation, NBC Philadelphia recounted the grisly murder which occurred outside of a church in Philadelphia’s Fox Chase neighborhood over thirty years ago, with the news outlet describing how “Polec was beaten to death by a mob of teenagers armed with baseball bats.” A Washington Post article from 1994 detailed what could be described as a night of terror in the Fox Chase neighborhood, with 911 callers detailing how there were “about 50 kids busting up cars” with baseball bats and targeting every teenager within sight.
According to authorities at the time, the violent siege of the neighborhood stemmed from a young woman at an area McDonald’s the week prior who had soda thrown into her car by some high school kids from the Fox Chase neighborhood, with the girl telling the teens, “You’re all getting…beat up next weekend.”
Police were slow to respond to what was described by numerous 911 callers as teenagers “beating the hell out of people with baseball bats,” as the dispatchers seemingly didn’t credit the calls with the needed urgency and were reportedly rude and dismissive to callers.
As reported by the Washington Post regarding the case and controversy surrounding the indifferent 911 operators, “By then it was probably too late for Eddie Polec,” with the outlet adding, “As Polec was running from the gang, someone threw a bat at his legs and tripped him, according to police. A group of teenagers started swinging bats at him, and some of them allegedly held him erect so that others could get a clean hit. Eddie Polec's skull was fractured in seven places.”
In March 1996, sixteen months after his arrest, Khathavong was convicted of criminal conspiracy and was sentenced to 5 to 10 years in prison for his role in Polec’s murder. An immigration detainer was placed on Khathavong in 1996, and he appeared before an immigration judge in 1998 under charges of being an aggravated felon under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
In December 2004, Khathavong was ordered removed from the country but was somehow later released on an order of supervision in 2005. After what ICE described as “years of legal hurdles,” Khathavong was able to be successfully detained and deported back to his country of origin.
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Philadelphia acting Field Office Director David O’Neill said in a statement regarding Khathavong’s deportation, “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. ICE is working daily to safeguard the American public and bring justice for the families of those who are harmed by illegal aliens.”
For corrections or revisions, click here.
The opinions reflected in this article are not necessarily the opinions of LET
Comments