Justice Delayed: Man Tied to 1994 Teen Murder Sent Back to Laos

A man involved in the tragic death of a 16-year-old boy in Philadelphia in 1994 has finally been deported. Bou Khathavong, who is not from the United States, was sent back to Laos on September 2. This happened after many years of legal battles. Khathavong was part of a group that beat Eddie Polec to death on the steps of a church. He was caught and put in prison in 1996. The court said he had to stay in prison for at least five years. But the story doesn't end there. After he got out of prison, the government tried to send him back to his home country. It took a long time, but finally, in September, he was deported.The man had two citizenships: from Laos and Thailand. He was found guilty of helping to plan the crime. The attack on Polec was very violent. He was hit with baseball bats and other weapons while he was on the ground, unable to defend himself. The government agency that handles immigration, ICE, said they hope this will help the family of Eddie Polec and the city of Philadelphia to heal. They said they work every day to keep people safe and bring justice to those who have been hurt by people who are not supposed to be in the country.