A long-running Plymouth murder case has resurfaced when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from the Boston field office detained Khambor Phouthongseng, a Laotian national convicted of homicide in 1990, in the Boston area on Monday, according to court and agency records.
Phouthongseng was one of three people convicted of killing Daravanh Phachansiri at a birthday party in Plymouth, a case that has resulted in years of trials, appeals, and parole hearings. He is currently in ICE custody and will face immigration proceedings.
ICE publicly reported the arrest, and local media provided additional information about his criminal and immigration history. According to the Boston Herald, Phouthongseng’s record includes convictions for second-degree murder and kidnapping. He was previously ordered deported from the US.
Conviction and case details
Phouthongseng and two others were convicted of second-degree murder and kidnapping after a 15-day trial in May 1991. According to eyewitness testimony and forensic evidence, the victim sustained manual strangulation and blunt-force trauma following a violent battle near a gas station. The Massachusetts Appeals Court stated these findings.
Parole and immigration history
Phouthongseng has been on the parole board’s docket for quite some time, as evidenced by state records and life sentences. The Massachusetts Parole Board lists a life sentence decision in his name on their list of records and related papers.
According to the Boston Herald, he was paroled and held in ICE custody in 2006, paroled again in 2009, and had his parole revoked in 2012, highlighting the frequent intersection of his criminal and immigration issues.
ICE enforcement and co-defendant arrests
According to ICE’s public listings, Phouthongseng is not the only person from the 1990 case who has caught the agency’s notice. In September 2025, ICE Boston detained one of the co-defendants, Souvanheuang Phachansiri.
ICE has targeted individuals with substantial criminal records in Massachusetts, as described in their published documents and field-office posts. See ICE for more information on connected arrests.
Local context
The arrest occurred only days after Mayor Michelle Wu issued an executive order banning ICE’s use of city property and urging local departments to prepare for increased federal enforcement. According to city officials, the order is intended to safeguard people and maintain control of any federal activities, and it has sparked debate about how local and federal authorities should engage.
According to Boston.com, the order outlines procedures for documenting and reviewing encounters with federal officials, thereby focusing attention on every potential ICE move in the city.
Legal note
Phouthongseng’s arrest brings him back to federal immigration custody after years of criminal and parole processes. From here, he will be kept for immigration hearings and possible removal. Due to a past removal order and a life-sentence record, the case will be handled by immigration while the criminal record is still on the public court docket.
Records of the Mass. The Appeals Court and the Parole Board are the principal public sources for conviction and sentencing information, while ICE’s field-office accounts give updates on enforcement action. We will continue to watch official filings and update this report when additional records or statements become available.
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